Domestic partnership is an alternative to marriage, the most common way for a couple to legally commit to each other. For some time, domestic partnerships and civil unions were the only option for same-sex couples wishing to commit to each other while marriage was not legally available. Continue reading
Category: Estate Planning
Electronic Wills
What Is an Electronic Will?
Only a few years ago it would have been hard to imagine how much we now accomplish online. We can form and run businesses, sign commercial contracts, and purchase agreements online. We can even buy our groceries or purchase or sell an automobile online. Continue reading
Estate Planning Lessons Learned from U.S. Presidents
February 21 is the day on which we celebrate several US presidents who made noteworthy contributions to our country. Let’s look at a few of the important lessons we can learn from the estate planning of some of our country’s most famous political leaders.
George Washington
Washington Continue reading
Trusts for Minor Children
One of the reasons to engage in comprehensive estate planning is to address the uncertainties of life. If an accident or illness caused an unexpected early death, a well-drafted trust can provide for children during their younger years. While parents often attempt to treat their children Continue reading
Writing Your Own Obituary as an Addition to Your Estate Plan
An obituary can be much more than just a dry announcement of your death and the time and location of your funeral or memorial service. It can be a way to share your life story, provide information about significant events and people, and remind others of important values. Writing Continue reading
Funeral Planning: How a Remembrance and Services Memorandum Can Help
While thinking about your own funeral may not be pleasant, making arrangements in advance yourself may be one of the most thoughtful acts you can do for your loved ones. When you include funeral planning as part of your estate plan, you can spare your grieving loved ones from having Continue reading
What is HEMS and Why is it Included in So Many Trusts?
The acronym HEMS is commonly used in estate planning. HEMS, which stands for “health, education, maintenance, or support”, is frequently included in trust agreements to guide a trustee on the types of distributions they may make to a trust beneficiary. When a trustee is limited to Continue reading
Myths We Tell Ourselves About Estate Planning
Many people have mistaken ideas about estate planning. The uncomfortable thoughts of incapacity or death accompanied by inaccurate information that is shared have caused many to accept common myths.
Myth #1: Only the Rich Need an Estate Plan
We often hear in the news about a celebrity Continue reading
Life Insurance and Estate Planning: Protecting Your Beneficiaries’ Interests
Life insurance is an important financial and estate planning tool, but without certain protections in place, there is no guarantee that your beneficiary will receive, or keep, the benefit from your insurance. Some people assume that they only need to designate their spouse, child, Continue reading
Estate Planning Concerns for the Unmarried
As an unmarried individual, you may feel overwhelmed when you think about who will step in and make decisions for you if you cannot make decisions for yourself and who will receive your money and property when you die. A married person often assumes a spouse would have authority to Continue reading
Trust and Estate Administration – Who Should Attend the Meetings?
A loved one’s passing is felt by their entire surviving family. But when it comes to carrying out the decedent’s final wishes, not everyone has an equal say. Instead, in most cases, only one person—the executor, personal representative, or successor trustee—plays that key role. This Continue reading
Things You Need to Know About Basis
“Basis” is a term used frequently in tax law. Black’s Law Dictionary defines basis as “the value assigned to a taxpayer’s investment in property and used primarily for computing gain or loss from a transfer of the property. When the assigned value represents the cost of acquiring Continue reading
Avoiding Financial Grief: How to Protect Your Significant Other from Frozen Accounts
The death of a loved one is one of the most difficult times in a person’s life. Nothing can truly prepare a person for such a loss. Having to deal with financial stress at such at a time can heighten the difficulty. Without proper planning, your significant other could face frozen Continue reading
HELP! This Probate Is Taking Forever!!!
After a loved one dies, their money and assets must be distributed to the right people, either according to their will or state law (found in the default distribution scheme in its “intestacy” statute). While most people want the settlement process to be done as soon as possible, Continue reading
Estate Planning is Important for Adults of All Ages
Estate planning is important for adults of all ages.
It is estimated that over 120 million Americans do not have proper estate plans to protect themselves or their families in the event of sickness, accidents, or untimely death. Many do not plan because of the false assumption that Continue reading