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Help Your Parents Avoid These New Financial Scams - Part 1

Fraudsters and scam artists are nothing new, but changing tools and technology are making it easier than ...

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Latest Articles

There is no shortage of advice flying around about estate planning, much of it from people who aren't even lawyers. Get insight on the popular pitfalls and how emerging economic shifts like cryptocurrency can affect your plan.

Talking with Your Family About Your Estate Plan

Is it time to have “the talk” with your kids? We’re not talking about a “birds and bees” talk but one tha...

Pets in Your Will

For those of us who have pets that would be left behind after we die, there may be a desire to make arran...

Could This Happen to You or Your Loved One? Town Demolishes House While Owner Is in Hospital

Imagine this: your elderly uncle with no family near his home travels South to Florida for surgery and ha...

Family Financial Traditions

To some degree or another, we are all a function of the social environments in which we were raised. Of c...

Mark Zuckerberg Did Not Pledge 99% of His Facebook Stock to Charity — Here’s What He Did Instead + What He Could Do Even Better

When I heard that Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, were donating 99 percent of their Fac...

How to Pass On Family Heirlooms Without Causing a Family Feud

The holidays are traditionally the time for family gatherings, where generations come together and perfor...

How To Leave Your Home To Your Kids

Many parents want to know the best way to leave a home to their children. Before you make a plan, you sho...

What Is a Trust?

A trust is a legal creation set up to benefit someone or something. For example, some people set up trust...

Consider Your Estate Plan Before Your Summer Travel

It’s summer, when travel is the busiest and careful planning is necessary to nab the best airfare or book...

Estate Planning for Blended Families

The term “blended family” has become commonplace in our society and refers to a family where one or both ...

Estate Planning with Gifts to Grandchildren

If you are in your “golden years” and are looking for ways to spread your wealth, you should consider the...

Protecting Your Child with a Special Needs Trust

When you have a family member with special needs, it is important to understand that your estate planning...

5 Ways to Keep Your Family Out of Court After You Die

You have likely heard over and over that there are many advantages to creating a comprehensive estate pla...

How to Protect Family Heirlooms From a Family Feud

The passing of family heirlooms from one generation to another should be welcome tradition in most famili...

What Every Single Parent Needs to Know About Estate Planning

If you are a single parent, life for you right now probably couldn’t get any busier. You are likely being...

How to Benefit from an Estate Plan When You Own Real Estate

Many parents believe that by adding a child’s name to a property deed, they can pass along the property o...

Legacy Planning: Leaving More to Your Loved Ones Than Money That Will Be Lost Quickly

The assets you leave to your loved ones can either be a source of relief or, sometimes, a source of panic...

5 Steps to Fix Your Battered Retirement Plan

It’s no secret that a majority of Americans are ill-prepared for retirement. A recent Forbes.com post det...

Why Equal Inheritance Isn't Always the Best for Your Estate Plan | PFL®

It is natural for parents to want to treat their children equally when it comes to inheritances. However,...

Estate Planning for Your Digital Afterlife

If you’re like most Americans, you have a rich digital life. You may bank online, invest online and certa...

Is Your Living Trust Really Going to Work For the People You Love?

Traditionally, one of the primary reasons for establishing a living trust has been to avoid probate. But ...

What to Do When a Spouse Suddenly Dies … Lessons from the Death of Sheryl Sandberg’s Husband, Dave Goldberg

The shock over the death of 47-year-old SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg, husband of Facebook COO Sheryl Sa...

What You Can Learn From the Estate Planning Mistakes of Others

There is much to be learned from the mistakes of others and the celebrity world abounds with cautionary t...

How You Can Avoid Being Taken Advantage of Once You Become Elderly

A 2010 study conducted by the Investor Protection Trust found that more than seven million older American...

How to Fund Your Trust to Avoid Probate

A common estate planning mistake many people make – including celebrities like Michael Jackson – is not e...

How to Tell If It’s Time to Change Your Will

Current research shows that only about half of Americans have a will, and probably less than that have ch...

5 Things You Need to Know Before You Name Beneficiaries | PFL®

Once you have chosen the people you want to receive any of your assets -- either from a will, a trust, a ...

What Families Need to Know About Debt After Death

The poverty rate among seniors is rising, giving rise to the question of whether or not it is possible to...

Family Loans Must Be Made Properly to Avoid Tax Repercussions

The recession made many parents and grandparents into personal bankers, making loans to strapped children...

10 Items That Should be Evaluated During an Estate Plan Review

Estate planning is an ongoing process, and plans should be reviewed with a qualified estate planning atto...

The Importance of Providing for Incapacity in Your Estate Plan

Avoiding the need for a conservatorship – the process whereby someone is appointed by a court to assume r...

Unintended Consequences from the Case of the Missing Will

Even the best intentions can have unintended consequences when it comes to estate planning. A case now wi...

The Pros and Cons of Prenuptial Agreements

Americans today are getting married later in life. Currently, the average age of a first marriage is 27 f...

Asset Protection: When a Will Won’t Work

One of the most prevalent misconceptions when it comes to estate planning is that if you have a will, it ...

What Women Need to Know About Estate Planning

Women outlive men, make less during their careers and have less in savings due to pay discrepancies and t...

No More Reasons for Delay in Implementing These 5 Estate Planning Essentials

Last year’s uncertainty about the future of the estate and gift tax caused many people to put their estat...

Help for Dealing with a Parent’s Dementia Diagnosis

Alzheimer’s Disease is in the news again thanks to Academy Award winner Julianne Moore’s performance in t...

The Basic Estate Planning Task EVERY Adult Needs to Review Today

With the federal estate tax exemption at $5.43 million for 2015, many people think estate planning is unn...

Robin Williams’ Family Fight Over Personal Property Not So Funny

Robin Williams’ wife Susan has gone to court over personal items she says were taken from the couple’s Ti...

Reasons to Establish a Trust (and Being Rich Isn’t One of Them)

When you hear the words, “trust fund,” do you conjure up images of stately mansions and party yachts? A t...

No One Feeling Good About Continuing Battle Over James Brown Estate | PFL®

James Brown was known for his signature song, “I Feel Good,” but no one is feeling good about the battle ...

“And the Estate Planning Oscar Goes To...” Lessons on Film About Family

The film “Black Heirlooms” has not received any Oscar nominations. It was made by 32-year-old Amanda Brow...

Why Everyone Needs an Agent

Everyone needs an agent – and not the Hollywood type. An agent is someone you designate to handle your es...

Life Lessons From Celebrity Deaths on Updating Your Estate Plan

A new year always brings the sad reviews of notable personalities who have died in the past year. Two not...

10 Tips to Ensure Family Harmony Over Your Estate Plan

When your children were small, you no doubt suffered the challenge of keeping peace in the family. We see...

Why You Should Get Estate Planning Off Your To-Do List in 2015

There are many goals most of us want to accomplish in life, and some of the most important ones center on...

Joan Rivers Has Last Laugh Through Use of a Family Trust

Famous comedienne, Joan Rivers, who died unexpectedly on September 4, 2014, from what is alleged to be a ...

Special Needs Trust: Protection for Those Who Need It the Most

Families of those with disabilities - physical or mental - are typically concerned with the best way to f...

The Final Log-Off: What Happens to Your Data When You Die?

Take a moment and consider how much of your life you live online. If you are like most of us, you bank, p...

5 Reasons Why You Need to Review Your Estate Plan

Creating an estate plan to protect your financial future and that of your family is just the first step i...

Leave an Inheritance for Future Generations with a Trusteed IRA

According to the Investment Company Institute, the use of IRAs for retirement saving has increased in the...

How to Create a Lifetime of Care for a Special Needs Child

Parents of children with special needs usually share one overriding concern: what will happen to my child...

Lauren Bacall's Estate: Lessons in Avoiding Estate Planning Pitfalls

Legendary Hollywood actress Lauren Bacall died on August 12, 2014, leaving behind an estate estimated at ...

Financial Self-Protection Tips for the Newly Single

Whether you have a lost a spouse or partner through divorce or death, being thrust into singlehood can be...

Why Inheriting in Trust is a Must

You bring your children into the world with love. You raise them with love. If you’re going all the way a...

Robin Williams: A Lesson in Deeds, Not Words + One Error in Planning

One of the most eloquent responses to Robin Williams’ death came from his best friend Billy Crystal, who ...

How to Protect Your Real Estate Assets

If you own real estate, chances are you have purchased insurance to protect your assets against damage or...

If You Don’t Trust Your Kids with Money, You Need a Trust

While most parents have the best intentions when it comes to teaching their children about handling finan...

Estate Planning Lessons from Casey Kasem's Family Feud | PFL®

Casey Kasem, the celebrity radio host who counted down America’s Top 40 popular songs for years, died on ...

Ask These 5 Questions Before Gifting Assets

Gifting assets can be a useful estate planning tool if you need to reduce your estate tax bill or for lon...

Legal Steps to Take When Facing a Dementia Diagnosis

Maria Shriver knows the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease firsthand. Her beloved father Sargent Shriver,...

Before You Take Off for Summer Vacation, Take On These 5 To-Dos

It’s no surprise that Americans spend more time planning their summer vacations than they do planning the...

A Plan for Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset: Your Children

If you have young children, chances are that your summer activities include some careful planning to keep...

Will the Inheritance You Leave Be a Blessing or an Albatross?

Rock musician Sting recently announced that his children will not inherit his estimated $300 million fort...

How Real Men Celebrate Father’s Day

Do you know what it takes to be a real man? Although the expectations of both men and women have evolved ...

Greatest Wealth Transfer in History Underway – What’s Your Plan?

A new study from the Boston College Center on Wealth and Philanthropy shows that the greatest wealth tran...

How to Balance Family Memories with Future Plans for a Vacation Home

Summer has officially arrived and for those of us fortunate enough to have a vacation home – whether it’s...

Your Memorial Should Be More Than Just Money

One of the most striking aspects of the recent opening of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum...

Unconditional Love Doesn’t Have to Mean Unconditional Inheritance

Most parents love their children unconditionally and want to do whatever they can to smooth life’s rough ...

Go to Walmart for Bananas, Not Estate Planning

Did you know that the best-selling item at Walmart is bananas? It’s true, and has been for several years....

7 Steps to Creating an Estate Plan That Keeps Your Family Out of Court

Many people fail to create an estate plan because they don’t truly understand what is involved and theref...

The Wealth Creation Trust: A Gift That Keeps On Giving

The perfect gift for your child or grandchild on the occasion of their birth, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Sweet 1...

Vacations Are the Perfect Time for Families to Talk About Estate Planning

If you are like most Americans, you will probably be spending at least some of your vacation time this su...

Why DIY Estate Planning is a Bad Idea For the People You Love

America is a nation of do-it-yourselfers, but building a deck and creating a legally valid estate plan ar...

Law and Disorder: The Jerry Orbach Estate Battle | PFL®

Jerry Orbach, who starred as Detective Lennie Briscoe in the popular “Law and Order” television series, d...

Give While You Live to Avoid a Family Feud

A recent article in the New York Post about brothers battling over a painting from their uncle’s estate s...

What’s Changed In Your Life?

Estate planning is not a “set it and forget it” kind of thing. Your life changes, your assets change, the...

Another Actor’s Estate Plan Screwed Up By His Lawyer

Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman’s will has been filed for probate and provides a cautionary ta...

Subject: Receiving an Inheritance One Day? Here’s What to Do Now.

Baby boomers are set to inherit up to $8.4 trillion over the next 15 years, according to The Center for R...

5 Fast & Furious Estate Planning Lessons from Paul Walker’s Estate | PFL®

Paul Walker, who starred in the Fast & Furious movie franchise, died tragically in a high speed car a...

How to Protect Life Insurance Proceeds from Taxation

If you have been responsible enough to purchase a life insurance policy as added protection for your love...

The Perfect Solution for Choosing Your Child’s Guardian

If you have minor children and have not yet selected a guardian, you are not unlike many parents who put ...

4 Steps You Should Take to Protect Your Money

Asset protection is not something most people think too deeply about. Most of us are busy trying to accum...

How to Preserve a Family Vacation Home with a Trust

If you are fortunate enough to have a family vacation home, you know the emotional value it holds for eve...

How to Use Estate Planning to Leave a Legacy Beyond What You Own

Your estate is made up of everything you own, which includes your personal possessions as well as your ho...

Think About Your Beneficiary Designations Over the Holidays

When you look around your holiday table this year, you will probably not be thinking about the beneficiar...

How to Pass Along Family Heirlooms Peacefully

A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that boomers and seniors are more interested in passing along ...

10 Estate Planning Questions to Ask Before Year-End

If you have not revisited your estate plan this year following the changes made to the estate and gift ta...

7 Reasons to Consider a Trust for Your Family

Do you consider trusts to be instruments of the wealthy? While it is true that many Americans of means ha...

How to Create a Plan to Ensure Your Pet’s Care

Most of us who have a pet consider them to be a part of the family; unfortunately, the plans we may have ...

Why Estate Planning is for Life, Not Death

We know that no one likes to think about death, especially their own. Which is why many people procrastin...

Tips & Rules for Estate Executors and Administrators

If you have been named the executor of someone’s estate or the Trustee of a Trust, you may be unaware of ...

How to Care for Children with Special Needs Through Estate Planning

For many people, the basics of estate planning are simple enough, but for those families with loved ones ...

Consider Your Estate Plan Before You Travel

We are fast approaching the holidays, when travel is the busiest and careful planning is necessary to nab...

How Much Do You Charge for a Will?

If you came to this page to find out what I’ll charge you for a Will or you are considering calling me (o...

Windsor Ruling Expands Estate Planning Prospects for Married Same-Sex Couples

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Windsor invalidated the federal Defense of Mar...

The 10 Keys to Planning and Living Your Best Retirement

Three-day weekends like the Labor Day just passed give us all the tiniest snippet of a glimpse into what ...

Taking the Complexity Out of Estate Planning

Remember that old joke: How do you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time. At the heart of that gag ...

Divorce After 50: Common Mistakes That Can Ruin Retirement

Beyond the emotional impact that divorce can have on couples of any age that decide to split, it can have...

7 Good Reasons You Need An Estate Plan -- Even If You Only Have $500 in the Bank

Contrary to popular belief, estate planning is not just about money or taxes. Far from it. Today, it’s mo...

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