Living Trusts Versus Wills

January 9, 2026
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was diagnosed with cancer in January 1994. She signed a will in the New York offices of a large law firm on March 22, 1994...

Ten Reasons to Update Your Estate Plan

January 2, 2026
You have completed a will and perhaps a revocable living trust. Your durable power of attorney for healthcare and a living will are in place. All of your records are safely in place and carefully organized...

Passing Unequal Shares in Your Will

December 26, 2025
Because children often look at their inheritance as a representation of their parents' love, most parents leave children equal shares of their estate. However, there are a number of good reasons why a parent might leave unequal shares...

Wills - Good and Bad

December 19, 2025
More than 40 wills were submitted to the probate court, with a multitude of potential heirs each claiming to be the true recipients of the estate of Business Owner who passed away in 1976. With a $2.5 billion estate at stake, there was intense interest in the decision of the...

Wills - Perils of Probate

December 12, 2025
Business Owner passed away on April 5, 1976, with an estate of $2.5 billion. Many people appeared claiming, "I am Business Owner's heir" and submitted wills with themselves as beneficiaries...

IRA and 401(k) Designated Beneficiary Options

December 5, 2025
Each year, IRAs and 401(k)s are subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs). Because the distributions start at just under 4% at age 73 and then slowly increase, many IRA and 401(k) plans earn more than those payouts and will continue to grow...

IRA Charitable Rollover

November 28, 2025
The IRA charitable rollover was created in 2006 and made permanent by Congress in 2015. Another name for an IRA charitable rollover is a qualified charitable distribution. This giving plan is available for IRA owners who are over age 70½...

IRAs - Regular and Roth

November 21, 2025
While Social Security will provide approximately 40% of the average person's retirement income, an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is an essential addition for a successful retirement...

401(k) Retirement Plans

November 14, 2025
The 401(k) is rapidly becoming the most popular qualified retirement plan. More than 90% of large companies now offer a 401(k)...

Social Security

November 7, 2025
Linda asked, "When should I take my Social Security? I will turn 57 this year and have a strong earnings history, having paid into Social Security for nearly 35 years."...

Married Couples and Property

October 31, 2025
Mary was a surviving spouse. She and her first spouse Ryan owned a lovely home and placed it into joint tenancy with right of survivorship...

Separate and Joint Property

October 24, 2025
"My brother Pete and I own a ranch together," said Joe to his advisor. "We inherited the four sections of our ranch from my mother. As a single person, I think that I will plan to leave 50% of my share to Pete and the other half to my favorite...

What Do You Own?

October 17, 2025
John and Helen have been thinking about updating their estate plan. They called and made an appointment with their attorney, Clara...

Chronic Illness - Care of Your Property

October 10, 2025
If you have a chronic illness, you will need to care both for your person and for your property. There are specific preparations that are important to care for your property...

Chronic Illness - Care of Your Person

October 3, 2025
If you have a chronic illness, your personal planning will need to involve careful consideration of your condition...

Planning for Senior Care

September 26, 2025
Planning for retirement and senior care is very important. The activities of daily living for a senior person include eating, dressing, bathing and walking or moving...

Planning with a Serious Illness

September 19, 2025
If at some point in life you have a serious illness, there are a number of planning options that should be considered...

Living Wills and Advance Directives

September 12, 2025
As you approach end-of-life decisions, there are several steps that should be taken to make sure you receive the right type and level of care. To assist you in these decisions, most states now permit either an advance directive or a living will...

Your Family Letter - Memorial Services

September 5, 2025
A family letter is a key part of a good estate plan. It is much more personal than many of your estate documents. A family letter allows you to share your heart and show appreciation and gratitude to family members...

Integrity and Initiative

August 29, 2025
Pat and Allen were talking about their three children. They are empty nesters and the three children are off making their way in the world...