Beware of “Simple” Estate Plans “I just need a simple will.” It’s a phrase estate planning attorney hear practically every other day. From the client’s perspective, there’s no reason to do anything complicated, especially if it might lead to higher legal fees. Unfortunately, what may appear to be a “simple” estate is all too often…
Continue reading…Category: Guardians for Kids
Student Loan Debt: The Albatross of the Average College Student
Have you ever heard someone say that the best thing about an education is that nobody can take it away from you? As true as this statement is on its own, it is completely ignoring the fact that the very same irrevocable education can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars – plus interest. As of…
Continue reading…The Three Types of Lawyers to Consider for Your Estate Planning
Contrary to popular belief, all lawyers do not specialize in all areas of law! When it comes to estate planning, it is important to understand how “specialized” your legal representation is when handling your legacy. This week, I have broken down three types of representation common to the estate planning arena. #1 – “Jack of…
Continue reading…Back to School Checklist #2: Get Your Estate Plan in Order
On last week’s blog, I shared some easy, practical tips on how to get organized prior to the upcoming school year (See Part 1 Here). Today, I’ve included some reminders & advice on how to get your estate plan in order, before your schedule fills up and procrastination sets in! Back to School Checklist #2: …
Continue reading…Why I’m Convinced that Estate Planning is a Women’s Issue
Estate planning is important for both sexes, but the pitfalls of failing to plan simply affect women, particularly mothers, much more than men– both in terms of raw numbers (we live longer) and the all-too-common female burden of carrying the entire family’s mental workload. As a group, the facts are: women live longer than men, earn less than…
Continue reading…6 Reasons Why Hiring an Estate Planning Lawyer Beats Doing-It-Yourself
DIY Will?? In the information age, you can pretty much learn how to do just about any household task- watch a video on YouTube to learn how to build a bookshelf, read one of the thousands of DIY blogs to learn how to install a sprinkler set, or refinish a dresser. With the almost unlimited…
Continue reading…Important Estate Planning Considerations for LGBTQ Individuals & Families
Most people, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, should make an estate plan. However, same-sex couples/families and LGBTQ individuals may have more to gain from making an estate plan than others because of the ever-changing nature of the laws surrounding LGBTQ issues. An estate plan can also help clarify the nature their relationship…
Continue reading…Trust & Estate Planning FAQs with Tiffany Ballenger Floyd
Q: Isn’t Estate Planning Just for Rich People? A: NO!! Many people have preconceived notions about estate planning and believe that it is only necessary for multi-millionaires who wish to leave large trust funds to their children. However, this is far from the truth; an estate plan can be invaluable tools in the many people’s (not…
Continue reading…Worst-Case Scenario.
In March of 2017, a good friend of mine died tragically in a horrific car accident. She left behind her 9-year old twin daughters. The event had a massive effect on my life for several reasons. I have been fortunate enough to only ever have experienced the loss of my Great Grandparents & Grandparents, which…
Continue reading…4 Estate Planning Myths That Refuse To Die
By Ron Carson, Forbes, May 5, 2019 Link to Original Article Estate planning remains one of the most misunderstood areas of planning. Over the years, I’ve met with people who “only needed a financial plan, not an estate plan” or “didn’t need a financial plan, just some help with estate planning.” I’ve also met with…
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