Imagine Rose, a close friend of yours, has asked you to be her trustee, but you are concerned about the obligations that come with being a trustee. You would be managing Rose’s property for her and for others whom she…
57% of American adults have not prepared a Last Will & Testament (a “Will”) according to Care.com’s estate planning survey. The survey found that participants were more likely or less likely to have a Will depending on issues such as…
It is common for young adults to consider themselves too young to have an estate plan. Young adults in their twenties and thirties often think they don't own enough to constitute an estate. However, an estate is the total of…
Hotel heiress Leona Helmsley left a trust fund for her Maltese dog named “Trouble” to the tune of $12 million dollars in 2007. Unfortunately, pet inheritances ever since have enjoyed a dubious reputation. The Value of an Animal Trust for…
A letter of intent (LOI), also referred to as a letter of instruction, communicates important information to your loved ones that may not be covered in the general estate planning documents. Your LOI is a valuable piece in your estate…
At some point in time, you are likely to be asked to be power of attorney for an elderly or ill loved one. Your person may be planning for when they might become unable to take care of their affairs.…
Elder law and estate planning are similar in concern, but they have significant differences. The Concerns are Similar No matter what age we’re in, life can deliver some hard knocks. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. We…
According to a survey by Caring.com, there has only been a slight increase of 2.5% in the number of Americans with a will over last year. Overall, the percentage of those with a will continues to decline, 33 percent in…
A large number of Americans have been creating their wills online lately. Understandably, the coronavirus pandemic has created the scramble to set up wills and end-of-life-directives. However, online do it yourself (DIY) wills are often deemed invalid as they do…
The advent of the coronavirus pandemic forces each individual to assess their values and priorities, and overall health. The little COVID-19 clinical information relating to treatment options and likely outcomes based on personal health history should lead all of us…