Category Archives for Family Issues
3 Reasons Why You Want to Take Social Security at 62
There is always a lot of discussion about when someone should start taking their Social Security payments. And often times it depends on who you are talking to as to what the pro’s and cons are for the different times you are eligible. Most people know they can start taking their Social Security payments starting […]
Continue readingThe “ESSENTIAL” Send Off Packet for ALL College Students (and Adult Children)
Your kids are either coming home for the holidays or possibly even getting ready to start college after the first of the year in some cases. Either way, it is critically important to send them off to college with an ESSENTIAL PACKET to protect them and you as their parents. We’re not talking about supplies […]
Continue readingSpecial Needs Children Need Special Planning
Every Estate Plan has its nuances and “special” attributes to make it work for the people who it will serve. There are no two plans the same…nor should there be. When you have a “special needs” child, there are even more nuances that make your plan very specific for both today and tomorrow. If you […]
Continue readingDon’t Forget About Your “Other” Loved Ones…Your Pets
Are you (or do you know) one of those pet owners who is “over the top” passionate about their pet? They are a member of the family and are loved as much as anyone else in the family. Their pets might even get more attention when it comes to posting pictures on social media than […]
Continue readingThe “Four Pillars” You Need in Your Estate Plan so it “Works” the Way You Want It To
Regardless of whether you have an estate plan in place or are just starting to think about one, there are some key elements everyone should know about (or refresh their thinking about). It will be worth your time to refresh yourself (or educate yourself) on some core goals you should consider when thinking about estate […]
Continue readingThree Critical Legal Documents Every Parent Should Have in Place NOW to Safeguard Their Adult Children
As a parent, you may have felt like you lost control of your “adult” children long ago…but according to the law, you lost control when they turned 18! Well, maybe not complete control, but at least control over certain medical and financial situations. When your child turns 18 years of age, at least in the […]
Continue readingDo You Have an Estate over $11M…You’ll Want to Know About This Technique
The federal estate and gift tax exemption is at an all-time high ($11,400,000 as of January 1, 2019). This means that the vast majority of people will be tax exempt when it comes to gift taxes and only a tiny percentage of people who will have taxable estates. But for those of you who do […]
Continue readingCelebrity “Fail” Series… Fail #1…How Prince Failed at Estate Planning
In a world where people envy the lives of celebrities, there are some realities that might not make you quite so envious. One of these areas is Estate Planning. When we think they have it all together we often times discover this is not necessarily the case. When they pass away and their estate plans […]
Continue readingEstate Planning For Women and the Men Who Love Them
Estate planning is an experience that is equally shared (and enjoyed) by both men and women, husband and wife’s, and partners. While important to both sexes, estate planning often affects women more profoundly. Why? Women live longer on average and tend to marry older spouses, making them three times as likely as men to be […]
Continue readingAmy Winehouse got her will right
While signers and movie stars are not a large part of my estate planning practice, it is sometimes fun to look at what happens to the “rich and famous” when it comes to their estate planning…at least I think it is fun. Often times we think that just because someone has a significant amount of […]
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