Should I Include My Unborn Child in My Estate Plan?
Estate planning is an exercise in anticipating potential future events that could affect your plans for what happens if you become incapacitated (unable to manage your own affairs during your ...
Planning for the Unthinkable: Essential Tools for Parents of Minor Children
Approximately three-fourths of Americans do not have a basic will.[1] Many of the same people also have children under the age of 18, which underscores a major misunderstanding about estate ...
Should Your Child’s Guardian and Trustee Be the Same Person?
If you have overheard any estate planning discussions, you have likely heard the words “guardian” or “trustee.” In estate planning, deciding who will ultimately be tasked with caring for your ...
Guardianships & Conservatorships and How to Avoid Them
Guardianships & Conservatorships and How to Avoid Them If a person becomes mentally or physically handicapped and can no longer make rational decisions about their person or their finances, their ...
Britney Spears: A Cautionary Tale about Conservatorships
A conservatorship is a legal means of stripping someone of their right to make certain decisions for themselves. This drastic measure, provided for under the law, is typically implemented with the best of intentions. Many people who suffer mental health challenges or disabilities, dementia, or extreme physical disabilities require the help of someone who can make informed decisions that are in their best interests. However, a conservatorship is an extreme step and should be approached with great caution—an individual’s liberties are at stake.
Protecting a Loved one Who Is, Will Be, or Has Been Incarcerated
It is natural to want to protect our loved ones no matter what. However, you may be finding it difficult to provide a prosperous future for your loved one if ...
Help! I’ve Been Named as a Guardian. What Do I Do?
A guardian is an individual who cares for someone, often a minor child, who needs special protection. Parents can nominate a guardian in their will, but typically a court must ...
Important Estate Planning Considerations for LGBTQ Couples
Everyone needs estate planning. Regardless of your age, race, gender, or sexual orientation, properly protecting your future and your loved ones requires a plan. For LGBTQ couples, there are a ...
When is “Living Probate” Necessary?
If you become incapacitated, who is going to take care of you? You will not be able to make medical decisions for yourself and you will not be able to ...
How to Choose a Guardian for Yourself
Every day we make hundreds of decisions from what to eat for breakfast to where we go on vacation. With each passing day, there are more choices to be made. ...