Once you have been appointed the executor or personal representative of a deceased loved one’s probate estate, or when you step in as the successor trustee of the loved one’s trust, one of the first things you should do is to notify the post office of the death and ask them to forward the deceased person’s […]
Stereotypes surrounding “only child syndrome” have largely been debunked, as recent studies show that only children, on average, develop social skills similar to those of children with siblings.[1] Further, outdated perceptions surrounding only children have shifted as the average size of the American family has shrunk, and one-child families have become far more common. Raising an […]
You regularly check the balances of your retirement, bank, and investment accounts. But when was the last time you checked the beneficiary designations on these accounts (and really, all the other accounts that allow you to name a beneficiary)? It may have been years since you first opened an individual retirement account, bought a life insurance […]
Michael Jackson passed away in 2009, but the settling of his estate continues more than 15 years after his death due to a lingering tax dispute with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other legal challenges, including a lawsuit brought by his mother over a deal to sell part of his music rights to Sony Music […]
Most people understand that having an estate plan benefits them and their loved ones. However, many individuals do not initiate the estate planning process because they do not fully understand the nuances of the core estate planning tools such as wills or trusts, additionally they do not understand the full implications of dying without either in […]
“No, I am your father.” These words, uttered by James Earl Jones in his voice-over role as Darth Vader, are indelible in the minds of Star Wars fans. Jones is also well known for voicing Mufasa in The Lion King and a series of cable news promotions in which he declared, “This is CNN.” But Jones’s booming […]
Regardless of your age, race, gender, or sexual orientation properly protecting your future and your loved ones requires a plan. Without estate planning executed by you, state law will fill in the gaps with default choices for your decision makers and recipients of your money and property. For some members of the LGBT community, both married […]
Every day we make hundreds of decisions for ourselves—from what to eat for breakfast to how to manage our finances. However, what happens if you cannot make decisions for yourself? Who do you want making day-to-day decisions on your behalf and serving as your guardian? Financial Power of Attorney If you have recently created or reviewed […]
