Estate Planning Tag

Few estate plans effectively deal with the common situation in which the caregiver, let’s say the wife, dies before her sick husband. How common is this? Sixty percent of the time, the caregiving spouse dies before the sick spouse. Got that? Sixty percent of the time. At first, this statistic seems counterintuitive. Shouldn’t the sick spouse die first? But think about it. Who is getting the...

  Conner was born in Seattle, Washington and moved to California before attending law school. Conner received his undergraduate degree in Political Science and English Language and Literature from Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington and his law degree from Whittier Law School. Conner also earned his Tax LLM from Loyola Law School and is currently working towards becoming a...

Forgive me, but I need to start this chapter with a statement that’s both brutal and true: A disability is often harder on a family than a death. Why? Because if you become seriously disabled, your loved ones will have to deal with many of the same legal issues as when you die, but they will also have to take care of you. A serious disability is not just difficult and draining for everyone,...

In my firm, we follow a highly defined process to make sure we’ve turned over every stone, followed up on every clue, leveraged our “lawyerly thinking,” and crafted the best possible estate plan for our clients. Our process happens to have ten steps. Your attorney may follow seven or fifteen steps. But make sure those steps can be fully articulated. If not, look elsewhere. Here’s a quick...

Two financial unknowns may erode our degree of confidence. Provided by Ascent Wealth Management Maybe you have been putting off planning for retirement because you think you have time, or you are not sure where to start. We are proud to share the following article from, Ascent Wealth Management, to help you manage your confidence and the uncertainties of retirement. Financial Uncertainties in...

Broaching the subject of estate planning with our aging parents can be difficult. Both sides may be reluctant to discuss difficult topics involving final affairs. It can be much more difficult however, if your loved ones pass without a plan in place and to watch their legacy be destroyed. What happens when you don’t have an estate plan? The reality is without an estate plan in place...

Much of the rest of this book will be about constructing a good living trust. But what is a living trust, exactly? As I explained briefly earlier in the book, you can think of a living trust as a kind of vessel, a bucket which you create, and into which you place your stuff. Some things, like IRAs, 401(k)s, annuities and life insurance do not go into the trust, (See Mistake #5). Basically,...

2019 is here and it’s the year to finally tackle creating your estate plan so your family, loved ones, and legacy are protected after you pass. Is this something you have been putting off? Are you wondering why you need an estate plan? Are you sure your existing plan includes all of life’s changes? Here are some of the reasons why it is so important to get started now. Estate Plans Are For...

When we think of our estates passing on after we die, our houses, cars, money, and children may spring to mind. Most people don’t think about their cloud storage, social media accounts, internet domains, or online investments. Your digital assets need to be as much a part of your estate planning as your other assets. We are here to help you plan ahead so your digital presence is taken care...

Without a complete estate plan, even surviving spouses often have to go through long or short versions of probate to get full control of their family’s assets. In the meantime, terrible hardships can ensue. Wait! If your spouse dies—don’t you automatically get control of his or her assets, even if no will was signed? The answer is maybe yes, and maybe no. In most states, “title controls.” This...