Although we live in a world where information is easily accessible through the internet, there are still many misconceptions surrounding estate planning. Most of us do not dedicate our time to learning more about topics like estate planning, because we may not know that we need an estate plan or realize the...
Category: Family
Things Your Spouse Should Know Before You Die
It is normal for married couples to share almost every aspect of their lives with each other. But when it comes to death, even the closest couples might become tight-lipped about certain topics. According to one study, half of all couples fail to discuss their dying wishes.[1]
Estrangement and Estate Planning
Unfortunately, rifts sometimes arise between family members that are much more serious than just temporary squabbles. The result may be estrangement, defined as “the state of being alienated or separated in feeling or affection; a state of hostility or unfriendliness” or “the state of being separated or removed.”[1] Estrangement does...
Estate Planning News You Can Use to Beat the Heat of Uncertainty
Just as spending a day under the summer sun without proper protection can leave you with a painful sunburn, an unfinished or out-of-date estate plan can inflict harm on you and your loved ones. In this newsletter, we explore the importance of creating a comprehensive estate plan to protect your legacy and...
What Not to Include in Your Estate Planning Documents
One important purpose of estate planning is to facilitate the transfer of ownership of your money and property to your family and loved ones when you pass away. For this transfer to be as stress-free and efficient as possible, it is crucial that estate planning documents be thorough and provide the necessary...
Estate Planning for a Single Parent with a Minor Child
You have a minor child who depends on you for their survival, so you need to make sure that they will be cared for if you are ever unable to care for them. By creating an estate plan, you can address your minor child’s care and custody and provide instructions about how...
Legal Perils of Gifts and Joint Ownership between Unmarried Couples
Cohabitation without marriage is becoming more common in the United States. Among eighteen- to forty-four-year-olds, the percentage of adults who have lived with an unmarried partner at some point is now higher than the percentage of adults who have been married.
When you live with a romantic partner, it...
Assisted Reproductive Technology and the Real Impact on Estate Planning
According to data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 2 percent of all infants born in the United States (83,946 in 2019) were conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART).[1] ART is defined by the CDC as all fertility treatments in which both eggs and embryos...
If I Give My Home to My Child in My Will, Can They Take My Home While I Am Still Alive?
The short answer to this question is no. Naming your child as the recipient of your home in your will does not give them any right to your home while you are still living. However, understanding why that is the correct answer requires a little more explanation.
Title Is...
Trust and Estate Administration 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. In fact, in many cases, only one person—the executor, or personal representative, of the estate—plays a role in administering a will. This role includes gathering...