August 28, 2012

Protecting Your Virtual Estate

As more and more of our lives are put online, estate planners are contending with how to advise clients to secure and transfer their virtual estates. The body of nontangible, digital assets people create and store on their computers and the internet is growing by leaps and bounds.

Estate Planning

August 6, 2012

Powers of Attorney – Important as a Will (and Maybe More)

A will serves as the basis of your estate plan. Most people understand the importance of having a will. However, a will is a document that becomes effective when you die. What happens if during your lifetime you become disabled…

Estate Planning

July 30, 2012

Preparing for a Meeting with Your Estate Planning Attorney

If you are going to meet with an estate planning attorney, you should prepare ahead of time in order to have a productive discussion. The following include some recommendations that will assist you in preparing for the meeting: 1. Discuss…

Estate Planning

July 24, 2012

Planning Ahead for Your Pet Should You Die or Become Incapacitated

Typically our pets have a shorter life span than we do. However, there is a possibility that you could become disabled or die before your pet, if that happens who will take care of your pets when you are no longer able to?

Estate Planning

May 15, 2012

Common Misconceptions About Trusts

A trust is an agreement that you have with yourself that sets out the instructions for how your money will be managed both during your lifetime and after your passing. In many cases, individuals will benefit from having a trust, but not everyone needs to have one. However, the more you know about trusts, how they work and what their benefits are, the easier it is to understand if you need one or not. The following are common misconceptions about trusts.

Estate Planning

May 8, 2012

Do We Spend More Time Planning a One Week Vacation than Planning for What Really Matters?

Have you taken the steps to protect what matters in your life? Do you have a Will or a Trust? Do you have Powers of Attorney for Health Care or Property?

Estate Planning

March 28, 2012

Your Estate Plan: It’s the Little Things that Matter Most

Often times when a relative dies it is not the financial assets that can break a family apart, it is the little things that cause the most animosity. Recently I read an article about an item that had caused…

Estate Planning

March 19, 2012

Common Estate Planning Mistakes – Celebrities Make Them Too

When it comes to estate planning, wills and inheritance arrangements, it’s what most people DON’T know or do – celebs and non-celebs alike - that can cause the most harm. Although we don’t like to think of our own death or disability, these are a few lessons from Hollywood and throughout history where a little planning really could have gone a long way.

Estate Planning

March 8, 2012

Living in a Digital World Means We Have Digital Assets

Digital assets are any file on your computer in a storage drive or website and any online account or membership (John Conner, Texas Tech University School of Law). If you have ever saved a file onto a computer, made an online account, or downloaded a song from iTunes, then you have a digital asset.

Estate Planning

January 17, 2012

You Are Never Too Young For A Will – Amy Winehouse’s Death Illustrates That

You are never too young for a Will. A will is a document that lets you tell the world who you want to get your assets. Die without one, and the state decides who gets what, without regard to your wishes or your heirs' needs.