General

When I am sitting in my office with clients, working through their estate plan, I often come to a “fork in the road.” Unlike Yogi Bera’s, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it,” I press my clients for a clear answer.

“We’ve already chosen an executor. Why do we need an alternate?”

“We’ve appointed each other as attorney in fact. Why do we need an alternate? We can get to that later.” These typical answers require a response.

Drafting your estate plan requires thoughtful choices. Choosing an alternate fiduciary (a fiduciary is a person who is entrusted with property […]

There are many thoughts that crossed our minds when my brothers and I began this journey of taking care of our mother. If you have followed our story, you know that what Mom wanted more than anything was to remain in her own home. And, like good children, we did everything we could to make that happen. That was uppermost in our mind.

Then, with time, it began to be clear that home was no longer the safest place for Mom to be alone. In-home care-givers helped, a little, but they could only break her fall (both figuratively and literally), not […]

      When I have a parent (or parents) in my office for whom I am drafting a last will and testament, it is always interesting to watch the reaction to my question, “Is there a problem child in your family?” When there is, the reaction is always immediate. The parent acknowledges the child who will be the one to ‘cause trouble’ after he or she is gone. This requires special drafting if you want to be sure that your wishes are carried out without shenanigans.

      Drafting your will requires thought and planning. You may put requirements that precede any gifts […]