You love your children and want to ensure that they are always taken care of. The desire to provide for them may also be shared by their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. However, when leaving money and property to minor children, even the best intentions can lead to big problems. Common mistakes can...
Category: Inheritance
Treating Children Fairly Does Not Necessarily Mean Equally
Parents generally try to treat all their children fairly. We often assume that fairness means leaving an equal inheritance to each child. However, “fair” does not always mean “equal.” A thoughtful estate plan considers each child’s unique circumstances to create distributions that truly support their needs.
Here are some...
The True Cost of Inheriting a Home
The United States is in the midst of the largest generational wealth transfer in history. Over the next few decades, baby boomers are expected to pass down an estimated $84 trillion in money and property,[1] around $18–19 trillion of it related to residential real estate.[2]
How to Make Your Inheritance Last
Receiving an inheritance, whether large or small, often comes with a wide range of emotions, from the grief of losing a loved one to the hope and excitement about the possibilities the inheritance may create. According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2025 Planning & Progress study, over half (57 percent) of Americans who expect...
Does Treating Your Children Fairly Mean Unequal Inheritances?
When thinking through their estate plan and how they want their assets(money and property) managed after they pass away, most parents wish to treat their children equally, often out of a sense of fairness. However, sometimes being fair or doing what is right by your children may mean giving unequal inheritances.
Want to Disinherit Someone? This Is What You Need to Know
Disinheritance—the intentional exclusion of a family member, usually a child or spouse, from receiving part of your estate after your death—is more common than you might think. It is also easier than you might think to disinherit a loved one, with a couple of notable exceptions. However, it is not as simple...
The Deaths of Gene Hackman and His Wife
When investigators entered the home of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Machiko Arakawa, in a gated community outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26, 2025, they found the couple dead under mysterious circumstances.
Following their investigation, authorities pieced together a timeline of the couple’s last...
Have a Harmonious Family that Does Not Fight? You Still Need an Estate Plan
In many families, everyone gets along, happily gathering for the holidays, sharing laughs, telling stories, and enjoying each other’s company. Then, the matriarch or patriarch dies. Suddenly, years of pent-up resentment and hurt feelings surface, and the once-happy family is now embroiled in litigation over the head of the family’s money and...
How to Give Real Property to a Loved One at Your Death Without Probate Court Involvement
A home is often one of the most important assets that people own. Therefore, most people want to stay in their home until they die and then have a loved one receive it. One common way to pass a home to loved ones is through a will. However, transferring property with a...
What to Do with Grandma’s Ring: Dividing Personal Property in an Estate
If you have a beloved late grandmother, many images and memories may come to mind when you reminisce about her.
You might picture her at her home or at the family vacation house during the holidays. Your memory could be a special meal that only she prepared for you...