Category Archives for Parents
Celebrity “Fail” Series…Fail #3…How Burt Reynolds and Aretha Franklin Failed at Estate Planning
This is the third in our “Celebrity Fail Series” that talks about how celebrities failed to do the proper planning for their estates. Besides having some great entertainment value, there are some important lessons that can be learned from some of the most recognized celebrities. It also demonstrates that effective estate planning isn’t about having the […]
Continue readingShould You Transfer the House to Your Kids to Qualify for Medicaid or VA Benefits?
One of the most common questions we get from clients is about transferring house ownership. They want to know whether they should transfer the ownership of their house to their children. The obvious reason for transferring their house is to move a significant asset out of their estate to their kids. This might lower their […]
Continue readingExpect the Unexpected and Planning is the Cure for the Unexpected
Charlotte Fox was one of the most adventurous women I have heard about. She was a serious mountain climber…acclaimed for reaching the summit of many of the world’s tallest mountains. She was the first American woman to climb three peaks above 8,000 meters, including Mount Everest in 1996. That climb will forever live in infamy […]
Continue readingIt’s “WHY” and “HOW”…Not the “WHO” and “WHAT” that Matters
Someone asked me the other day when I was giving a speech to tell them exactly what “Estate Planning” really means. Seems like an easy answer for me, but not so much for everyone else. So I turned the question back on the audience and asked them what Estate Planning meant to them. Surprisingly, or […]
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 […]
Continue readingUncovering Dementia and Alzheimer’s Cover-ups
One of my estate planning colleagues, Lizette Sundvick, who practices in Nevada penned this comment on dementia cover-ups. Her post occurred after reading, “The Danger of Your Aging Parent Covering Up Dementia” article in Forbes. Here’s what’s important: it doesn’t matter if you have a diagnosis for your aging parent or not. It matters how […]
Continue readingBack to Basics with Estate Planning
Everyone is unique and their situation is unique. I could put you in a room with 100 people and your situation would have some aspects of uniqueness to it that belongs just to you and you alone. This is what makes us human. Our estate planning and legacy preparations aren’t any different…they are unique. It […]
Continue readingTop 10 Icebreakers offer guide for blogging
Being an attorney from my perspective goes way beyond the law and documents…it’s connecting with you and everyone else I get the pleasure to meet. For many attorneys, this is kind of a pain and a “necessary evil” as I talk with others around the country. To me, it is the BEST PART of what […]
Continue readingPlanning for your children’s education
I always like to share what others are seeing or doing that I feel will be helpful and relevant to my readers. A fellow attorney in Indiana penned a thought provoking post on planning for your children’s education. I enjoyed it, and I share it below with you. The author is Chris Yugo writing a […]
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