Estate Planning

If you and your partner have been in a long-term relationship that you expect to continue, you may have decided that you have no need to get married. That’s a choice that many couples make for a multitude of reasons. Often, it’s as simple as, “If it’s not broke, don’t...

Families come in many forms, and blended families are becoming increasingly common. Couples with children from previous relationships are creating new, loving and dynamic households. But blended families face unique challenges when planning for the future. Without a...

All adults should ensure they have an estate plan in place so their loved ones know how to handle their final affairs. Creating the estate plan can be a challenging undertaking, but it’s not something that can be done once and forgotten. The estate plan isn’t going to...

Passing on a valuable collection—whether it’s art, jewelry, classic cars, coins, wine or sports memorabilia—requires careful planning. Failing to plan properly can lead to disputes, tax issues and/or loss of value over time.  A well-structured estate plan can help to...

If you use an incentive trust in your estate plan, it is a unique way to pass money to a beneficiary. You are essentially able to give them different incentives or goals. This way, you can influence their behavior by determining when they should get access to their...

Starting an estate plan for the first time can feel overwhelming. Most people focus on the obvious items like homes, vehicles and savings accounts because those assets are easy to see and value. Yet an estate is more than the tangible possessions in front of you....

You have guided your children through every stage of life, but the teenage years bring new responsibilities. Your kids may be learning to drive, starting part-time jobs or preparing for college. They are gaining independence, but they still need your support. At this...

An estate plan is a legal document that allows you to control how your assets are managed after you pass away. If you have an estate plan, you are one step ahead of the nearly two-thirds of Americans who do not have a will, trust or other crucial legal documents....

One of the easiest ways to split up assets between multiple beneficiaries is to do it equally. This can sometimes make things go smoothly. A parent with $1 million and four adult children may give them all $250,000, for example. But is this required? It is not. That...

A bespoke estate plan is a customized legal strategy designed to meet the unique needs of an individual or family. Unlike generic estate planning documents that follow a one-size-fits-all approach, a bespoke estate plan takes into account personal goals, family...