Blog Articles
Divorce Doesn't Update Your Estate Plan: Here's What Does
Whether you had an estate plan going into your marriage or not, your divorce changed everything. The settlement resolved custody and assets. It did not address what happens to your children if you die. For divorced and separated fathers, that gap almost always exists, even when it feels like the plan is in place. Here is what actually needs to be updated.
The Father the Law Doesn't See: What Stepfathers and Father Figures Need to Know
He shows up for every game, knows the bedtime routine by heart, and considers these children his family. The children consider him theirs. But under the law, he doesn't exist as a parent at all. This Father's Day, here is what every stepfather and father figure needs to know.
The Question Every Father Thinks He's Answered (But Hasn't)
Father's Day is a celebration of presence. But the fathers who've truly done right by their families aren't just the ones who showed up every day. They're the ones who made sure their family would be protected whether they were there or not. If you haven't answered the one question that matters most, this is where to start.
Who Would Raise Your Kids If You Couldn't? (What You Don't Know About the First 72 Hours)
You've thought about who would raise your children if something happened to you. But thinking about it and actually naming someone in a legal document are two very different things. If your family doesn't have an answer in writing, and something unexpected happens to you, a judge who has never met you or your children will make that decision. Here's what you need to know, and what you can do about it today.
No One Warned Her About the Widow Penalty. Her First Tax Return Did.
When a spouse dies, most surviving partners expect grief. They do not expect a tax bill. The "widow penalty" is a real and largely unrecognized consequence of losing a spouse that can cost a surviving partner thousands of dollars more every year in taxes and Medicare premiums, at the worst possible moment in their life. Here is what it is, who it affects, and what you can do now, while there is still time to plan.
The Document That Fails When You Need It Most
You signed the Power of Attorney (POA). You thought your family was protected. But when a parent or spouse loses capacity, that document you trusted may get rejected at the very bank where you need it most, and your family may not have time to fight it. As your Personal Family Lawyer®, this is exactly the kind of gap I make it my job to close before you ever need to find out the hard way.