All too often, estate planning is viewed as a transaction; just sign here, here, and here on a document: will, a living trust, and powers of attorney – then be off. But the best planning happens when an estate planning attorney can get to know the client on a deeper level, to uncover hopes, dreams, […]
Read More »Will You Make these 5 Tragic Yet Common Estate Planning Mistakes?
We see tragedy on a day-to-day basis because good, caring folks make these horrid estate planning mistakes regularly. Will you?
Read More »The Shocking Truth About Asset Protection Planning
Some view asset protection planning with a skeptical eye. They believe there is a moral obligation to pay one’s debts. They think that asset protection planning is immoral because it prevents a creditor from collecting on a judgment entered by a court.
Read More »The Lifetime QTIP Trust: Or (How to Maintain Control of Your Estate and Keep Spouse No. 2 Happy)
Estate planning for couples in a second or later marriage who have disproportionate estates can be tricky. One solution for allowing the well-to-do spouse to maintain control of their assets but keep their other half happy is the Lifetime QTIP Trust.
Read More »3 Famous Pet Trust Cases and the Lessons We Can Learn From Them
Things don’t always go according to plan. On the other hand, sometimes pet owners can get a bit creative when providing for their pets. Let’s take a look now at 3 famous cases involving pet trusts and distill important lessons from them.
Read More »Why a Trust is the Best Option for Avoiding Probate
As Ambrose Bierce once darkly observed, “Death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate.”
Read More »Becoming a Successor Trustee
When a trustee passes away or becomes incapacitated, someone else has to take over the trust. This new trustee is called a successor trustee and needs to learn about all of his or her duties in handling the trust.
Read More »Is a Financial Plan Enough? Why Experts Say You Need an Estate Plan, too
If you want to leave a robust financial legacy for your family, a financial plan alone is like trying to guide a boat with just one oar. It’s only part of the big picture for your overall monetary health. A well-informed financial plan is worth your time for several reasons, but let’s look at how […]
Read More »3 Celebrity Probate Disasters and Lessons to Learn from Them
With all the wealth accumulated by the rich and famous, one would assume that celebrities would take steps to protect their estates once they pass on. But think again: Some of the world’s richest and most famous people have passed away without a will or a trust, while others have made mistakes that tied their […]
Read More »Wrongful Death Settlement Talks Can Now Proceed in DuBose Case
The aftermath of a high-profile police shooting incident in Cincinnati illustrates a central tenet of estate law when a person passes away without an estate plan. The death of Sam DuBose received massive media attention and sparked national outrage. In July, DuBose was shot and killed by a University of Cincinnati police officer as […]
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