One of the more important decisions when drafting a power of attorney is when the document should become effective. It can be effective immediately or it can be made to be effective only when the principal becomes disabled. The latter is known as “springing.”
Read More »Reopening Jack Kerouac’s Estate
Author Jack Kerouac’s estate has long been settled after much acrimony. However, an important letter that he received from a friend could reopen the case. Jack Kerouac is credited with inventing the free-flowing beat style of writing that was popular in the 1950s and 60s. He did not create the style on his own […]
Read More »Estate Planning and 2014: Looking Back
Every year has new developments in estate planning. 2014 was no different in this regard. Some of the changes to estate planning in 2014 are very important to know about. With 2014 just behind us, now is a good time to look back and see what changed in estate planning during the year. After […]
Read More »Make Estate Planning Your New Year’s Resolution
The holidays are upon us. It’s also a good time to get started with some Old Year end and New Year beginning planning activities, especially if family members are going to be celebrating the holidays with you. Start with reviewing what you have and how you own it (by yourself, with your spouse, with a […]
Read More »Silly Questions? Not When It Comes to Your Will
It’s something parents shudder to think about: a will. That’s probably why more than half of Americans with children do not have a legal will. Parents love their children, and the concept of dying and not being there for their children is simply not an option they consider. Establishing a will is a vital part […]
Read More »Need I Be Spoiled to Have a Trust?
Mention a trust, and the first thing most people think of is a spoiled kid living off an inherited fortune without having worked a single day in life. As a result, most people don’t know very much about trusts, and they assume there’s little need to have even a basic understanding of this useful estate-planning […]
Read More »A Few Words on Perpetual Trusts
Most people struggle to plan their financial futures beyond the next decade, while those with money and foresight are likely to think well in advance about what they want to leave their children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. But what about planning for eternity? It seems too long to contemplate. Yet in the last several decades, […]
Read More »Don’t Leave Your Estate Planning To “The Beaver”
Today’s families are a lot different than Ward and June Cleaver. There are more families today with non-traditional situations than ever before. It is very common in my profession to have clients with same sex marriages, second marriages with assets and children from a prior marriage, as well as families that may look traditional, […]
Read More »Estate Planning for Young Adults
People in their 20s often do not think that they need to worry about estate planning. They plan to live much longer, so they believe there will be time to get an estate plan later. However, you never know when tragedy can strike, so it is important that 20-somethings get estate plans. Younger adults normally […]
Read More »Lessons from Celebrity Estates in 2014
Important lessons about estate planning can often reach the general public through issues over celebrities’ estates. 2014 has been a busy year for such lessons. Americans are fascinated by the lives and deaths of celebrities. When a celebrity passes away, the public wants to know how his or her estate will be distributed.
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