AARP and The Red Cross Celebrate Make-A-Will Month, But Here’s What They Didn’t Tell You
September 23, 2023
August is National Make-A-Will Month and you may have received an advertisement in your inbox or mailbox ...
Read MoreAugust is National Make-A-Will Month and you may have received an advertisement in your inbox or mailbox ...
Read MoreThere 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.
August is National Make-A-Will Month and you may have received an advertisement in your inbox or mailbox ...
When you think of estate planning, a Will is usually the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, most pe...
If you are looking to create your last will and testament, or will, online, you’ll find dozens of website...
Before we talk about how to choose the right Trustee, let’s talk about what a Trustee does and whether yo...
August is “National Make-A-Will Month,” and if you have already prepared your will, congratulations—too f...
August is “National Make-A-Will Month,” and if you have already prepared your will, congratulations—too f...
If a family member or friend has asked you to serve as trustee for their trust either during their life, ...
As a parent, you’re likely hoping to leave your children an inheritance. In fact, doing so may be one of ...
Unless you’ve created an estate plan that works to keep your family out of court, when you die (or become...
When it comes to estate planning, most people automatically think about taking legal steps to ensure the ...
This article is part two of a two-part series on the benefits of putting your home in a trust. Part one o...
If you are like many homeowners, your home is likely your family’s most valuable and treasured asset. In ...
When it comes to estate planning, you’ve most likely heard people mention a couple of different types of ...
The pandemic has caused Americans to change their behavior in a number of different ways, and one of the ...
When you hear the words, “trust fund,” do you conjure up images of stately mansions and party yachts? A t...
On September 13, 2021, Democrats in the House of Representatives released a new $3.5 trillion proposed sp...
On September 13, 2021, Democrats in the House of Representatives released a new $3.5 trillion proposed sp...
As the host of the wildly popular The Joy of Painting TV series on PBS, Bob Ross became a pop-culture ico...
As the host of the wildly popular The Joy of Painting TV series on PBS, Bob Ross became a pop-culture ico...
Wills and trusts are two of the most commonly used estate planning documents, and they form the foundatio...
A last will and testament is the most commonly thought-of document when it comes to an estate plan. But r...
Last week in part one of this series, we discussed how Tony Hsieh became an Internet pioneer, starting tw...
On November 27th, nine days after being pulled unconscious from a house fire in a beachfront home in New ...
A will is one of the most basic estate planning tools. While relying solely on a will is rarely a suitabl...
November 6, 2020 is “National Love Your Lawyer Day,” which started in 2001 as a way to celebrate lawyers ...
On October 15th, nearly two months after the death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, his wife, Tayl...
On October 15th, nearly two months after the death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, his wife, Tayl...
Being asked by a loved one to serve as trustee for their trust upon their death can be quite an honor, bu...
Anyone who has seen the hit Netflix documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness can attest that i...
If you are engaged to be married, divorce is probably the last thing you and your fiancé want to be think...
Many people come to us curious (or confused) about trusts and taxes. So today’s article is going to sort ...
Wills, trusts, health care directives, powers of attorney, and legal guardian nominations are on many of ...
With all of the media about “digital wills” and “online estate planning” it could be tempting to think yo...
In my previous article, I talked about what to take into consideration when you’re planning for your pet’...
A last will and testament can ensure your wishes are respected when you die. But if your will isn’t legal...
Both wills and trusts are estate planning documents that can be used to pass your wealth and property to ...
These days, lots of people consider their pets to be members of their family. Indeed, pets can become our...
This is the fourth in an ongoing series of NLBM articles discussing the true costs and consequences of fa...
Last week, we discussed the benefits of a unique estate planning vehicle known as Lifetime Asset Protecti...
When you create your estate plan, the idea that one of your adult children would ever use their inheritan...
This is the second in an ongoing series of NLBM articles discussing the true costs and consequences of fa...
In the first part of this series, we discussed one of the most frequent causes for dispute over your esta...
This week Tom Petty’s daughters escalated the battle over their late father’s estate by filing a lawsuit ...
In the first part of this series, we discussed a couple of the most critical updates you must make to you...
Being asked by a family member or close friend to serve as trustee for their trust upon their death can b...
Unlike most of your assets, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) do not pass to your family through a wi...
In the first part of this series, we discussed the estate planning tools all unmarried couples should hav...
Estate planning is often considered something you only need to worry about once you get married. But the ...
In the first part of this series, we discussed the importance of including your digital assets in your es...
If you’ve created an estate plan, it likely includes traditional wealth and assets like finances, real es...
Last week, we shared the first part of this series discussing the hidden dangers of do-it-yourself estate...
Go online, and you’ll find tons of websites offering do-it-yourself estate planning documents. Such forms...
Last week, we shared the first part of this series explaining the powers and duties that come with servin...
If a friend or family member has asked you to serve as trustee for their trust upon their death, you shou...
It always surprises me to hear parents who have a child with special needs tell me that they were not awa...
When discussing estate planning, a will is what most people think of first. Indeed, wills have been the m...
A last will and testament is the most commonly thought of document when it comes to an estate plan. But, ...
If you have pets, you probably want to make sure they are well-taken care of, if anything happens to you....
DIY wills are becoming more prevalent as legal services can now be accessed easily online. For better or ...
Setting up a trust fund for your children can ensure that the money you are leaving behind for them is ta...
Perhaps you’ve heard from a well-meaning friend or advisor that you can use an inexpensive Transfer on De...
Trusts vary in their structure, funding, and terms, so it’s hard to know how divorce will impact your tru...
Of the handful of major life events that require your serious consideration, few are as emotionally charg...
Even after death, celebrities are highly publicized for their mistakes, many of which we make ourselves. ...
A comprehensive estate plan can protect the things that matter most. For many, this means their property ...
If your pet is beloved as a family member, you likely want to ensure that he or she will be well cared fo...
If you created an estate plan that includes a living trust, you must review it to determine if it contain...
Too many estate plans are created and then quickly forgotten, put on a shelf, and never looked at again. ...
Even if you do not have an estate plan that you’ve created, the State has one for you. And it’s likely on...
If you’re like me, you want to leave an inheritance for your children. It’s likely part of what you are w...
You’ve spent your entire life building up your retirement account. It may even be the biggest asset you’l...
The holidays are traditionally the time for family gatherings, where generations come together and perfor...
Many parents want to know the best way to leave a home to their children. Before you make a plan, you sho...
How do you want to die? Do you want lifesaving treatments to be administered even if all brain activity h...
In June, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, a highly publicized...
A trust is a legal creation set up to benefit someone or something. For example, some people set up trust...
The term “blended family” has become commonplace in our society and refers to a family where one or both ...
If you are in your “golden years” and are looking for ways to spread your wealth, you should consider the...
When you have a family member with special needs, it is important to understand that your estate planning...
You have likely heard over and over that there are many advantages to creating a comprehensive estate pla...
The passing of family heirlooms from one generation to another should be welcome tradition in most famili...
If you are a single parent, life for you right now probably couldn’t get any busier. You are likely being...
It is natural for parents to want to treat their children equally when it comes to inheritances. However,...
Traditionally, one of the primary reasons for establishing a living trust has been to avoid probate. But ...
The shock over the death of 47-year-old SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg, husband of Facebook COO Sheryl Sa...
There is much to be learned from the mistakes of others and the celebrity world abounds with cautionary t...
A 2010 study conducted by the Investor Protection Trust found that more than seven million older American...
A common estate planning mistake many people make – including celebrities like Michael Jackson – is not e...
Current research shows that only about half of Americans have a will, and probably less than that have ch...
Once you have chosen the people you want to receive any of your assets -- either from a will, a trust, a ...
It’s no misnomer that a position with so much responsibility carries the name “trustee”. After all, you h...
Avoiding the need for a conservatorship – the process whereby someone is appointed by a court to assume r...
Americans today are getting married later in life. Currently, the average age of a first marriage is 27 f...
One of the most prevalent misconceptions when it comes to estate planning is that if you have a will, it ...
A drama currently playing out in a French courtroom demonstrates that any elderly person can fall victim ...
Last year’s uncertainty about the future of the estate and gift tax caused many people to put their estat...
When you hear the words, “trust fund,” do you conjure up images of stately mansions and party yachts? A t...
Famous comedienne, Joan Rivers, who died unexpectedly on September 4, 2014, from what is alleged to be a ...
Families of those with disabilities - physical or mental - are typically concerned with the best way to f...
According to the Investment Company Institute, the use of IRAs for retirement saving has increased in the...
You bring your children into the world with love. You raise them with love. If you’re going all the way a...
If you own real estate, chances are you have purchased insurance to protect your assets against damage or...
While most parents have the best intentions when it comes to teaching their children about handling finan...
Maria Shriver knows the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease firsthand. Her beloved father Sargent Shriver,...
It’s no surprise that Americans spend more time planning their summer vacations than they do planning the...
If you have young children, chances are that your summer activities include some careful planning to keep...
Rock musician Sting recently announced that his children will not inherit his estimated $300 million fort...
Do you know what it takes to be a real man? Although the expectations of both men and women have evolved ...
A new study from the Boston College Center on Wealth and Philanthropy shows that the greatest wealth tran...
Summer has officially arrived and for those of us fortunate enough to have a vacation home – whether it’s...
Most parents love their children unconditionally and want to do whatever they can to smooth life’s rough ...
Many people fail to create an estate plan because they don’t truly understand what is involved and theref...
The perfect gift for your child or grandchild on the occasion of their birth, Bar or Bat Mitzvah, Sweet 1...
If you are like most Americans, you will probably be spending at least some of your vacation time this su...
A recent article in the New York Post about brothers battling over a painting from their uncle’s estate s...
With just over 50,000 residents, La Crosse is a lot like other small American towns – but there is one th...
Baby boomers are set to inherit up to $8.4 trillion over the next 15 years, according to The Center for R...
Paul Walker, who starred in the Fast & Furious movie franchise, died tragically in a high speed car a...
If you have been responsible enough to purchase a life insurance policy as added protection for your love...
If you are fortunate enough to have a family vacation home, you know the emotional value it holds for eve...
Do you consider trusts to be instruments of the wealthy? While it is true that many Americans of means ha...
Most of us who have a pet consider them to be a part of the family; unfortunately, the plans we may have ...
For many people, the basics of estate planning are simple enough, but for those families with loved ones ...
If you came to this page to find out what I’ll charge you for a Will or you are considering calling me (o...
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Windsor invalidated the federal Defense of Mar...
James Gandolfini, the actor best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano on HBO’s The Sopranos, died sudd...
If you make a mistake in naming beneficiaries for your life insurance policy, the people you love will en...
Unfortunately, money has a habit of bringing out the worst in people, even in the best of families. One o...
It’s hard to believe that people who spend a lifetime working hard to accumulate wealth spend little or n...
A will is one of the most basic estate planning documents, and everyone should have one to make sure that...
They call it the “poor man’s estate planning.” Put your child on the title to your deed and avoid probate...
In the process of becoming new parents, many couples become experts at planning – scheduling the birthing...
In this article I will explain the difference between a Will-based plan and a Trust-based plan so you can...
The holidays are a traditional time for multiple generations to gather together, and are also a perfect o...
While most parents have the inclination to treat all their children equally when it comes to an inheritan...
There is no doubt we are a nation of pet lovers. Unfortunately, the law as it is currently written views ...
You could be unintentionally reducing your family’s wealth potential if you do not properly designate the...
There are a number of essential things a last will and testament can do for you, such as distribute famil...
As a Personal Family Lawyer®, I see many of the same estate planning mistakes made time and again by peop...
virginia
Let’s talk about your death . . . or incapacity. If something unfortunate happens, what will happen to your assets that you’ve worked so har...
Hi. I’m John W. Heck. I became a Personal Family Lawyer because I have seen the consequences of failed estate planning in my immediate famil...
In my practice, I focus on Family Protection, Wealth Preservation, and Value-Based Planning. I’m also experienced with wealth planning strat...
Lisa Brown Esq. is the principal attorney for Brown Law Offices. She received her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and ...
Naureen Rahman has been practicing law for over twenty years in the Maryland, DC-Metropolitan area. She has practiced across numerous sector...
I love being able to guide my clients through a unique planning process that empowers them to live a financially fulfilling life now while e...
Hi, I’m Pam Starsia. I became a Personal Family Lawyer because I’m passionate about educating and empowering people to create estate, life, ...
Kyle Nuttall. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2007. My first job out of law school was as a landman here in We...
I became a Personal Family Lawyer to help people like you and families like yours plan for the future. Facing the potential for incapacity a...
Your obligation-free consultation with a Personal Family Lawyer is just one click away. Don't let planning for the people you love wait another day.