Category Archives: Beneficiary Designations
Who is your digital asset fiduciary?
A fiduciary is a person appointed to manage the property of another person. A digital asset fiduciary can manage digital property like computer files, web domains and virtual currency. Current law restricts fiduciary access to electronic communications such as email, text messages and social media accounts unless the original user consented in a will, trust or power […]
Also posted in Estate Planning, Identity Theft
Planning for your elder care
Thinking ahead to your golden years is difficult because there are so many unknowns. Yet failure to give consideration to what’s ahead can result in the loss of assets, poor care and hardship for your spouse or other family members. You can express your wishes regarding the level of care you’d like, how you’ll pay […]
Also posted in Estate Planning, Personal Protections
Digital Asset Estate Planning
Did you know you own assets, separate from your real estate and personal property known as “digital assets”? A digital asset is digitally stored content or an online account owned by an individual. Your digital assets have personal value and in some cases significant financial value (think of bitcoin or a domain name). Like other […]
Also posted in Estate Planning
Tagged Estate Planning
Common Questions About Probate
What is probate? Before the terms of your will can be carried out the court must accept the document. Probate is the name for the acceptance process. What documents are needed for probate? The court needs a copy of the will and a death certificate. Once the process is underway, an inventory of all assets and debts […]
Also posted in Estate Planning
Tagged Probate
What is Elder Law?
In our practice, Elder Law refers to planning for the health and economic well being of older adults or people with disabilities. This includes dealing with issues related to long term nursing care, guardianship, retirement, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid and more. At the heart of this legal work is asset protection and advanced planning. The aging process is […]
Also posted in Estate Planning, Personal Protections
Tagged Elder Law
Your Estate: Give It Way
It’s not easy dealing with the many possessions of a loved one after they pass away. In some cases it can even create family conflict. But you can make things considerably easier for your family and beneficiaries by giving away your prized possessions before you die. Only you know and understand the value and sentiment […]
Also posted in Estate Planning
Estate Planning: Talking About the Inheritance
Many parents find talking about money with their children as difficult as talking about sex.It may be awkward, but talking to your children about their inheritance benefits everyone. If kept in the dark, children may think their parents are “loaded” and expect a significant windfall upon their passing. They may worry about the cost of […]
Also posted in Estate Planning
Tagged Estate Planning, Estate Planning; Financial, Lenawee County, Tecumseh
Letter of Wishes
Dear Trustee… When drafting estate planning documents the dispositional portion, where we actually say what we want, tends to be impersonal and broadly worded. Providing a trustee with latitude is often a wise decision, as circumstances can change and trustees need leeway to respond to different events. A “letter of wishes” provides an opportunity to […]
Also posted in Estate Planning
Tagged Estate Planning
Your Digital Life (R.I.P.) – Part I
Through wills, trusts, and beneficiary designations, we can close our accounts and transfer our assets upon death. However, some of our most personal assets such as emails and social media identities can live on indefinitely in the cloud. Facebook now allows relatives to “memorialize” an account once the owner dies. Google has announced a system […]
