Estate Planning
Unmarried Couples and Estate Planning: Does It Make Sense?
Sometimes we are asked whether a couple that lives together — an unmarried couple — needs estate planning. Our answer is an emphatic “Yes.” There are protections married couples have that unmarried couples do not, which makes estate planning more…
A Relatively New Task for Executors: Digital Footprint
It is hard enough to deal with a home filled with a lifetime of possessions! Now add to that the executor’s newest responsibility: their loved one’s digital footprint. Executors today are facing a relatively new task: managing online accounts, photos,…
When Roles are Reversed: Helping Aging Parents
As parents age, their adult children shift into the role of caretakers, making sure their housing, medical, financial and legal needs are being properly handled. It’s never a happy scenario when an independent parent becomes unable to live on their…
When Should You Start on Your Estate Plan? How About Right Now?
No matter how old (or young!) you are, no matter the size of your estate, or how far away retirement is, you need an estate plan. Life happens, often unexpectedly, and an estate plan protects you and your family. One…
Las Vegas Gunman Had No Will and a Sizeable Estate
With no children and family members who want to see his assets go to victims, figuring out how to handle the estate of the man who murdered and maimed concert goers will take some time to figure out. Stephen Paddock…
Increasing Bitcoin Prices Driving Digital Currency Holders to Estate Planning
Traditionally, clients start on their estate plan before the birth of a child or a new marriage. Rising prices in cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are introducing a new generation to estate planning. As even small holdings have grown in value, it…
The Toughest Conversation You’ll Ever Have
It’s the topic none of us want to think about, but talking with your children and loved ones about your end-of-life wishes can be one of the more important conversations. In some families, it’s easier to talk about sex than…
Older Parents Face Different Estate and Financial Planning Needs
Wealthy celebrities may not have to worry about the financial side of welcoming babies in their senior years, but estate planning and retirement lifestyles for regular people need to be considered. Older parents or couples, where one member is significantly…
Overly Generous in 2017? Here’s What You Need to Know About Gift Taxes
There are a few basics you’ll want to know about gift taxes, especially if a gift inadvertently exceeded the annual $14,000 limit. What would happen if a gift that started out at a value under the $14,000 annual limit was…
Basics About Wills in Kansas
A will is the foundation of many estate plans, and offers an opportunity for you to convey your property to family members and friends after you have passed. Every state has its own requirements about wills, legal documents that provide…
