Estate Planning for Blended Families: Navigating Complex Relationships
It’s a beautiful thing when different individuals come together through marriage and create a bigger, blended family. However, such a change can also bring with
Taking The First Step: How You Can Get Your Estate Plan Started
Crafting an Estate Plan is one of the most important things you can do to protect your future and safeguard your legacy. If you don’t
Art of Conversation: Communicating Your Estate Wishes Effectively
The words “Estate Planning” often bring to mind stacks of legal documents and complex legal terms. However, beneath this paperwork lies a deeply emotional process
Common Misconceptions About Estate Planning
Estate planning is a crucial step in protecting your legacy and assets. Yet, many misunderstandings exist that can prevent people from setting up an effective
The Most Common Estate Planning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Let’s face it: thinking about Estate Planning can feel a bit grim, but it’s one of those necessary tasks that can save a lot of
When Less Is More: Can You Say No to An Inheritance?
At first glance, saying yes to an inheritance seems like a no-brainer. Yet, it’s not always that straightforward. Inheritance is a concept woven into the
Secure Tomorrow, Today: The Importance of Early Estate Planning
Do you think you are too young to start Estate Planning? Think again! Estate Planning isn’t just something you do when you are approaching your
Building Bridges, Not Barriers: Resolving Family Conflicts in Estate Planning
Estate planning is not just a financial task; it’s a heartfelt journey through family dynamics and future aspirations. While the advantages of meticulous estate planning
Estate Planning and Retirement: Building a Secure Financial Future
No matter where you stand on the spectrum of looking forward to retirement or ticking off a lengthy bucket list before you get there, planning
Guardianship Matters: Securing the Future for Your Minor Children
Let’s talk about something that might not be the most upbeat conversation starter but is undoubtedly crucial for all the parents and guardians out there.
Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trusts: Choosing the Right Path for You
Wills and Trusts often go hand in hand in conversations about Estate Planning and have several differences between them. While wills are the go-to document
Pets in Your Plan: Ensuring the Well-being of Furry Family Members
If you have a special furry friend, then this article is a must-read for you. Over 65% of American households include at least one pet,
Navigating Fiduciary Litigation: Understanding Your Rights and Responsibilities
Diving into the world of fiduciary litigation can seem daunting, especially when it’s part of your Estate Planning journey. But fear not! We’re here to
Legacy Letters: Leaving a Lasting Impact through Personalized Messages
Navigating life’s journey, we cherish the connections we forge with those we love. The prospect of one day not being there for them brings a
Convenience That Comes at a Cost: The Problems to Watch Out for in Online Estate Planning
In today’s digital age, the internet seems to offer solutions for just about everything, including legal matters like estate planning. But while the convenience of
Parent Debt and Estate Planning: Understanding the Impact on Your Inheritance
When we shy away from conversations about estate planning, it can leave a lingering cloud of uncertainty, especially for children pondering the financial legacy of
Expanding Your Estate for a New Arrival: A Guide to Estate Planning When Having a Baby
Congratulations on the upcoming addition to your family! As you eagerly await the arrival of your little one, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on
Can You Rely on Legal Insurance for Your Estate Plan?
In today’s ever-evolving world, the quest for affordable legal services has led to the emergence of group legal insurance plans as a part of workplace
Family Business Succession Planning: Ensuring a Smooth Transition
The journey of running a family business is filled with unique challenges and rewards, blending personal relationships with professional ambitions. However, when it’s time to
Your Roadmap to Probate: Understanding the Process and Maximizing Your Benefits
Probate is often used as a generic term for the entire administration of a deceased’s estate, and is therefore not a welcome conversation. It can
Make Your Mark: How Charitable Giving in Estate Planning Creates a Lasting Legacy
Make Your Mark: How Charitable Giving in Estate Planning Creates a Lasting Legacy Legacy matters to all of us, and incorporating philanthropy as a part
How to Talk to Your Parents About Estate Planning?
Estate Planning is a difficult subject to broach. Aging, mortality, and financial matters are talking points often met with a certain degree of apprehension, no
Digital Assets in Estate Planning: How To Ensure a Smooth Transition
In the evolving digital age, estate planning has also transformed, making it vital to include digital assets in your plans. With our lives increasingly intertwined
Special Needs Planning: Ensuring the Future of Your Loved Ones with Disabilities
If you have a loved one with a disability, you may be wondering how to plan for their future. How can you be sure they
How to Keep Your Estate Plan Alive and Effective
Estate planning is not a one-time task; it’s a lifelong journey. Your estate plan should keep your life circumstances at the forefront, changing alongside your
Planning for Incapacity: Tools and Strategies to Protect Your Interests
When most people think about the future, they focus on their dreams, aspirations, and positive outcomes. And while thinking about potential health challenges or incapacity
The Role of Trusts in Estate Planning: More Than Just Documents
Have you ever wondered what will happen to your assets when you pass away? Would your loved ones receive what you intended for them? Or
Protecting Your Family’s Future: The Role of Life Insurance in Estate Planning
In a world where tomorrow remains uncertain, how do you cement your intentions for the wealth and memories you’ve painstakingly built over a lifetime? Estate
What Living Wills Are and How They Keep Your Family Safe
What would happen if you were unable to make your own medical decisions? Who would decide what kind of care you would receive? How would
Protecting Your Privacy: Understanding Nominee Services for Business Owners
As a business owner, if you want to keep your personal information private and out of the public record, there’s a solution that many business
Obtaining A Power Of Attorney For Elderly Parents
Making important decisions for aging parents can be a challenging task. Power of attorney (POA) enables individuals to make crucial decisions on behalf of their
Understanding The Difference Between A Cash Flow Statement And A Profit And Loss Statement
To run a business successfully, it is necessary to create various financial documents, including cash flow and profit and loss (P&L) statements. Doing this enables
Your Rights As The Parent Of A Young Adult
As a parent, you may be accustomed to managing your children’s legal and medical affairs, as circumstances require. If your child requires urgent medical attention
Leave Your Kids A Nest Egg Protected From Lawsuits, Divorce, and Estate Taxes
If you have a current estate plan that distributes your assets outright to your kids – whether all at once at a certain age or
11 Elements of a Solid Client Contract
Client contracts, or agreements, refer to legal agreements between businesses and consumers. They help establish expectations for the individuals who use a business’s products or
4 Reasons Why a Cheap Estate Plan Won’t Work For Your Family
Most people, regardless of stature and wealth, likely do not know how to evaluate estimates when shopping for an estate plan. Shopping for an estate
4 Tools to Create a Business Legacy
If you dream of one day retiring from your business, selling it, or leaving your company to your family, there are essential planning steps to
4 Foundational Asset Protection Vehicles For Business Owners
Regardless of the industry you are in, the reality of being a business owner is that you open yourself up to a number of unique
Think You Are Too Young to Need An Estate Plan? Think Again!
Even though young adults are traditionally the least likely to engage in estate planning, all adults over age 18 should have some basic estate planning
5 Ways to Shield Your Personal Assets From Your Business Liabilities
One of the main reasons to structure your business as a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) is to shield your personal assets from debts
Before You Agree to Be a Trustee, Read This!
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
4 Common Mistakes Made On Life Insurance Beneficiary Designations
Investing in life insurance is a foundational part of estate planning, and when done right it’s a primary way to say “I love you” to
The Benefits Of Employing Your Kids
Paying your children—whether they’re tweens, teens, or young adults—to work for your company is one of the greatest advantages of running a family business. By
5 Tips For Creating A Business Plan That Works
Far too many aspiring entrepreneurs jump-start their businesses without taking the time to plan properly. Just as a builder uses a blueprint to ensure a
Which Type of Trust Is Right For You?
You’ve probably heard you need a trust to keep your family out of court and maybe out of conflict in the event of your death
It’s All Fun And Games Until Someone Wants Out
Why Your LLC Agreement Must Be Customized To Consider The End (Even Before You Launch) Starting a business is exciting, but it can quickly become
Why Every Adult Needs A Living Will
When it comes to estate planning and wills, you have a variety of options for legal documents. The most common of these options is a
What Happens To Your Debt When You Die?
Perhaps you’ve wondered about what happens to your own debt (or your parent’s debt) when you (or they) die? Short answer[1]: it does not disappear;
Who Should Own Your Business Entity?
If you’ve decided to incorporate your business or review the type of entity you already have in place, it’s essential to not only choose the
How A Nominee Can Protect Your Privacy
As a business owner, you may want to keep your identity private and out of the public record. To do this, we recommend using the
3 Red Flags When Creating Your Will Online
You can find dozens of websites that let you prepare a variety of estate planning documents all on your own, for little to no cost,
Estate Planning For A Child With Special Needs
Estate planning is an obvious concern for all parents, but if you have a child with special needs, it’s crucial that you are aware of
Five Tips for Monetizing Your Company’s Online Presence
In today’s digital-everything world, nearly every business—no matter how small—has some online presence. From websites and social media to e-newsletters and mobile apps, it’s virtually
Green Funerals: 6 Eco-Friendly Options For Your Remains
The environmental costs of death are significant and constantly rising. With the death rate expected to spike as Baby Boomers age, the funeral industry is
4 Actions To Take If Your Business Is Facing A Lawsuit
If your business gets hit with a lawsuit, it can be a traumatic and costly experience. Unfortunately, in today’s highly litigious society, lawsuits are far-too
Are You Ready for the Silver Tsunami?
Whether it’s called “The Great Wealth Transfer,” “The Silver Tsunami,” or some other catchy sounding name, it’s a fact that a tremendous amount of wealth
3 Vital But Often-Overlooked Metrics All Businesses Should Track
You are most likely monitoring several key performance indicators to determine how well your company is doing. Whether related to your finances, advertising, employee turnover,
Now Is Your Last Chance To Save On Your 2021 Taxes
When you first realize that your biggest personal and business expense—bar none—is taxes, it can come as quite a shock. Seeing so much of your
4 Essential Legal Agreements No Business Should Be Without
When starting a new business, putting the right legal agreements in place is crucial for protecting your assets and relationships. Yet far too many new
4 Year-End Tax-Saving Strategies For 2022
Although the end of the year can be a hectic time, it’s also the deadline for your family to implement a number of key tax-savings
4 Strategies To Turn Your Side Hustle Into A Booming Business
Whether you are starting your very first company or you are an established business owner looking to develop a new income stream, creating a side
How An Estate Plan Can Help Your Family Navigate A Recession
As you’ve surely heard by now, we’re in the midst of great economic shifts. The collapse of the crypto market, the roller coaster that is
Don’t Forget to Protect Your Furry Family: Estate Planning for Your Pets
Many pets end up in shelters after their owner dies or becomes incapacitated. In fact, the Humane Society estimates that between 100,00 to 500,000 pets
How to Maximize Your Start-Up Cost Deductions
Coming up with a solid concept for a new business and working to get your operation off the ground can be an expensive undertaking. But
7 Questions To Consider When Purchasing Disability Insurance
If you earn a good living now, but you worry about not having enough money for a future time when you cannot work due to
How Your Choice of Business Entity Affects Your Tax Obligations—Part 2
Along with personal liability protection, record-keeping requirements, and how you plan to finance your operation, one of the main factors to consider when choosing an
How To Manage Your Digital Accounts After Your Death—Part 3
If you have preferences about what happens to your digital footprint after your death, you need to take action. Otherwise, your online legacy will be
How Your Choice Of Business Entity Affects Your Tax Obligations—Part 1
Along with personal liability protection, record-keeping requirements, and how you plan to finance your operation, one of the main factors to consider when choosing an
How To Manage Your Digital Accounts After Your Death—Part 2
If you have any online accounts, such as Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Apple, or Amazon, you have a digital legacy, and that legacy is yours
10 Pitfalls To Avoid With Your Company’s Legal Agreements—Part 1
Last week, in part one, we covered the first five of ten pitfalls that can put your company in serious jeopardy if you take the
How To Manage Your Digital Accounts After Your Death — Part 1
If you have preferences about what happens to your digital footprint after your death, you need to take action. Otherwise, your online legacy will be
10 Pitfalls To Avoid With Your Company’s Legal Agreements—Part 1
Agreements are the heart of your business. Your entire business is one vast series of agreements: agreements with investors and lenders, clients and vendors, employees
Disability Insurance: What You Should Know
If you must work in order to earn your income, you need to have disability insurance. That said, purchasing such insurance is a “buyer beware”
Protect Your Aging Loved Ones From Undue Influence
Following the death of a loved one, close family members are sometimes surprised to learn that they didn’t receive the inheritance they were expecting. Instead,
What Your Last Will & Testament Will (And Will Not) Do—Part 2
August is National Make-A-Will Month! With this in mind, this series discusses exactly what having a will in place will—and will not—do for you and
Debunking 4 Popular Myths About Business Entities
Setting up the right legal structure for your business may seem like a boring detail that you don’t need to spend much time on. In
What Your Last Will & Testament Will (And Will Not) Do—Part 1
August is “National Make-A-Will Month,” and if you have already prepared your will, congratulations—too few Americans have taken this key…
5 Best Practices For Safeguarding Your Business From Wrongful Termination Lawsuits
While you may think of your team as family and believe that they would never sue you, lawsuits filed by employees are actually one of the…
3 Critical Considerations For How To Save For Your Child’s (or Grandchild’s) College Education—Part 1
If you are looking to save for your loved ones’ education—whether that education is college or some other form of learning—it’s worth…
Is It Time To Update Your Company’s Insurance? 5 Events That Necessitate A Review Of Your Coverage
Establishing the right types and amounts of business insurance is a key part of your company’s LIFT risk-mitigation and asset-protection…
Everything You Need to Know About Including Digital Assets In Your Estate Plan —Part 2
Recent advances in digital technology have made many aspects of our lives exponentially easier and more convenient. But at the same time, digital technology has
3 Critical Considerations For How To Save For Your Child’s (or Grandchild’s) College Education—Part
If you have started to save for your child or grandchild’s college education, it’s worth considering whether to use a 529 plan, an…
How Using The Right Legal Agreements Can Safeguard Your Intellectual Property
Using independent contractors (ICs) can give your company an edge in today’s thriving gig economy, but if you are not careful,…
4 Essential Strategies For Protecting Your Family’s Assets
You might think that only the super wealthy need to worry about asset protection planning. The truth is, those without millions may be at…
How to Separate Yourself From Your Business—And Why It’s So Important
When you run your own business, oftentimes one of the most confusing aspects of the job -especially if you are new to the experience – is…
Britney Spears’ Nightmare Conservatorship Underscores The Vital Importance Of Incapacity Planning—2
Since the age of 16, when she burst onto the charts with her debut single, “…Hit Me Baby One More Time,” Britney Spears has been
How Estate Planning and Empathy Can Reduce The High Cost Of Dying—Part 2
Last week, in part one of this series, we discussed some of the Cost Of Dying’s most notable findings and explained how proactive estate…
What Happens To Your Business When You Get Sick or Die? 4 Fundamentals To Know
If you dream of one day leaving your company to your family, but you haven’t properly included your business in your estate plan, that…
How to Maximize Your Start-up Cost Deductions
Coming up with a solid concept for a new business and working to get your operation off the ground can be an expensive undertaking. But…
How Estate Planning and Empathy Can Reduce The High Cost Of Dying—Part 1
Prior to the pandemic, very few among us are properly prepared for the death of a loved one, or our own. Some in the end-of-life industry…
5 Common Estate Planning Concerns For Remarriage
With divorce occurring in roughly 50% of all marriages in the U.S., and life expectancy increasing every day, second—and even…
What You Need to Know About Collecting Life Insurance Proceeds
What You Need to Know About Collecting Life Insurance Proceeds If you’re looking to collect life insurance proceeds as the policy’s…
3 Solutions For Managing The Top Stressors Of Business Ownership
There are numerous advantages to running your own business: being your own boss, setting your own hours, and the ability to decide who…
Essential Strategies For Any New Business
Starting a new business can be daunting. With all the advice and websites out there devoted to the topic, it’s hard to know which advice…
How To Be An Effective Trustee
If a family member or friend has asked you to serve as trustee for their trust either during their life or upon their death, it’s a big…
How To Establish Healthy Boundaries With Clients
Do you feel obligated to check work emails, texts, and voicemails at all hours? It’s easy for hardworking business owners to get caught…
Heirloom Handoff: How to Pass On Family Treasures With Ease
When creating an estate plan, people are often only concerned with passing on the “big things” like real estate, bank accounts, and…
6 Common Mistakes When DIYing Legal Agreements
Contracts are an essential element of effective business management and success. Savvy business owners recognize the value of contracts…
3 Essential Documents Your New Grad Needs
It’s graduation season! With so much going on with your high school grad getting ready to leave home to attend college or pursue other life
Navigating Small Claims Court
As a business owner, it’s nearly impossible to remain unscathed from conflicts and disputes. You’re bound to run into an issue sometime or another because