My Parents Are Doing Estate Planning
What Do I Need to Know? The following was a post to Reddit on the r/estateplanning thread along with my response. The person posting was looking for information on what to expect in the estate planning meeting with their parents and attorney… but most of the traditional attorneys jumped into providing advice to the parents on […]
The Bank Won’t Honor The Power of Attorney!
Unfortunately, there is a trend of banks and other financial institutions refusing to honor Powers of Attorney because they are not on the institution’s forms. This can cause a variety of complications if discovered after someone is incapacitated. But how can they do that? This video, recorded in Wyoming while there attending The Estate Planning […]
Is Your Suitcase Packed?
Revocable Living Trust Is your suitcase packed? When it comes to estate planning with a revocable living trust, I often use the suitcase analogy. When it comes to avoiding probate, a revocable living trust is like a suitcase. It is designed to take your things from one place to another, and there are many different […]
In-Law Risks
Depending on your family situation, there may be a son-in-law or daughter-in-law you just don’t trust. But what risks need to be addressed when planning an estate? In this outtake from a recent conference Jeff taught at, The Estate Planning Source’s Advanced Institute, he examines the types of risk most on his client’s minds. Protect […]
The Annual Trust Tune-Up
The Annual Revocable Living Trust Tune-Up A revocable living trust can be one of the best, most effective ways to plan a coordinated estate strategy to avoid probate. However, this type of planning requires some maintenance to make sure your trust is doing everything it can. Too often, people with revocable living trusts go years, […]
Top 3 Things That Overcomplicate an Estate
No Need to Overcomplicate an Estate Far too often, the general public has ideas about estate planning they get from popular television shows to the point they believe that it is mandatory to have a lawyer read the will to a well-dressed family in front of a roaring fireplace with everyone sipping brandy from large […]
Should I do a Will or Trust
This question of a will or trust comes up all of the time when it comes to estate planning. Unfortunately, many attorneys and other professionals try to cram and squish this very subjective square peg into an objective round hole with a sledgehammer. The fact is that there is no simple “one-size-fits-all” number answer to […]
Short Form Estate Planning Cheat Sheets Released
At the beginning of the year, I and my office recommitted ourselves to providing good, accurate estate planning information to both our clients and the general public. As lives get busier and time grows shorter, people who are beginning to look into a subject often begin with small nuggets of compact information. In addition to […]
The Red Tape Estate: The Probate Process Explained
Ever since my grandfather passed on and my grandmother had to deal with a year and a half of uncertainty, convoluted procedures, and legal bills, I made it my mission to find ways for my clients to avoid the red tape of probate. But not only did I want to help my clients, but I […]
Charity Minefields in Estate Planning
Giving to charities through gifting and estate planning can provide may rewards, and not just a good feeling knowing you are helping others. There are plenty of tax breaks that can come along with being charitable. However, there are also several minefields that can unintentionally hurt you and your loved ones if the transition isn’t […]