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What is a Will and why do you need a Will?
What is a Will? Here is a very, very basic breakdown of what a will is (and isn’t): A legal, binding document Goes into effect when you die Can be changed up until you die Needs to be signed in a certain way or isn’t valid and enforceable (subject to laws of state you...
Women Who Didn’t Have A Will and Died: Amy Whinehouse
Amy Whinehouse died without a will. She died intestate. She died without making clear what she wanted to happen to her nearly $7 million dollar estate. She died without making clear what she wanted to have happen to her remains, her body, after she died. She died...
When Should You Update Your Estate Plan? Pt. 3 The Third “D” = Distance
When you should update your estate plan depends on the Six D's. What are the "Six D's"? They are: death, divorce, diagnosis, distance, dividend and dates. In other words, if someone or something in your last will and testament, financial power of attorney, health...
Your Beneficiary Designation vs. Your Will: Which One Controls?
Beneficiary designations v. Your will. Can your beneficiary designations change what you have in your will? NO. Can your will change your beneficiary designations? NO. When you die, you cannot own anything. That is the general way to approach how you pass on your...
Did Your Wills Attorney Ask You “Why”, “Who” and “What”?
Did your attorney ask you these three things before they signed you up? Why? Who? What? If not, your estate plan may not be the right plan for you, your family, your kids. Wills, powers of attorney for finance and advance directives for health care and trusts work for...
Update Your Estate Plan? Pt. 2: The Second “D” = Divorce
One of six reasons to update your estate plan: you have been divorced since your last estate plan was signed.
When Should You Update Your Estate Plan? Pt. 1: The First “D” = Diagnosis
When should you update your estate plan? We focus on the Six "D"s when we work with clients and educate others. The first "D" of when you should pull out your estate planning documents and think of whether they need to be updated or not is D = "diagnosis." When you...
3 Reasons You Should Work With An Attorney When Preparing Your Will, Part 3
Here we are sharing 3 reasons you should work with an attorney when preparing your will and other important documents in your estate plan. We'll share them in three separate posts and expand a little bit on each reason! Here is reason number three of the three...
3 Reasons You Should Work With An Attorney When Preparing Your Will, Part 2
Here we are sharing 3 reasons you should work with an attorney when preparing your will and other important documents in your estate plan. We'll share them in three separate posts and expand a little bit on each reason! Here is reason number two of the three reasons...
Vacation Plans and Estate Plans: They Go Hand in Hand
Summer has arrived and so have beaches, sun screen, pool noodles and more. Summer also brings moms calling our office because they want to get their last will and testament and nomination of guardianship in place before they leave for their trip. This summer, we...