Most people don’t think of a storage unit as part of their estate. It’s just a place where extra furniture goes, or holiday decorations, or boxes from the last move that never quite got unpacked. But here’s what happens when the person paying rent on that unit passes away: the...

The short answer to this question is a resounding Yes!  Special Needs Trusts are not just for individuals who cannot take care of themselves. From my perspective, they are also a wonderful vehicle to assist individuals who are completely independent adults, who are experiencing some type of disability or condition...

I’m going to answer this question like a good lawyer.  It depends. 🙂 It depends on if you and your family have experienced major changes - thus, updating your estate plan for some, might be one year after you create it and for others it could be 3 or 5...

So… you’ve been thinking about doing an estate plan, but every time you hear the words “will” or “trust,” your eyes glaze over, pictures of lawyers and complicated documents dance through your head, and your brain whispers, "Ugh…Not today, I can do that later." You are not alone. Most people...

In today’s hyper-connected and screen focused world, most of us in the United States live a portion of our lives online. We are sharing photos, communicating with friends, building professional networks and storing digitally uploaded memories - all on social media platforms. But what happens to your social media and...

The best way to leave things to your favorite charity or non-profit organization after you die is to make sure you have an estate plan in place. A gift of money, assets or property in an estate plan is called Planned Giving and many organizations depend upon these planned gifts...

No one wants to think about their death.  But raise your hand if you are immortal?  Correct, unless you are a character in an Anne Rice novel or some other fantasy story you are a regular human being with a set amount of days to walk in this physical realm....

The best way to split assets among your children and prevent them from fighting about it after you die is to have a comprehensive estate plan in place including a living revocable trust. Just like the saying “good fences make good neighbors,” and a clear contract makes a good business...

Most families with young kids put off death, emergency and guardianship planning because it just doesn’t seem that urgent.  You are young, it's unlikely you will die tomorrow right?  But as a result, if you die, or an accident puts you in the hospital long term, your lack of planning...

Before going into details, I’m just going to start out by answering this question. “Absolutely not!”  Transferring property into your child’s name while you are still alive is probably one of the most horrible ideas of your life.  I’m serious.  Real estate transfers are not a DIY, or quick and...

Very frequently, individuals call my office and say - Angel, I just need a Simple Will.  I don’t have much, and I’m leaving everything to my kids and/or my spouse.  I don’t need anything fancy.   Or I hear, more rarely, but still sometimes - I just need a Revocable...

Right out of the gate, the resounding answer to this question is EVERYONE above the age of 18 needs an estate plan.  And thus, Yes!! YOU NEED AN ESTATE PLAN. The only person who does not need an estate plan is immortal.  And I would make an argument that even...

The law treats our fur family as property - so you cannot leave anything to your pet because according to the state they are themselves personal property.  As a result, in order to make sure someone is legally obligated to take care of your furry family members after you die...

It may seem cheap, quick and easy to get your estate plan done using an online do-it-yourself legal document creation service. But the downside of these DIY services is that there is NO ONE to guide you and guarantee that you have accurate, complete or even semi-functional legal estate documents...

Most parents of young children think - “I need a will so that I can tell the state who should parent my children if I die.”  But a guardian nomination in a will can only do part of the job, as it does not actually appoint parental substitutes to act...

What is the difference between a Will and Trust?  And why do I need one or the other?  This is the most frequently asked question I get from clients and potential clients. The short answer is -  you need both, because they do two different things for a comprehensive estate...

When deciding your estate plan, there are many things you have to think about. Choosing the right plan, executing and organizing the documents, and meeting with your attorney are all part of the job of planning what will happen to your estate. But one thing that is integral to the process...

There are many different ways to prepare for your future with your estate planning attorney. There are many different types of documents, plans, and decisions that you have to make when deciding how you want to distribute your estate. When looking at the options and deciding what estate plan is...