Did You Choose More Than One Successor Trustee?

When selecting a successor trustee for a trust, it is common for the individual who creates the trust (the trustmaker) to choose one person to serve as a successor trustee at a time. Some attorneys routinely recommend that only a single successor trustee be appointed to avoid the potential for conflicts between co-trustees during trust […]

Keeping the Peace After You Are Gone

Planning With an Aim Towards Building Unity A will or trust contest can wreak havoc on families. The conflict can result in possibly irreparable resentment and loss of familial communication. Old rivalries and disputes can resurface during the trying time that occurs after the death of a loved one, especially a parent. But careful estate […]

Lessons in Estate Planning from Rain Man

Rain Man is one of the most iconic American movies of the 1980s. Starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, it won four Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and was the highest-grossing film of 1988. Although secondary to the main plot, several estate planning threads run through Rain Man, including those related to trusts, beneficiaries, and how […]

Wealth, Legacy, and Family Drama: Inside The Descendants

Picture this: You are standing on a piece of land that has been in your family for generations and has been handed down through a trust. The land is imbued with memories from your childhood, your children, and family gatherings. You want to keep the land in the family for years to come. However, the […]

An Estate Plan Is Your Script to a Lasting Legacy

“We are all storytellers, and we are the stories we tell,” wrote American psychologist Dan McAdams. Narrative thinking refers to how we view our own role in the story of our lives. It is a more formal way of describing “main character energy” or “main character syndrome,” two terms that originated on social media to […]

Matthew Perry’s Estate Plan: The Lasting Impact of Trusts

The recent passing of beloved actor Matthew Perry, known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing in Friends, has sparked conversations about the importance of estate planning. Reports suggest that Perry’s estate included a trust, a strategic choice that offers key benefits for both the wealthy and everyday individuals. Matthew Perry’s Estate and the Role […]

Gloria Vanderbilt: No Trust Fund Kids for Her

We are at the precipice of what is being called “The Greatest Wealth Transfer in History,” as baby boomers are set to pass down $84 trillion to younger generations.[1] Every parent wants to see their children succeed. But some may wonder whether an inheritance will help promote or hinder the future success of their children. Famous […]

Why Estate Planning is for Life, Not Death

We know that no one likes to think about death. Which is why many people procrastinate when it comes to estate planning.  Because it’s for when you die, right?  Wrong!  When done the right way, creating an estate plan makes your life better. Here are some of the things that estate planning does for you […]

Important Steps to Protect Your Special Beneficiaries

All children are a blessing. From the day they are born, you begin making plans to ensure thatyour child or grandchild has a bright future. What will their interests be? What job will they have?Who will they marry? While these are common concerns for most families, for those with aspecial needs child or grandchild, taking […]

A $500 Trust…

Desplácese hacia abajo para leer esto en español. Is a $500 Trust the Right Investment for Your Future? I was recently invited by a local church to speak on estate planning. The church asked if I could return and meet with some of the members of the church for consultations. Of course, I was happy […]