Blog

You bought life insurance to care for the people you love. But should the money go directly to your spouse or through your trust? The answer starts with what your family needs the money to do, not a rule that one choice is always better. Read more...

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, died in 2025. One year later, his widow alleges $1.2 million in unfulfilled premarital obligations: a life insurance policy never purchased, a Roth IRA never funded, and anniversary payments never made. A nine-year-old daughter is at the center of the dispute. Here’s what more thorough follow-through on the planning could have helped prevent.

August is Make-A-Will Month, and if you've been meaning to get your affairs in order, this is your reminder. But before you assume that getting a will means your family is protected, there's something most people don't know about what a will actually does and doesn't do. Read more...

You've heard the phrase: "Friends don't let friends drive drunk." The same logic applies to estate planning. According to Caring.com, only 24 percent of Americans have a will. For some of the people you love most, you may be the only person in their life who will ever bring this up. Here's how to do it without making it weird, and what to tell them about what real planning looks like.

You've raised it before. Your spouse keeps saying "not now." But every week that passes without a plan is a week your family's future depends on chance instead of intention. Here's what to do when you're not on the same page, and what you can start doing today. Read more...

You've thought about who would raise your children if something happened to you. But thinking about it and actually naming someone in a legal document are two very different things. If your family doesn't have an answer in writing, and something unexpected happens to you, a judge who has never met you or your children will make that decision. Here's what you need to know, and what you can do about it today. Read more...

You signed the Power of Attorney (POA). You thought your family was protected. But when a parent or spouse loses capacity, that document you trusted may get rejected at the very bank where you need it most, and your family may not have time to fight it. As your Personal Family Lawyer®, this is exactly the kind of gap I make it my job to close before you ever need to find out the hard way. Read more...

When you die without a solid plan, you don't just leave behind grief. You leave behind years of court battles, creditor claims, and paperwork that can drain everything you worked to build, and hand it to a young adult who has no idea where to start. This is exactly what happened to Anne Heche's family. Read more...

If your estate plan is years old, or you did it yourself, you may call an attorney asking for a quick, low-cost review of your estate planning documents, thinking it’s a quick and easy process. The reality is that an estate plan review is (or should be) more complicated than most people think. Read more...

Understanding the tax implications of different inherited assets can help you structure your estate to minimize your beneficiaries' tax burden. Read more...

A Lady Bird Deed (or a Transfer on Death Deed in Georgia as it's more particularly referenced) can protect your home and simplify things for your family after you're gone, but it's not a complete estate plan on its own. Understanding when this tool works and when you need more comprehensive planning makes all the difference. Read more...

Many people worry about leaving debt behind for their loved ones, but the reality of what happens to debt after death is more complex than you likely realize. Read more...

If you're planning for your own future or helping aging parents, understanding options for living and long-term care isn't just about finding a nice place to live. It's about navigating a complex web of legal, financial, and personal decisions that will affect quality of life, inheritance, and fa...

Every year, billions of dollars quietly sit with state governments, unclaimed and forgotten. Learn how proper estate planning keeps what you own from getting lost. Read more…

Probate can delay access to money, property, and answers when families need them most. Read more...

You've spent a lifetime collecting memories, treasures, and possessions, but without proper planning, these items could become an overwhelming burden for your loved ones. Read more...

Choosing between a will and a trust can shape your family’s future. Learn what to consider so your plan truly works. Read more...

You probably know you “should” have a will or a trust, but have you ever talked with your family about why your money exists in the first place? A simple family mission statement can dramatically increase the odds that your wealth and your relationships stay intact for generations. Read more...

The SECURE Act 2.0 reshaped retirement planning. Learn how these changes impact your loved ones and why proper planning matters now. Read more...

It’s heartbreaking when one spouse is eager to protect the family through estate planning and the other resists. Here’s what to do when your partner isn’t on board. Read more...

Caring for aging parents alongside siblings can strain even the closest family relationships. Learn why these tensions arise and how proper planning now can prevent conflict when your own children face these decisions. Read more...

Think your family's White Elephant gift exchange gets competitive? Wait until there's no estate plan and they're fighting over Dad's classic car instead of a singing fish. Learn why your legacy shouldn't be left to chance (or family politics)...

The holidays are the perfect time to talk about death, money, and legacy, not with fear, but with love. Read more...