» Estate Planning

What is “Capacity” to…

What is “Capacity” to Make a Will?

In order for a legal document like a will to be valid, it must meet certain requirements. One of those requirements is that the person executing (signing) the document must have “legal capacity.” Having the legal capacity to make a will is also c… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Estate plan file in a filing cabinet

Will-Based Estate Plan or Trust-Based Estate Plan: Which is Better?

If you’re thinking about making, or updating your estate plan, you may be wondering whether you need a will, a trust, or both. Many people are unclear about the difference between a will and a trust, so if you are, too, you’re in good company. Un… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
estate planning

What Does It Mean to “Fund a Trust?”

Living trusts, and other types of trusts can be essential estate planning tools. Trusts allow assets to pass more easily to intended beneficiaries outside of probate. Depending on the type of trust, it can provide other benefits like reducing taxes o… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
elderly couple working on a document

Should You Have a Prenup in Your Estate Plan?

Most people hear the phrase “prenuptial agreement” and think “divorce.” And while it’s certainly true that having a prenuptial agreement in place can make a divorce easier if it happens, prenups have an important place in the estate plannin… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Power of Attorney paperwork

New Mexico Financial Powers of Attorney: What You Need to Know

When people think of estate planning, they tend to think of planning for what happens after they die. That is important, to be sure, but estate planning also addresses your needs while you are alive. Many people, during their lifetime, will be unable… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
father sitting in chair with three young children

How to Choose a Guardian for Your Children

How to Choose a Guardian for Your Children: One of the reasons people put off estate planning, even though they know it’s important, is that it forces them to confront the reality of their mortality. While we all know that (someday) we’re going t… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
COVID-19 and Your Estate…

COVID-19 and Your Estate Plan: Is it Time for an Update?

The coronavirus pandemic has affected almost every aspect of modern American life: how we work, how we shop, how we educate our kids, and how we socialize, to name just a few. COVID-19 has also made most of us more aware of our mortality. Even as we… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Powers of Attorney, Advan…

Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, DNRs: What's the Difference?

You probably think of estate planning as something you do to distribute your assets after you die, but the reality is that much of your estate plan has to do with what happens if you need help while you are still alive. Your will or trust disposes of… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Estate Planning in the Di…

Estate Planning in the Digital Age

A lot of things have changed in the past several decades: where once we talked on rotary-dial telephones that were attached to the wall, now everyone walks around with a phone in their pocket. We used to take pictures with instamatic cameras, then ha… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Do You Need a Prenuptial…

Do You Need a Prenuptial Agreement in Your Estate Plan?

Most people think of a prenuptial agreement as something to do in case of divorce, and for that reason, such agreements may be looked upon unfavorably by people who are unfamiliar with them. In reality, a prenuptial agreement can be useful even for c… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning