You signed the Power of Attorney. You checked the box. You assumed your family would be able to step in if something happened.

But when a spouse or parent loses capacity, that same document can suddenly get rejected by the bank you need access to most and your family may not have the time, energy, or legal authority to fight back in the middle of a crisis.

As your Personal Family Lawyer®, this is exactly the kind of problem I work to prevent before your loved ones ever have to experience it the hard way. Read more…

You might think estate planning is just about who gets what when you’re gone. It’s also about who stays safe, housed, informed, and protected in the days right after.

The reported story of Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé shows how quickly grief can turn into legal chaos when there’s no clear plan in place. Read more…

When you die without a real plan, you don’t just leave your family grieving, you leave them a mess to clean up.

Court battles. Creditor claims. Endless paperwork. And often, everything you worked so hard to build ends up in the hands of a young adult who has no idea where to begin.

That’s exactly what happened to Anne Heche’s family. Read more…

If your estate plan is years old, or you did it yourself, you might call an attorney asking for a quick, low-cost review, assuming it’s simple and straightforward. The reality? A proper estate plan review is (and absolutely should be) far more thorough than most people expect. Read more…

A Lady Bird Deed can be a smart way to protect your home and make things easier for your family but it’s not a full estate plan by itself. Knowing when this tool works (and when you need more than just a deed) is what makes the real difference. Read more…

Many people worry about leaving debt behind for their loved ones but what actually happens to debt after death isn’t as simple (or as scary) as most people think. Learn how it really works and what your family needs to know. Read more…

Choosing between a will and a trust isn’t just a legal decision, it’s one that shapes how smoothly things go for the people you love. Learn what actually matters so your plan works in real life, not just on paper. Read more…

Too many estate plans fail because they start with a cookie-cutter, “sign here” meeting. That’s not planning, that’s paperwork. An Estate Planning Session flips the script. It’s not about documents in a drawer; it’s about creating a plan packed with meaning, clarity, and real value for you and everyone you love. Read more…

Over 100 heirs? Whether you're distributing billions—or just wanting your values to carry on—thoughtful planning is non-negotiable. That’s the only way to make sure your wealth and your values land where you want them. Read more…

A lot of folks think once they've got a trust, they're good to go—file it, forget it, done. But let me give it to you straight: a “set-it-and-forget-it” estate plan is a recipe for disaster. Just like you wouldn’t skip your annual physical (or at least not proudly admit it), your trust needs regular check-ins to make sure it’ll actually work when your loved ones need it most.

Life changes. Laws change. You change. If your trust hasn’t kept up, it might flop when it matters most—and that’s not the legacy you want to leave behind.

Read more and make sure your plan isn’t collecting dust while collecting risks.

Roses wilt. Chocolates disappear. But peace of mind? That’s forever.

This Valentine’s Day, skip the cliché gifts and give something truly meaningful—an estate plan that says, “I’ve got you.”

Protect your loved ones from court, conflict, and confusion.
Ensure your kids, assets, and wishes are covered—no guesswork, no stress.

Nothing says "I love you" like securing your family’s future. Read more!

Putting your home in a trust is a savvy estate planning move, but if you don’t handle the insurance side correctly, you could be in for a nasty surprise. Yep, we’re talking unexpected coverage gaps that could leave your most valuable asset hanging by a thread.

Want to make sure your homeowner’s insurance and your trust are playing nice? Read more and learn how to keep your home—and your peace of mind—fully protected.

Picture this: You’re in your twenties, completing a form at your job, and designating your partner as the beneficiary of your retirement account. Fast forward 28 years—you’ve moved on, experienced life to the fullest, and then passed away, leaving your former partner with your now-million-dollar retirement savings. Sounds unbelievable? Think again. Read on to find out more.

We all love a good celebrity tale, so this July, we're diving into the lives of four celebrities and their approaches to preparing for the inevitable (or not!). In the second installment of our 4-part celebrity estate planning series, Vanilla Ice shares his experience, advice, and lessons learned. Let's just say he has...thoughts. Read more.

The internet is awash with DIY Wills and Trusts, tempting you with the prospect of saving money and safeguarding your loved ones posthumously. However, be wary! These solutions can end up causing far more problems than they solve. Discover why.

Did you forget any of these critical financial steps when you created a Trust? Be sure to read this week’s blog to learn why proper funding of your Trust is essential to making it work! Read more.

If you have a Trust that is a partial or full owner of a business, the business may be required to disclose certain information about your Trust in an annual report under the new Corporate Transparency Act. So how do you know if the new rule applies to you? Keep reading to find out more.

Being asked by a loved one to serve as Trustee for their Trust upon their death can be quite an honor, but it’s also a significant responsibility—and the role is not for everyone. Indeed, serving as a Trustee entails a broad array of duties, and you are both ethically and legally required to execute those duties or face potential liability.

Before you say yes, be sure you understand what it means to be a Trustee.

In the end, your responsibility as a Trustee will vary greatly depending on the size of the estate, the type of assets covered by the Trust, the type of Trust, how many beneficiaries there are, and the document’s terms. In light of this, you should carefully review the specifics of the Trust you would be managing before deciding to serve.

You’ve probably heard you need trust to keep your family out of court and may be out of a conflict in the event of your death or incapacity. And, if you haven’t, you are hearing it now. If you own any “probatable” assets in your name at the time of your incapacity or death, your family must go to court to access them. If you aren’t sure if your assets are “probatable” contact us to discuss.

But you may need clarification about whether you need a revocable living or irrevocable trust. More and more, we are seeing people come our way asking for an irrevocable trust, and so this article is designed to help you learn the difference and then get into an “eyes wide open” conversation about the right kind of trust for you and your loved ones.

Following your death, unless you’ve planned ahead, some of your online accounts will survive indefinitely, while others automatically expire after a period of inactivity. Still, others have specific processes that let you give family and friends the ability to access and posthumously manage your accounts.

In parts one and two of this series, we covered the processes that Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter, and Apple offer to manage your digital accounts following your death. In part three, we’ll conclude this series by covering the most effective methods for including digital assets in your estate plan.