» Estate Planning

Loving seniors enjoy a tender embrace, capturing their deep connection and affection. Visual for an estate planning blog discussing five essential things your spouse needs to know before you pass away.

Five Things Your Spouse Should Know Before You Die

One of the first things we say to our new spouse on our wedding day is “‘..til death do us part.” But when we say it, we’re not really thinking about what it means; wedding days are more about imagining what “happily ever after” will look… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Happy gay couple posing with their son while making a heart shape with their hands showing love. Family concept for an estate planning blog discussing lgbtq+ estate planning.

Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples

June is Pride Month, a time to remember and honor the history of the LGBTQ+ community. It’s also a good time, if you are a member of that community, to think about the future—specifically, your estate plan. Estate planning has always been importa… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Hands holding paper cutout multi generation family concept for an estate planning blog discussing tips for talking to your family about your estate plan.

Five Tips for Talking with Family About Your Estate Plan

You already know that you need an estate plan, and if you have taken steps to create one, you probably also know that you should talk to your family about your estate plan. Sometimes, however, that conversation is a difficult one. Estate planning exi… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
A fun portrait of a multi-generational family members. Visual concept for an estate blog discussing reviewing beneficiary designations to avoid unintended consequences.

Have You Checked Your Beneficiary Designations Lately?

When you think of estate planning, you might think of creating a will or a living trust to distribute your assets after your death. But beneficiary designations are also an important part of estate planning, and one that is often overlooked. If you h… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Office, lawyer or old couple with will, contract or document for retirement funding or compliance. Plan, advisor or married elderly clients with legal form or title deed agreement with life insurance

What is a “Transfer on Death” Deed?

As the saying goes, “You can’t take it with you.” But when it comes to leaving your property to others, there are a variety of ways to do it—some of them easier than others. One option is a “transfer on death” (TOD) deed. As the name sugg… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Young Couple Calculating Budget

When to Update Your Will and Related Powers of Attorney

As estate planning attorneys often tell clients, your estate plan is not “set it and forget it.” It reflects your assets, goals, and needs at the time you create it. But let’s face it: life changes. We marry and divorce. Family members are born… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Real Estate Deed Transfer of Land or Property

Joint Ownership of Real Estate: Good Idea, or Potential Disaster?

For many people, the largest asset they own is their home or other real estate. One question we often receive from clients is whether they should put an adult child or other family member “on the deed” to their property to make estate planning si… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Senior adults with their adult children

Talking About Your Estate Plan with Your Family

If you’ve made an estate plan, or even just called a lawyer to get the process started, congratulations! You’re already ahead of the majority of American adults: roughly ⅔ of them do not have an estate plan. But just making an estate plan is on… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
two young women sign a contract

Family Business Succession Planning

Family Business Succession Planning A family business is more than a source of income. It can also be a source of connection, a source of pride, and a legacy to hand down to future generations. But like passing the baton in a relay race, the successf… Read More
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Close-up of hand filling paperwork at home

Choosing a Personal Representative for Your Estate

You can’t take it with you—so you need to choose someone to manage it for you when you’re gone. That person is the personal representative of your estate, sometimes referred to the executor (if you had a will) or the administrator (if you didn… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning