When we think about a loss of independence, being unable to drive or live on our own often comes to mind. We may not even realize our ability to manage finances could be at risk someday. But failing to prepare…
I recently met with a woman who told me her top priority was making things easy for her heirs. She’d heard horror stories of wills getting bogged down in probate, and heirs waiting years for resolution. “I know lawyers can…
Mark calls the police when he can’t reach Aunt Sarah. They find her on the floor, unresponsive, and take her to the hospital. Sarah is stabilized but remains disoriented because she has dementia. It’s exacerbated other health problems too, because…
A senior’s perspective on the estate planning process When I saw my doctor for a recent routine physical and she asked if I had a Healthcare Proxy, boy, was that ever a wake-up call! I consider myself a “young 70,”…
Families encounter many professionals after a loved one’s passing. Religious leaders, funeral home directors, and probate lawyers often form a new cast of characters, while the familiar medical team steps back. Who can help you find this new team of…
"I inherited my childhood home." There’s a whirlwind of intense, complex emotions within those five words. For some people, their childhood home evokes mostly happy memories, but now also grief and loss. For others, those earlier happy memories are eclipsed…
What’s the greatest gift you can leave your family? You may think – an inheritance, of course. But what kind of inheritance? Sure, money’s welcome. But a lifetime’s belongings in an overflowing garage? Not so much. Yet often, relatives who…
Executors and administrators of estates are often called upon to deal with challenging legal and financial logistics during their time of grief. If my clients have served as estate representatives before, the legal and financial work involved is more familiar.…
It’s a new year – a good time to focus on the forest through the trees and answer my most frequently asked question. It’s also a time to remember and reexamine our highest callings, so I devoted some serious time…
I once discussed helping clients open up about sensitive family dynamics and personal finances with another estate planning attorney. He said, “What’s the problem? Everything’s confidential.” He was both right – and wrong. A client’s communications with his or her…
