Do I Need A Will?

Anthony Bourdain, the famous foodie traveler, past away last year. When he died, he was legally separated from his wife but not legally divorced. The question arises as to whether the wife can still inherit from his estate. Stay tuned for the answer.

This is directed at those who have chosen not to marry or are in states where particular unions are not recognized ie gay marriage.

There’s much ado about our valuable possessions and investments and assets. The answer may surprise as it has nothing to do with your house, retirement plan or other assets per Se.

This podcast/video is about the importance of having disability insurance and why you absolutely need it.

This holiday season let us emphasize the value of our family and friendships over material possessions.

Jack and Jill have a son named Joe. They decide to put Joe's name on assets under a joint ownership so as to avoid probate and estate planning. What can possibly go wrong?

This is a video about parenting yes. And I give one common sense advice that every parent is going to say yeah duh, but do we practice it? The advice is listen, observe and nurture your child's passion. In doing so, please avoid the 5 parenting styles I describe in this video. My two cents. Take it for what it is worth.

This is a short quick hit video about a possible worst case scenario. Jill, a widower has 2 children and remarries Jack who is also a widower with 2 children. They draft up mirror image wills. What can possibly go wrong?

ILIT is a very important tool you can use if you want to get significant estate tax benefits.

Another predator in the estate planning context is the Nursing Home. Long term care in the US is expensive and can drain your accounts. Consider Medicaid planning as part of your overall estate planning.

For your beloved pets, you can take care of them through a Pet Trust.

What happens to the child if both parents were to die together at the same time? Have you chosen a guardian?

This is an episode about having the right financial mindset, capitalizing on the power of compound interest and tips on goal setting.

We explore joint ownership of property and assets and how it bypasses the will. This may not be ideal in all situations. Tread carefully for your own situation.

This is an important document to have in your estate plan to lay down clear instructions as to what should happen should you become incapacitated or in a coma.

The irony here is that death gives our lives actual meaning and purpose. I explore this idea with the idea that experiences Trump material wealth in helping us pursue what is important to us ultimately - our family and friends.

Young people may believe because they don’t have much in material wealth that there is no reason to plan. But good estate planning involves good financial planning today.

A common question I get is should I get a Will or Trust. Here are some questions and guidelines you can use to help you decide which instrument is best for you.

Per Stirpes is a Latin legal term meaning by the branch or root. An estate of a decedent is distributed per stirpes if each branch of the family is to receive an equal share of the estate. While this may seem clear cut, things get a little complicated when children predecease you and then there are different laws that produce different results ie common law vs UPC.

While I have previously said you should put all your property in your will there are some assets and property that you should not include in your will.