Recent Blog Posts
Estate Planning For Newlyweds
According to Yahoo Finance, only 52 percent of adults have a life insurance policy, and only 46 percent have a will. This might be unsurprising, given that few of us have a net worth large enough to fight over in probate. It is more surprising, however, when we consider that the COVID-19 pandemic has… Read More »
For A Stress-Free Retirement, Focus Your Efforts On Debt Repayment Now
Hurricane shutters are expensive. Another cockroach crawled under the door? Not another hole in the patio screen! And don’t even get started talking about the mortgage payments! Home ownership has plenty of hassles, but for the annoyance your house causes you, there are dozens of people who can only wish that they had that… Read More »
Is Reopening An Estate That Has Already Settled Worth The Trouble?
Even uncomplicated probate cases can be stressful when the person for whose estate you were acting as a personal representative settles and the beneficiaries get their inheritance. As long as the estate is open, everyone blames you when creditors surface and claim debts that, once paid, reduce the amount left for you and your… Read More »
How To Ditch Your Parent PLUS Loans Before Retirement
Parent PLUS loans are the enemy of your estate plan. If you are thinking about taking out a Parent PLUS loan to fund your child’s college or postgraduate education, don’t do it. Of course, this advice does not help you if you have already borrowed one and are now responsible for paying it back. … Read More »
Think Twice Before Merging Your Finances With Your Children
The market is flooded with advice books about caring for your children during their first years of life, but the advice industry is frustratingly silent about the best ways to have a healthy relationship with your children when they are adults. Books, websites, and podcasts bombard you with information about the best ways to… Read More »
Beware Of Known And Reasonably Ascertainable Creditors
The fun part of estate planning is daydreaming about enjoying retirement and about being generous to your descendants. In fact, you might even spend your first few sessions with an estate planning lawyer focusing on your dreams of your golden years and of creating generational wealth. Eventually, though, you will need to confront your… Read More »
Retirement Income For The 99 Percent
The gig economy is not just for young people; cushy jobs have become a thing of the past, and cushy pensions and employer-provided retirement account contributions are even harder to find among the most recent cohort of people to find themselves added to the AARP’s mailing list. Life keeps getting more expensive, so how… Read More »
Estate Planning For Millennials Who Value Experiences Over Stuff And Friendship Over DNA
You’ve heard all the stereotypes about millennials. Millennials value experiences over stuff, and they certainly can’t be bothered with frivolous purchases like the disposable dinner napkin. Financially, millennials are screwed; most of them will never own a house. Millennials have the lowest birth rate in U.S. history, whether because diaper duty is a less… Read More »
Will The Clutter You Find In A Deceased Relative’s House Affect The Probate Of Their Estate?
Selling a deceased relative’s house is often one of the most stressful parts of probate. If the decedent included instructions in their will about selling the house, it makes the process somewhat easier, but selling a house is never easy, even under circumstances that do not involve bereavement. The worst is if the decedent… Read More »
How Not To Help Your Children Financially: Advice From An Estate Planning Lawyer
From an estate planning perspective, there are no right or wrong answers about how much or how little money to give your adult children. As long as you have enough money left over for your own retirement expenses and healthcare, you can continue to spoil your children and grandchildren as much as you want. … Read More »