Most of us want to make a mark in the world. That’s a big part of what gives our lives meaning. And whether or not we have children, our history and stories can be a unique and irreplaceable gift to our families. With just a little effort, we can preserve our family values for generations to come. It can be difficult to pass on our traditions and our values, however, especially when we feel no one is listening. Read More
Estate Planning Must-Haves For Single Parents
If you are a single parent, life for you right now probably couldn’t get any busier. You are likely being pulled between work, school activities, and home - and the inevitable emergencies that fill the lives of single parents everywhere. Being a single parent is a huge responsibility, even if you do share time with a parenting partner, and especially so if you don’t. Regardless, as a single parent, your children’s Read More
The Real Cost To Your Family: Having No Estate Plan At All
This is the third in an ongoing series of NLBM articles discussing the true costs and consequences of failed estate planning. The series highlights a few of the most common—and costly—planning mistakes we encounter with clients. If the series exposes any potential gaps or weak spots in your plan, meet with a Personal Family Lawyer to learn how to properly address them. When it comes to putting off or refusing to Read More
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 that is equally important, perhaps more so. Everyone has concerns about what will happen when they die. Some people worry about their homes, cars, or money. Others worry about their children. Rare, however, is the person who actually wants to talk about these things with their families. Opening these Read More
Ready To Travel Again? Here’s Your Estate Planning Checklist
It finally looks like travel is becoming a real possibility again. With more than a year’s worth of vacations and business travel completely scrapped, you can sense the excitement (and maybe a little nervousness) in the air. For our part, we and many of our friends are fully vaccinated and ready to go – anywhere! While it’s the last thing we want to think about, dusting off that passport doesn’t come without its Read More
Child Turning 18? How to keep them financially and medically protected
With high school graduation coming up, many parents will watch (live or virtually) their children walk across a stage and become adults (at least in the eyes of the law) and leave home to pursue their education and career goals. Turning 18, graduating high school, and moving out is a huge accomplishment. Turning 18 and becoming an adult also comes with some serious responsibilities that most likely are not at the Read More
6 Steps to Selecting and Naming the Right Guardians for Your Children
One of your most important duties as a parent is to select and legally document guardians for your children. This doesn’t mean automatically naming godparents or trusting that the grandparents will step in if necessary, assuming they will even be young and healthy enough to do so. As a responsible parent, you need to carefully consider and decide who would be the best people to raise your children if you could not. Read More
Getting Divorced? Your Estate Plan Needs These Four Essential Updates
If you’re in the midst of a divorce, you know what an overwhelming experience it is. Divorce disrupts every facet of life, including your estate plan. Yet, when you’re dealing with emotional and difficult issues involving your kids, your finances, your home, your family and social connections, it’s understandable that updating your estate plan can fall to the bottom of your priority list. But divorcing couples Read More
When Simple Really Isn’t Simple: The Dangers of DIY Estate Planning
Sometimes, something that looks simple or easy at first glance, can turn out to be quite complicated and much, much more difficult. Estate planning is one such thing. Search online, and you’ll find tons of online do-it-yourself estate planning services. On social media, you’re probably seeing ads for products such as Will & Trust, Legal Zoom, or Suze Orman’s estate planning kit. Such forms are typically Read More
4 Reasons Why You Can’t Afford to Go Without An Estate Plan
When it comes to putting off or refusing to create an estate plan, your mind can concoct all sorts of rationalizations: “I won’t care because I’ll be dead,” “I’m too young,” “That won’t happen to me,” or “My family will know what to do.” These thoughts all come from a mix of pride, denial, and above all, a lack of real education about estate planning and the consequences to your family of not planning. But, once Read More
