Estate Plans—Don’t Get “Caught Dead” Without One

When people come to me seeking advice and assistance on estate planning, it’s generally because they want to make sure their loved ones avoid the expensive and time-consuming process of probate. Horror stories around this issue occur all the time. Here’s just one: Barry, a retired surgeon with a large estate (including a house, many

In Need of Estate Planning? Beware DIY Websites

At some point in our lives, many of us will need to create an estate plan to manage our assets—including property, financial holdings, personal belongings—not just for our lifetimes, but for our loved ones after we’re gone. For the most part, there are three types of trust you may want to consider in your estate

Take Care of Your Legal Needs

It’s more than half way through the year so this is a great time to take care of some essential legal planning responsibilities – and you’ll feel much better when you do. Estate planning Many people mistakenly think of an estate plan as something that matters only when they die, but there’s really much more

What You Need To Know About Wills and Trusts

Many have experienced anxiety by reminding themselves of their own mortality with the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of this, people are reaching out to me for estate planning. They ask if they need a Will or a Trust? Would they be able to get by with just a Will? As an attorney, I will

What to Do When a Family Member Dies

In recent weeks, it’s been my sad misfortune to lose two close relatives in my family. After the initial shock of the loss of each beloved family member, I have been swamped with questions from other family members and friends about what to do (in terms of legal obligations) when a loss like this occurs.

When Should You Get a Trust?

A trust is a document created to manage your assets – property, financial holdings, personal belongings, not only during your lifetime, but after you’re gone. There are generally three kinds of trusts to consider in your estate planning: Living trust—A document concerning the management of your assets which can be amended or revoked at any

Time To Review Your Estate Plan

Here we go again… Another year has passed and with it came life events that may have affected your estate plan, if you in fact have one. The overwhelming truth is that far too many people don’t plan ahead and if they at one time did have the wherewithal to do so, they forget to