Estate Planning

• Posted in: Estate Planning

Every good will or trust will say something about paying the executor’s “final expenses,” otherwise known as funeral and/or memorial costs. As a small portion of what can sometimes be a very large and intricate document, this “final expense” clause can seem unimportant—but our firm knows better. We know just how important this pre-planning can […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

A good friend called and told me all the things that went wrong yesterday.  Anyone who has been around long enough knows that accidents happen, Murphy’s Law does exist, and things have a tendency to go wrong occasionally; computers crash, fires happen, pipes break and flood your home. And sometimes things just get lost during […]

• Posted in: Current Affairs

The past week has been filled with media speculation about Michael Jackson and his will: Did he have one and what might be in it? Well the waiting is finally over… kind of. It turns out Michael Jackson did create a will, which was submitted to the California probate courts earlier this week. The will […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

Many people come into our offices thinking that the estate plan we help them create will be quick, easy, and above all the end of the line. They hope that once this item is crossed off the to-do list they can breathe a sigh of relief and never think about it again. For some people […]

• Posted in: Current Affairs

Michael Jackson’s death on Thursday shocked the world. As fans and mourners line up to pay their respects (and snap up Jackson music and merchandise) the question now on the minds of many is: What will happen to Michael Jackson’s estate and to his children? It is still too early to know what legal steps […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

The subjects of life and death are not generally considered legal topics, but rather spiritual ones; they push us to examine the very nature of humanity and the existence (or not) of a soul, touching on our most deeply held beliefs. As a document that deals directly with these issues in the most personal manner, […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

I was recently interviewed by a reporter for the Desert Magazine regarding how to leave a legacy to family and loved ones.  As an estate planning firm our job is to help people find the best way to leave an inheritance to their loved ones; but the inheritance you leave your children can end up […]

• Posted in: Current Affairs

Summer is a time for iced tea and watermelon, long days in the pool, vacations at the shore… and for many people summer is also a time to volunteer for your favorite charity. With school out and free time at a maximum the time is ripe to get to know your community—and contribute with a […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

How often do you and your spouse talk about the financial aspect of your retirement? For that matter, how often do you talk about finances in general? New Research by Fidelity has found that an alarmingly high number of couples barely communicate about their finances at all. In fact, “only 15 percent of couples feel […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

If you’ve been weighing the pros and cons of setting up a trust for your young child, wondering if you really have enough assets to warrant such an expense, you must read Stacey L. Bradford’s recent article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Deciding if Your Kid Is Trust-Worthy”. In her article Bradford explains why […]