When you look at estate planning as a process rather than an isolated event, the need for updating it is apparent. Although attorneys can provide the tools you need to ensure your assets go to designated beneficiaries, estate planning can accomplish significantly more. Parents can select and identify guardians for their children. People can designate agents to act for them using a durable power of attorney or a Read More
Timeshares: Planning for Your Personal Piece of Paradise
A timeshare can be a great opportunity to have a vacation spot every year. It’s your little getaway from the hectic life that comes with living in a city or working long hours at your job. It may be in the Texas Hill Country or a place with a view of the Gulf. It could even be a desert refuge where you can escape the daily grind and recharge. However, you begin to realize as you grow older that escaping to that Read More
Safeguarding Your Digital Afterlife
Our digital lives have become a larger part of our identity since the introduction of the first social media website. We go there to escape from real life and have a place where we can blow off steam, keep track of cultural trends, or meet and get to know people from across the nation. In addition to social media, many people’s daily activities increasingly rely on digital accounts and use computers and personal Read More
Planning for You and Your Special Needs Family Member
Planning for the future is the best possible way to protect and prepare you and your family for the unknown. If you have a loved one with special needs, the unknown may be something you are familiar with. Structuring a plan for your unique situation will provide the personalized solution that addresses the needs of your family. Proper estate planning allows you to provide for and protect your loved ones if you Read More
Tax Season and Estate Planning Go Together Like Peanut Butter and Jelly
It’s that time of year again. Whether you do you taxes yourself or get the help of a professional, it’s important to be organized. Sifting through receipts and government forms is just the tip of the iceberg. Tax season is also an excellent time to review your estate plan to make sure everything is in order. You’re already noting any significant life changes in your filing status, so why not apply those changes to Read More
Caring for Your Aging Parents and Children
A unique situation is on the rise in the United States and could affect you now or in the future. I’d like to discuss the challenges and provide some resources to help you better manage what lies ahead. Let me start with a few interesting statistics, according to recent research. 78.74 years. That is the average life expectancy in the U.S. That number hasn’t changed much in decades. 26.3 years is the average age a Read More
No Will. Now What?
February is a month notoriously marked by love and romance. While many people are struck by cupid’s arrow, others think Valentine’s Day is just a scheme created by greeting card companies to make a buck. Regardless of your stance, there’s no denying that your loved ones deserve nothing but the best. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, leaving a Will is one of the most generous and thoughtful gifts you can Read More
A Complete Guide to Selecting the Right Executor, Trustee or Agent for you
It’s hard to believe 2017 is here already. The new year marks a special time when many people both reflect on the past and plan for the future. Whether you are a planner or not the setting of New Year’s resolutions is a tradition many people observe much like eating black-eyed peas or kissing someone at midnight. The standard resolutions are getting organized or in better physical shape. This year consider adding Read More
Disinheriting a Child or Grandchild
With Halloween behind us, it’s time to look forward to the holiday season. As North Texans, we may not be able to reap the benefits of a long, chilly and colorful fall, but it’s finally starting to cool down. That means we can bust out those boots and scarves, appropriately drink a pumpkin spice latte, and start making plans to spend time with family. Thanksgiving may be your first chance in months to gather with Read More
Blended Families – How It Affects Planning
If you found that your first marriage didn’t end in a “happily ever after” and you have another chance at it, hopefully you’re a little bit wiser. Second marriages and blended families present their own set of issues. A blended family is any family where the children in the home are not the children of the two parents also living in the home (commonly known as step-children). Any time you are faced with multiple Read More
