When most people think of creating an estate plan, the conversation is centered around human family members e.g., spouses, children, and grandkids. But for many of us, our pets are family, too. They depend on us for safety, comfort, routine, and love. So, what happens...
Estate Planning Myths: What You Need to Know Estate planning myths. Advanced planning is one of the most important gifts you can give yourself and the people you love. Yet many people avoid it because of misinformation, fear, or the belief that it’s only for the...
What Is a Trustee? Being named a trustee is both an honor and a serious responsibility. Whether you step into the role after someone’s death or during their incapacity, your job is to manage, protect, and distribute trust assets according to the trust document and the...
To be valid and enforceable, a trust must be funded with property—known as trust assets. The trust is only as effective as the assets placed into it. These assets can include real estate, such as residential houses, commercial property, rental property, and unimproved...
What is a Will. Why do they matter? What is a will? Most people have heard about wills. Many are familiar with estate planning and the documents that make up a complete plan. They hear terms like wills, trusts, healthcare directives, HIPAA authorizations, powers of...
What is a trust? It is a fiduciary relationship in which the grantor (also called the settlor, trustor, or trust maker) gives another party, known as the trustee, the right to hold and manage property or assets for the benefit of a third party, the beneficiary. To be...
Preparing for Estate Planning Preparing for Estate Planning. How prepared are you for your future and the future of your loved ones? The truth is, most people are not prepared at all. Some believe they are too young to think about incapacity or death. Others avoid the...
Incapacity Planning. Incapacity is an unexpected wrinkle in your estate plan. I am a planner. I make plans, I like making plans, and sometimes my plans go awry. Despite any prudent effort on my part, I cannot prepare for every contingency AND neither can you....
Estate Planning Blogs Estate Planning Blogs. Have you ever wished there was one location to find basic information about estate planning? One location where you could get some definitions for concepts e.g., what is a trust? What is a Trustee? What goes into an estate...