Estate & Wills

A Will is usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about estate planning. In fact, many people who contact me tell me they “don’t need anything complicated - just a Will.”  Wills are important, but relying on only a Will is risky and actually forces your family into court, may result in your assets not reaching your intendeds, and does nothing for incapacity protection.

How is your health linked with estate planning? Your health plays a significant role in shaping your preparations for the future in general, and how you structure your estate plan in particular.

When that extra bit of money from your tax refund lands in your bank account, it’s easy to start dreaming about all the ways you can use it. Financial experts may tell you that it’s a chance to pay off debts, tuck away savings for an emergency, or add to your retirement savings. You, on the other hand, may want to splurge on something special. However, there’s an often-overlooked option that not only provides immediate satisfaction but ensures long-term benefits for both you and your loved ones: Estate Planning.

In these digital days, more than ever before, there are strict financial institutional privacy regulations and physician privacy and confidentiality laws in place to protect a person and their belongings.  While on one hand, we want the protections these laws and regulations provide, on the other hand, it makes it nearly impossible to step in for a loved one who needs assistance to manage their financial and medical affairs without the right legal documentation.

You’ve probably heard you need a trust to keep your family out of court and maybe out of conflict in the event of your death or incapacity.  And, if you own any assets in your name at the time of your incapacity or death, without the right legal documents, your family must go to court for permission to access them. While you may under this, you still need clarification about whether you need a revocable or irrevocable trust. Since more and more, people are coming our way asking for an irrevocable trust, this article is designed to help you learn the difference between these types of trusts so you can be prepared to discuss your options. 

As the need for affordable legal services becomes more important in today’s world, group legal insurance offered through workplace benefits is becoming more common. These group insurance plans provide free legal assistance from law firms that have contracted with the insurance company to provide legal work.