Estate Planning

Imagine being incapacitated and unable to communicate your medical wishes due to a serious injury or sudden illness. Family members may have different opinions on what should be done, which can lead to disagreements and strained relationships among loved ones. Your...

You may have spent decades building up your business and creating a financial empire – but all of that could come to an end when you die because you didn’t plan ahead. Business succession planning is a critical part of estate planning for small (and larger) business...

You may want to leave as much as possible behind for your loved ones – a parting gift that will make their lives easier through access to the assets you pass on. However, if you really want to make a difference in the lives of your loved ones and be remembered for a...

Creating an estate plan allows you to provide your loved ones with instructions about how to handle your assets after you pass away. This is done by writing out a will, but it can also be accomplished by setting up trusts.  When you look into trusts, you’ll notice...

Mindful estate planning is about more than designating which assets you’ll leave to which beneficiaries. It also involves understanding any potential negative consequences of those inheritances and – if possible – taking steps to minimize them. For example, if you’re...

Including an estranged child in your estate plan is a deeply personal decision that results in both emotional and legal consequences. Whether the estrangement stems from personal disagreements, misunderstandings or has evolved over time due to various life...

Having your youngest child finally leave home can be both unnerving and exciting. As you move on to the next phase of your life, however, it’s also time to make a lot of financial changes – and that includes taking a hard look at your estate plan. While it may seem...

Families can be very complicated – and parents and their adult children do sometimes have difficult relationships. Sometimes, the issues between them become extreme, and they simply cut their ties. Whatever the reason behind your estrangement, it’s not unusual for a...

One of the most concerning realities for parents is they may be unable to raise their kids to adulthood. Someone else may need to raise your child if you become incapacitated or die before they become adults. But who should you choose? Someone who can take care of...

Naming a guardian for a minor child is a consequential step in the estate planning process for parents of minor or otherwise dependent children. Making this effort can help to ensure that one’s child is cared for by a trusted individual in the event of their...