No one wants to think about their own death or the death of a loved one, much less make plans for it. However, an uncomfortable conversation now is well worth it when you consider the time, cost, and confusion incurred by those without an estate plan in place. Bringing up this conversation, though, can be difficult.
The Elephant in the Room: Bringing Up the Topic of Estate Planning Read More »
The beginning of the year is a great time to set goals for making improvements. Although eating healthy and working out are good resolutions to make, everyone should also resolve to make sure their estate plans are up-to-date
Resolve to Update Your Estate Plan in the New Year Read More »
No one has success in basketball by going it alone. But surrounding yourself with a great team is essential to success in more than just basketball. I’m sure each and every one of them would tell you that they couldn’t have accomplished what they have in life on their own. In basketball and life, success is a team effort.
One of the best gifts you can give your children is to set up your own estate plan. Most people who come to see us, “want to get their affairs in order.” They want to make sure their property is distributed according to their wishes when they pass away. We can definitely help set up a plan to meet that goal. With proper planning, however, you can also avoid probate court and protect your assets from the cost of long-term care.
An Important Gift for your Children: Setting up your Estate Plan Read More »
For better or worse, when someone passes away, their property is not distributed based on what’s equitable—or what’s fair—under the circumstances.
A Decedent’s Property Is Not Distributed Based On What’s Fair Read More »
Benjamin Franklin tells an interesting and insightful story in his autobiography about a voyage he took from Boston back to England when he was a young man. At this time in his life, he was a vegetarian, but the crew of the ship on which he was traveling hauled in a large number of cod and prepared a significant feast, putting Franklin in a difficult positon
Fishin’ for an Excuse Read More »
Although Coach Dale had a passion for planning in all other areas of his life, and he preached preparation to his players on the court and on the field, he fell into the trap that caught so many before him and will continue coaching folks long after he’s gone.
Don’t Leave a Mess, Leave a Legacy Read More »
Retirement accounts, including IRAs and 401(k) funds, are often some of the largest assets our clients own. People typically have three main concerns when planning to pass their retirement funds on to the next generation.
The IRA Trust – The Best of All Worlds Read More »
It probably comes as no surprise that I, an estate planning and elder law attorney who uses the tag line You Need a Plan, would love a story about the foresight shown by Benjamin Franklin in the preparation of his Last Will and Testament, especially right here at the Fourth of July.
Happy Independence Day Read More »
Scott was not feeling very lucky as he got ready for work Monday morning at the unusually late hour of 9:00 a.m. He normally left for work by 7:45 every morning, but that didn’t happen on this particular Monday. When his rental car pulled into the driveway at 3:30 Sunday night (or was it already Monday morning), he had no intention of setting an alarm to wake up on time for the start of the new week.
© The Elrod Firm. The information on this website is merely general information. It is not legal advice, and it does not create any type of attorney-client relationship. Estate Planning and Elder Law are complex fields, and each case is unique. Do not rely on the general information on this website when making legal decisions. Seek professional advice. The information on this website is the property of The Elrod Firm, and cannot be reused or disseminated without the express written consent of The Elrod Firm.
Take some free reading material with you! One of these stories could hold the answers you’ve been looking for. You’ve got nothing to lose by grabbing a free copy.