Estate Planning
Best Places to Keep Real Estate Deeds
Real estate deeds (a.k.a. title or house deeds) are written legal documents that show who owns a certain property. A real estate deed records a chain of ownership – it is used to transfer a property from one owner to another. A real estate deed in your name proves that you hold legal ownership of the…
READ MORE →Breast Cancer & Legacy Planning
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and thankfully we have made a lot of solid progress towards saving the lives. In general, the prognosis for most women diagnosed with Breast Cancer has improved greatly. Let’s pause and celebrate that, keeping in mind that no one should rest on progress — THE FIGHT CONTINUES. Anyone over the…
READ MORE →National Estate Planning Awareness Week 2021
You may have heard me say more than once that an estimated 56 percent of Americans do not have an estate plan in place, making estate planning “a critically overlooked component of financial wellness.” In hopes of raising awareness, Estate Planning Awareness Week was created to educate the public about the importance of estate planning…
READ MORE →The Opioid Epidemic: Using Targeted Trusts
The Opiod Epidemic is back in the news, and is still far reaching in our communities across the country as ever. Every day, more than 115 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. In 2016, more Americans died due to opioid overdoses than car…
READ MORE →Why Unmarried Couples Need Estate Planning the Most
If you have ever watched Judge Judy on TV, you may have heard the iconic judge tell couples who have been living together “without the benefit of marriage” that courts are not designed to handle the legal ramifications of “setting up shop” together. Yet it is happening more and more. For many reasons, older couples…
READ MORE →Who Knew? August is Make a Will Month!
Estate Planning is really legacy planning. How would you like to leave your mark on your family — maybe even your community? This is your chance to decide instead of having state and/or government law decide for you.
READ MORE →How Fathers Shape Estate Planning for the Family
Great dads have a vision and goals for their loved ones and a basic plan for how to get them to reach these goals. I believe part of this responsibility is having a legacy plan that takes care of those whom you love even after you are gone.
READ MORE →What is a Power of Attorney?
One of the most common questions I get from people both online and in person is relating to Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney. Usually it is from folks with an aging or ill parent or parents or parents of teens turning 18 and moving away from home (usually either traveling or away at school).…
READ MORE →Why Sharing Your Digital Passwords is Critical
As more and more of our lives move online, it is becoming critical to document information about accessing your online accounts and assets (bank accounts, brokerage accounts, photos, videos, etc.). Making sure you leave account information and digital passwords is critical. Why?
READ MORE →Will You Be an Organ Donor?
I recently saw a viral post on Facebook from some caring folks about organ donation. The poster wanted everyone to know that organ donation was extremely important to them should their death occur. My hat is off to this person for being so thoughtful and proactive, but because of what I do, my inclination of…
READ MORE →Facebook Uses AI to Determine User Death
Facebook plans to use artificial intelligence to help it be more sensitive of its members’ feelings when it comes to death of a friend or family member. In the past, Facebook might have allowed Memories to popup, send Birthday reminders and more. The results were not always positive for some folks. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg…
READ MORE →Why Advance Directives are Essential: NHDD
Next week (Tuesday the 16th) is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). Why is such a day necessary or even important you might be thinking? According to a 2003 article by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Study: Less than 50 percent of the severely or terminally ill patients studied had an advance directive in their medical…
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