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...
Do You Really Want to Work? Five years ago, people complained they couldn’t find work. Today, there are so many jobs available, and no one wants to work. Instead, robbers, burglars, drug dealers, and scammers pervade the landscape. Scamming has become the new normal....
Probate Process Probate process basic steps. When someone passes away, their estate is generally required to go through probate unless there was a valid trust in place. It is a lengthy and often expensive process. Expensive not just in terms of the financial cost, but...
Reasons for having an insurance policy. Do you have life insurance? If not, have you considered purchasing some? Life insurance is one of the most important components of an estate plan. There are a number of reasons why you might consider incorporating life insurance...