Category: Estate Planning


Establishing A Special Needs Trust

Created specifically to benefit those with physical or mental disabilities, a special needs trust outlines the affairs of a beneficiary in regards to their needs in the future. This type of trust can last as long as it is needed, and this usually means that it will continue until the beneficiary dies or until funds  … Read more

Is It Your Turn To Care?

For those of us with aging loved ones, particularly aging parents, there comes a time when it’s our turn to care. From health and wellness concerns to financial decisions and questions regarding one’s estate, it’s important to weigh in on these matters before they become urgent. Thus, while some loved ones age well at home,  … Read more

Shielding Your Assets

For business owners and other professionals, there are a number of vulnerabilities associated with taking responsibility for others and participating in various transactions in their respective fields. From medical malpractice to lawsuits stemming from business disputes, injuries sustained on personal property or liability involving misconduct, those conducting business or providing a service can benefit from  … Read more

Aging Successfully—Will Your Support Network Look Out for Your Interests?

On television, childless older adults can be portrayed as carefree people, living without demands from dependents. In reality, having no children—or having relatives who aren’t available or reliable enough to handle your affairs—can leave you and your estate vulnerable if you become incapacitated. For this reason, one of your most crucial activities in life will  … Read more

A Revocable Living Trust Versus A Will: Differences You Should Know About

While both revocable living trusts and wills allow individuals to name beneficiaries for their property or estate, they serve different purposes. As an estate-planning tool, a revocable living trust is a document that can be changed according to one’s wishes or circumstances while he/she is living. Yet, they are mostly used to avoid the need  … Read more

Plan Ahead to Beat Probate!

Probate is one of those words that people don’t typically understand until they’re in the middle of it. Probate is the process that happens in the courts after someone dies. It determines the legality of a will, who the legal heirs are, and how to pay the decedent’s remaining debts and taxes. If you’re the  … Read more

Online Legal Services: When a Bargain Really Isn’t

A lot of online “legal services” are springing up, offering to perform comprehensive legal advice at a discount price. They tout their professionalism, and some offer “testimonials” citing how great their services are. While online legal services may seem like a bargain, the law is one area where it pays to work with trusted, experienced,  … Read more

Understanding Power Of Attorney

Imagine a single individual that lives alone, has no close or surviving family members, and is preparing for a major surgery. In turn, imagine a couple that is traveling out of the country for the next few months while their home is for sale. These are just two instances in which a power of attorney  … Read more

Last Will and Testament…Maybe Not

You probably figure that whatever you put in your will is final. But depending on your family, and you of all people know your family best, your final wishes might not be taken into consideration the way you hoped they would. A will can be contested in the courts, ending up costing the intended recipients  … Read more

Be Prepared!

It’s the Boy Scout motto, and a wise piece of advice for life in general, but especially your finances! You never know when you’re going to have an emergency or unexpected rainy day; you also never know when you may unexpectedly pass away. Have you considered how your family will fare when it happens? There  … Read more