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This article was brought to my attention recently when it appeared on LinkedIn. It was written by Patrick Horning, J.D., C.L.U, CFP, for Northwest Mutual and appeared July 10, 2025. Lots of good information, so much so that I’ve split it into two posts. I’ll post the...

Are you and your spouse, or partner, always in accord about how to spend money, where to go on vacation, or what to fix for dinner? Probably not. You are lucky if you are. As an estate planning attorney, I am sometimes confronted by a spouse or partner of someone who...

I was interested to see if this article includes "your outdated will" – it doesn't. But I'll add that to this list; as soon as you have an updated will, appropriately and legally signed, make sure to shred the old one to avoid any possible mix-ups. Paige...

Did you know there are several kinds of wills? Most people don't. And that's one reason, among many, to work with an estate planning attorney when it's time for you to create your will. The following is a list of some typical types, though they can vary state to...

I posted the following article early in 2023, and upon re-examining it, I find that the advice provided by the author, Ryan Webster, is still solid. It initially appeared on KPVI  's website on 1/17/23.   When you read the title of this post, you might think...

What Happens When You Don't Have a Will: Dying without a will, legally, that's called "dying intestate," is not against the law. You don't have to have a will if you don't want to. No one can force you to have a will. But, if you do die without a will, depending on...

Although it is not common, people can be disinherited from estates. And sometimes, an individual wants to disinherit someone. This article addresses both sides of this issue. It was originally published on 11/20/23 online at Nerdwallet. It was written by Lee Huffman...

When I meet with clients for the first time, a common question is what goes into a trust and what does not. The question before that is – what is a trust? Let me begin with the definition of a trust and then list not only what goes into one, but also what...

I recently read the following online: "Approximately 18% of US households have a net worth of $1 million or more. This equates to roughly 23.7 million households, according to Yahoo Finance and The Motley Fool. While this figure is based on the Federal Reserve's 2022...