Happy New Year! As we welcome 2020, I find that as an estate planning attorney, my calendar quickly fills up with consultations for potential new clients eager to “get organized” and/or to “get their affairs in order.” Individuals & families seem eager to get a positive start in the New Year and seek expert advice…
Continue reading…Category: Power of Attorney
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…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…
Continue reading…What is Your Purpose?
Mortality is a bizarre concept to wrap your mind around. When I was 10 years old, my Grandfather suddenly passed away from a heart attack. I was faced with my first encounter with death. It led me to start addressing questions I had about mortality. At one point, I began to cry as the thought…
Continue reading…Spring Cleaning: Helpful Tools for Organization
Spring is notorious for being the season that is most associated with new beginnings and clean slates. The term “Spring Cleaning” is historically linked to a deep cleaning of one’s home, inside and out, due to the effects of Winter. Read more about the historical significance of spring cleaning here. However, Spring is also a…
Continue reading…Should I Do My Estate Planning Online???
Today’s technology allows us to access a gamut of information from the comfort of our homes or by simply pressing a quick button from our smartphones. We can even do our shopping by simply asking our “virtual assistants”, like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Play, to place an order. However, this quick and easy access to…
Continue reading…What California Wildfire Victims Should Know About Insurance And Loss Of Use
by Megan Gorman, Forbes Link to original article here Across California, the wildfires have been beyond devastating. With the Camp Fire in the north and the Woolsey Fire in the south, it feels like the entire state of California is burning. But as Californians begin to sift through the ash and rebuild, there may be…
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