AARP says to head off bickering over your personal possessions, consider supplementing your will with a letter of instruction, an informal document that you can draft yourself. Where there’s a will, there’s a way—and sometimes an ugly family feud. Families are consumed with grief when a loved one dies, but unfortunately certain legal and organizational […]
Read More »Family Values and History Are Still the Best Inheritance
According to a recent study, family values, traditions and history still mean more than money as an inheritance.
Read More »5 Mistakes Made by Successor Trustees (and How to Prevent Them)
When establishing a trust, you need to give serious thought to choosing your successor trustee—the person who will administer your trust once you’re no longer able to do so. This individual ideally should be:
Read More »Why You Need an Ethical Will
Many people today are choosing to have two wills. One will is a traditional will that decrees how property should be divided. The other will is called an ethical will. It passes down life advice and wisdom.
Read More »Stress Test Your Estate Plan
So you’ve done the hard work of establishing an estate plan. Good on you, as they say across the Pond. However, you still have serious work to do to ensure that the strategy you’ve selected will maximize your peace of mind and protect your legacy.
Read More »What To Do When a Disability Throws Your Estate Plan Into Chaos
As poet Robert Burns mused centuries ago, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Despite thoughtful effort and a concerted strategy, you cannot prepare for every emergency. A car accident, sudden illness, workplace injury or chronic medical condition can force you to re-evaluate the core assumptions you used to plan your future […]
Read More »Your Cyber Legacy: 3 Tips for Your Digital Assets
There’s an entire category of commonly-overlooked legacy to consider – digital assets. Don’t worry if you didn’t consider these assets when made your will or trust – it’s surprisingly common and, luckily, easy to correct.
Read More »The Tragic Loss of Star Trek’s Anton Yelchin: Lessons for Estate and Legacy Planning
On June 19, 2016, when successful actor Anton Yelchin (Chekov in the recent Star Trek movies) failed to show for rehearsal, his friends became worried and drove to his house. Sadly, they found Yelchin pinned between his security fence, brick mailbox, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Read More »Wondering Whether You Need to Update Your Estate Plan?
Yes, You Do and Here’s Why Please allow us to be frank. It’s unrealistic to think that a piece of paper you draft, reflecting your life at a certain time, will work when your life has completely changed some years later. We’ll use the Kendrick family as an example.
Read More »Kids: Don’t Fight!
Many people think sibling feuds only occur when we are young. In some cases this is true, but for some siblings this feud can continue into adulthood, tearing families apart. Caring for an ill parent or settling their estate once they have passed can start a feud or add to an already existing one. When […]
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