Blog

As the end of the year approaches, I thought it would be an excellent time to provide a quick list of tips related to year-end estate planning. Tip #1 REVIEW & UPDATE Review and update your documents. First, confirm that your will and any trusts accurately reflect...

Aretha Franklin passed away in 2018 and, sadly, is an excellent example of what happens when your estate plan is ambiguous. This article appeared on 11/3/23 on mondaq. The authors Veronica T. Garofoli and Ashton Bizzarri provide some insight. "Beyond the worldwide...

We have all seen the movies where there is the "reading of the will" scene of the despicable but wealthy relative. Relatives and servants gather in the deceased's well-appointed library to learn who gets what. The deceased's attorney reads the will, often full of...

If you have an estate plan, including your will, healthcare directives, etc. I salute you! Well done. That said, if you established all that more than just a few years ago, it might be time to review the documents. Many changes might have happened since you originally...

A friend of mine shared that her sister updates her will every time she takes a vacation or long road trip. Her rationale apparently is that she believes she is more likely to die in a traffic accident while out of town. As an estate planning attorney, I am a big...

Let's face it: most people know dying without a will is not good. Though surveys say fewer than 1 in 3 Americans fully understand what happens if they die without a will. And fewer than 1 in 5 Americans say they know their state's specific guardianship and asset...

Carrie Bradshaw, the main character in "Just Like That," HBO's revival of "Sex and the City," gets an unpleasant surprise when her deceased husband's will is read. From CNBC online 1/9/2022 by Lorie Konish, this article cites the TV show to illustrate a point, but the...

The following article by Cynthia Griffin appeared on 10/11/23 in the News-Enterprise. It is a slightly different take on the documents related to estate planning, but interesting, just the same. Read on for details.    "When someone dies, one of the first questions...

I bet you didn't know there was a "National Estate Planning Awareness Week," did you? Most don't, but then if there are weeks or days dedicated to silliness like National Pumpkin Spice Day (10/1), National Golf Lover's Day (10/4), or National American Beer Day (coming...