Personal Family Lawyer Archives - Page 4 of 6

Matthew Perry’s Estate Plan Demonstrates the Benefits of Trusts

When Matthew Perry, the beloved star of Friends, passed away last year, the world mourned the loss of a comedic icon. However, as details of his estate began to emerge, a curious puzzle presented itself: why did he seem to have less money than you’d expect?

October 3, 2024

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Creating Your Estate Plan With AI

The allure of Do-It-Yourself estate planning through AI is substantial, especially when you think your situation is simple. But here’s the truth: estate planning is not just about creating a set of documents, and it’s almost always more complicated than you think.

September 18, 2024

Reflections on Your Legacy

This fall, we invite you to take a meaningful pause and reflect on the legacy you’re building through your life’s work. Your hard work deserves to be protected. You can ensure that everything you’ve built is passed on exactly as you wish, safeguarding your values and assets for future generations. It’s a call to action…

September 11, 2024

How Relying On Beneficiary Designations Puts Your Family at Risk (And How To Fix It!)

As a professional in the field, I’ve seen many financial advisors, accountants, and even other lawyers suggest that naming beneficiaries on your accounts is sufficient, and that you don’t need an estate plan. However, they often overlook the potential risks to your family’s financial future.

September 5, 2024

Would $23,000 Make a Difference to You?

Imagine discovering thousands of dollars that belong to you, only to be told you can’t have it. It’s called “unclaimed property,” money that’s yours but has been handed over to the government without your knowledge. And it happens more often than you may think.

August 29, 2024

Celebrity Estate Plans Series Part 3 of 4: Jay Leno’s Case is No Laughing Matter

In this third installment of our four-part celebrity series, we discuss a topic that no one wants to consider as it may seem to be a fate worse than death: incapacity. Find out what Jay Leno and his family can teach us about the need to be prepared, no matter what happens.

August 8, 2024

Celebrity Estate Plans Series Part 2 of 4: Vanilla Ice Has Thoughts

This week, we’re continuing to look at the lives of 4 celebrities and how they’re preparing for the inevitable (or didn’t!). Last week, we examined Michael Jackson’s planning and the holes in his plan that resulted in his family being embroiled in court and conflict for 15 years and counting (if you missed it, go…

August 1, 2024

Celebrity Estate Plans Series Part 1 of 4: Michael Jackson

What is it about celebrities that always draws us in? For whatever reason, we just can’t resist a good, juicy celebrity story. So, for the next few weeks, we will look at the lives of 4 celebrities and see what we can learn from their stories. This week, we’re turning the spotlight on Michael Jackson.…

July 25, 2024

3 Strategies For Navigating Your Child’s Transition Into Adulthood

When your child turns 18, they’re legally an adult even though they have a lot more growing to do. Just like any other adult, their health and financial information is protected by privacy laws. But unlike any other adult, that’s still your child, and you want to support them in a crisis. Your role as…

July 11, 2024

What Probate Is and How To Avoid It — Part 2

Unless you’ve created an estate plan that works to keep your family out of court, when you die (or become incapacitated) many of your assets must go through probate before those assets can be distributed to your heirs. Like most court proceedings, probate can be time-consuming, costly, and open to the public, and because of…

July 1, 2024

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