Happy Mother’s Day: Celebrate, then Plan

You’ve made brunch reservations and bought flowers. The kids have made a special card and you bought her favorite perfume or other special gift. Mother’s Day is special because Moms are special. What would we do without them? What would we do without them? Whether they have been Moms for 1 year or 41 years, their…

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Funeral Planning Costs Less in Arizona

Sadly, it is not uncommon to see pleas for help with funeral costs in our social media feeds and on local news these days. Funerals can be very expensive and it is not a planned cost. It is also asking for a decision (and rightly so) during a highly emotional time as well. Sometimes choices…

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Thinking of Becoming an Organ Donor?

organ donation for kids

Thousands of Arizona residents are currently waiting for donated organs, so the need is great. If you are interested in donating, here are the steps you can take: Join approximately 3.3 million on Donate Life Arizona and Register. The site is not only a wealth of information, but you can register so that in the…

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Three Documents Your 18-Year-Old Needs, 2021 Edition

when your child turns 18 they need these documents

Here in Arizona, as kids turn 18, they are considered adults and parents don’t have the same legal authority to make choices for them any longer. If your 18 year old is temporarily or permanently unable to make choices (due to an illness or injury), no one would be able to intervene in medical or…

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4 Ways Estate Planning Benefits Small Businesses

Many small business owners concentrate on the day to day operations of their businesses. They may be forward thinking and planners when it comes to marketing and supply chain, but not too many think about the future of their business if something should happen to them. What can you do to protect this organization you…

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Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies & Estate Planning

You have probably heard of (or even invested in) cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum. For those that aren’t sure what I’m talking about, cryptocurrencies are a new kind of money that only exist digitally. While you can’t hold such currency at your local bank or buy gas or groceries with them (yet), these digital…

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5 Ways to Stop Unwanted Contact After a Family Member Dies

A couple of weeks ago, I read a post about a handful of Facebook Friends who had lost spouses and had contact by phone and email for sales offers in their spouses’ names recently. The comments told a tale of companies who had been told repeatedly to remove the decedents name from the list and…

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4 Reasons: Estate Planning is a Final Act of Love

estate planning is an act of love

Very recently, a close friend’s wife lost her Father. Though his health was not the best, his decline was rapid and unexpected. The family, particularly her Mother, struggled to make choices that honored him, their culture and other family members’ suggestions. To put it plainly, it was chaotic, stressful and unsettling. With Valentine’s Day approaching…

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At What Age Should You Start Estate Planning?

when should you start estate planning

I recently performed a random survey (which may, or may not have happened on Facebook). I asked the question: “At what age do you think you should meet with an Estate Planning Attorney?”   The answers were very thoughtful, and I learned a lot about what people think of estate planning. So what is the…

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In Memoriam … How Hollywood is Motivating People to Plan

Each year a newspaper or magazine reminds us of all the celebrities who passed away. I mention it not to put a damper on a New Year full of hope and promise. Really, it is a good way for me to illustrate estate planning trials and tribulations for clients and would-be clients. Take for example…

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Who Should I Choose as Guardian of My Children?

estate plan for single parent

That is one of the hardest questions for people to answer. Looking at my current list of open cases, I have three or four clients that have not been able to finish the planning process because of this very issue. While the estate planning process usually only takes a few weeks to complete, I have…

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