Estate Planning for People Living Together, Bachelors, and Bachelorettes I feel strange as I write this article. In two days (as long as I do not screw it up between now and then) I will celebrate 32nd years of marriage to my bride. But here I am discussing estate planning challenges of friends, clients, and hopefully, soon to be clients, who are not yet married, or are no longer married. Maybe it stems from a conversation over a game of dominoes this weekend with couple grou

Poor estate planning is a recipe for disaster. Look no further than Dickens’ Bleak House—or a telenovela (a.k.a., soap opera)—to witness the tragedy and melodrama inadequate estate planning can cause. While having your estate planning documents prepared is the first hurdle to overcoming these types of disasters, there are several threats that lurk around the corner that might derail your wishes. Family Conflict According to a recent survey of over 100 estate planning professi

Remember the Brady Bunch? Everything in their life always seemed to work out just fine in the end. But, what would have happened if one of Mike's designs was faulty, a bunch of people died, the pressure was too much for his caring heart and he died of a sudden heart attack? Well, Mike, who was prepared and loved Carol with all his heart and soul, had a will and substantial insurance policies. In the will, he left everything to Carol and he also named he the sole beneficiary o

Planning With an Aim Towards Building Unity Battles over the validity or terms of will or trust wreak havoc on families (I represent a couple of clients in the middle of these battles right now! It pains me to witness the destruction). These conflicts may result in irreparable resentment and loss of familial communication. Old rivalries and disputes can resurface during the trying time that occurs after the death of a loved one, especially a parent. Sad but true, if you are l

When it comes to estate planning, you probably think of wills and trusts. But there are three other estate planning documents you should think about to make your plan complete: A Living Will A Healthcare Directive, also called an Advance Directive, Medical or Healthcare Power of Attorney, or Designation of Healthcare Surrogate A Financial Power of Attorney Planning for Medical Emergencies with a Living Will and Healthcare Directive Having the right legal documents in place in