“We all have witnessed how children have a difficult time understanding why one sibling was treated differently. To overcome this, parents will make the well-intentioned mistake that fair and equal are the same.” What may work fine when you are raising children does not always work in estate planning, as reported in The Press Enterprise’s […]

“Three handwritten documents, dated between 2010 and 2014, were found in Aretha Franklin’s Michigan home in recent months, including one in a spiral notebook found under her couch cushions.” The Queen of Soul’s lack of a properly executed estate plan, isn’t the first time a celebrity died without a will, and it surely will not […]

“I admit that this question stumped me. It was not so much because of what you are asking, but rather why you are asking it in the first place. I’ve tried to come up with a scenario why someone would want to change their will temporarily, but I have come up blank.” People usually make […]

“Thanks to the Internet, everyone has the ability to draft wills, trusts and a variety of other legal documents. Many documents can be produced for less than $100, requiring only a few mouse clicks and filled-in blanks.” While the simplicity and low cost of online legal documents is appealing, the results are all too often […]

“We are programmed to contribute the “max” to our retirement accounts and we disregard, or do not understand, the pitfalls of an improperly filled-out beneficiary forms.” Ignore beneficiary forms at your and your heirs’ own peril, especially when there are minor children involved, is the message from TAPintoChatham.com’s recent article “Are You Read to Deal […]

“As we approach our 70s, we feel like we have everything covered. We don’t have long-term care insurance, but with the income we have off the farm and with our savings, we feel pretty comfortable. Is0’ everything we have enough?” A family has set up their estate plan. Two sons are already in the farming […]

“You probably anticipate living on a fixed income in retirement. However, you may not expect how much your spending will fluctuate. Many individuals tend to shell out more money at the outset of retirement, due to lifestyle adjustments or travel.” Starting retirement with a bang can make a big dent in your nest egg no […]

“Contemplation of retirement can be both exciting and intimidating. Obviously, planning for the beginning of retirement should start early.” While you may be thinking about retirement for a long time, with visions of tropical beaches or grand trips overseas, when the date starts to get closer, it’s time for some real analysis and planning, says […]

“While it’s not something many people think about until faced with the issue, obtaining a credit report for a deceased person is important. You may need to make sure the credit report is accurate and take stock of any creditors you need to notify of the death or see if there’s any unresolved debt that […]

“During retirement or before, you probably did all the financial planning along with the legal paperwork. Have you also thought about personal choices as you age and the options ahead?” If you don’t have a personal plan for yourself, you may wish you had given it some thought when and if you come to an […]