Decisions about your health care are some of the most important you will ever make. While you are well, planning for the unexpected now is so important. Don’t put off making plans until it’s too late and you are unable to assert your wishes. National Health Care Decisions Day is Sunday, April 16th. This day is dedicated to educating and empowering both young and old about the importance of advanced care planning. Read More
CONSIDER THIS BEFORE YOU CREATE A WILL ONLINE
A will or, last will and testament, is the most commonly thought-of document when it comes to an estate plan. But really it is only a very small part of a comprehensive plan that ensures your family stays out of court if and when something happens to you. Don’t be fooled into thinking you can just write your own will and that will help your family. You have probably seen ads from services that tout the idea 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
6 Reasons Why a Trust is Better Than a Will
A will is one of the most basic estate planning documents, and everyone should have one to make sure that there is no question about what would happen to your assets and kids if something happens to you. But there are important reasons why having a trust in addition to a will is critical and make things so much easier for you and your family. Here are the top 6 reasons why a trust is better than a will: A Read More
5 Things a Will Can’t Do
When people think about how to prepare for their death, their first thought is often to create a Will. While having a Will is enough for some people, having just a Will is often not sufficient enough to accomplish the goals that you may have for the future of your family. Understanding the things that a Will cannot do for you and your family will help you understand your options and what kind of estate plan is right Read More
The Dangers of Legal DIY: When Something is NOT Better Than Nothing
Go online, and you’ll find tons of websites offering do-it-yourself estate planning documents. Such forms are typically quite inexpensive. Simple wills, for example, are often priced under $50, and you can complete and print them out in a matter of minutes. In our uber-busy lives and DIY culture, it’s no surprise that this kind of thing might seem like a good deal. You know estate planning is important, and even Read More
Advice for the “Sandwich Generation”
July is Sandwich Generation month. Now that I've got you thinking about turkey BLTs or meatball subs, I have to break it to you (though I bet you can already guess,) this article isn't about food. So what is the Sandwich Generation? The average age of parents raising children in the US continues to rise, leaving many middle-aged Americans in a category commonly referred to as the the “sandwich” generation: often Read More
I Don’t Have Young Kids, So Why Do I Need an Estate Plan? Part 2
Last month, we shared the first part of our series on the importance of estate planning for those without young children. If you haven’t read it yet, you can do so here. In part two, we discuss the other risks involved for those who forego estate planning. Someone will have power over your health care Estate planning isn’t just about passing on your assets when you die. In fact, some of the most critical parts of Read More
5 Common Estate Planning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Since estate planning involves thinking about death, many people put it off until their senior years, or simply ignore it all together, until it becomes too late. This kind of unwillingness to face reality can create major hardship, expense, and mess for the loved ones you leave behind. While not having any estate plan is the biggest blunder you can make, even those who do create a plan can run into trouble if they Read More
