I hope you've enjoyed reading and learning about estate planning during National Estate Planning Awareness Week. We believe that knowledge is powerful and being prepared is liberating- and we appreciate you, area parents, for partnering with us in our mission to educate families - especially young families - about the importance of planning. To wrap up the week, I'd like to take a moment to summarize everything Read More
Frequently Asked Estate Planning Questions- National Estate Planning Awareness Week 2017
I hope you've enjoyed National Estate Planning Awareness Week as much as we have! It's our mission to ensure that every child in the Commonwealth is protected -no matter what- and we appreciate you, area parents, for partnering with us in this mission, as you make educated, loving choices regarding estate planning for your family. To wrap up the week, I'd like to take a moment to summarize everything we've covered Read More
Things You Should Never Put in Your Will
A will is a vital estate planning document, and allows you to distribute your assets and property according to your wishes. However, there are several items that should NOT be included in a will: Property held in a living trust or joint tenancy - property deeded to a living trust cannot be willed to someone else, and a will cannot change the right of survivorship in joint tenancy, which passes to the joint tenant by Read More
Estate Planning for the Blended Family
Balancing the needs of a multi-generational blended family with your own wishes can be a complicated task, especially when it comes to estate planning. With a majority of Americans not only marrying once, but twice, three or even four times during their lives, it is a challenge that will come to many. Even when blended family members get along, estate planning can be complicated. The potential for acrimony among Read More
When No One Feels Right, How to Decide Who to Name as Guardians
Reasons Most Parents Have Not Planned for the Care of their Kids The statistics are staggering: most parents do not have wills or other documents naming guardian(s) of their children if something happens to them. Depending on the source, the percentage is between 50-75%. Why? One reason is likely lack of knowledge – some parents might understand that a will is the traditional place to name guardians for children Read More
Your Estate Planning Checklist
The death of a parent… Medical issues… Birth of a child… A milestone birthday… Any of these events can trigger the urge to put your affairs in order and plan your estate. One of the best things you can for your loved ones is to leave them an estate that’s well organized, clear cut and easy to administer. While we talk often about the need for a sound estate plan, we know that trying to plan your estate can be Read More
What If?
Most people start the process of estate planning to deal with “What If”. What If you died and your children were still too young to care for themselves? What If you were no longer physically able to care for yourself? What If you had very specific instructions for how your property should be passed on? Every person on the planet has an individual list of things they worry about. And those worries are often what Read More
Saving Your Heirs From Themselves
You’ve worked hard for your money... You’ve made some good investments and lived well within your means... You want to leave as much as possible to your heirs but... That grandson has a serious snowboarding addiction... Or maybe your daughter is just crazy about her new husband and the guy hasn’t had a steady job since he mowed yards in eighth grade... You don’t want to disinherit them but how do you save them Read More
“Happy Holidays From Your Acton Estate Planning Lawyer!” – How’s Your Estate Plan?
By David Feakes, Acton Estate Planning Lawyer and Personal Family Lawyer. The end of the year is always a good time to reassess where we are financially… Plan for the future… Correct past mistakes… And, most importantly, change course if needed. This year, a review of your estate plan is more vital than ever. The resurrection of the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax (GST) in 2011, the Read More
The 15 Estate Planning Mistakes That Could Leave Your Family in Danger (Part 1)
Does Your Plan Make One of These 15 Fatal Mistakes that Can Endanger Your Family, Result in the Government Taking Too Much of Your Money, and Leave Your Family With a Huge Problem? (Part 1 - Counting Down: Mistakes #15 -11) Regardless of whether you've prepared a plan for what will happen in the event of your death or incapacity, a plan is in place. It’s the people you love the most who are going to have the Read More
