If You Needed a Ventilator, Would You Really Want One?

Q. My niece, Rebecca, was hospitalized with coronavirus last month and was placed on a ventilator. When her temperature was quite high and her oxygen levels were low and she needed life-saving measures, she didn’t have an advance … [Read more...]

Why Estate Planning is Even More Important During a Pandemic (Part 1 of a 3-part Series)

As Millie sits in her kitchen homeschooling her children, she realizes that she really doesn’t remember much of the math she learned in 5th grade. During a break, she turns on the television and a news brief flashes on the screen … [Read more...]

What Happens to the Tangible “Stuff” from a Parent’s Estate?

Sophie and her sister and two brothers grew up in a large home with lots of stuff. Their mother, Nancy, liked the finer things in life including Oriental rugs, artwork, fine jewelry, antiques, and collectible coins. Nancy and her … [Read more...]

Avoid Disaster: Update Your Estate Planning Documents in Light of New SECURE Act Provision

Q. I completed my estate planning with your firm five years ago and elected to have my retirement plans pass into a “conduit trust” or “pass-through trust” for the benefit of my daughter, Hannah. My understanding was that the … [Read more...]

When the Inheritance You Left Isn’t Wanted

Janet Reno, the nation's first-ever female attorney general, died a little over three years ago (on November 7, 2016) following a long battle with Parkinson's disease. Ms. Reno was born and raised in a small cottage home her … [Read more...]

Getting Loved Ones the End-of-life Care They Deserve

Q. My mother is in her 80’s and has been in the hospital several times this year with pneumonia and urinary tract infections and has been suffering with Parkinson’s for decades. There have been times when I’ve visited her and a … [Read more...]

SECURE Act is Signed into Law: Five Ways it will Change Retirement

Q. I heard that the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was recently signed into law and that it includes taxpayer-friendly measures designed to boost retirement savings. What are some of the ways … [Read more...]

Be Careful Who You Choose as Your Trustee

Q. One of my top priorities for 2020 is to get my estate planning documents in order. Before doing so, I plan to discuss my wishes with family members over Christmas, although as a single woman without children, I don’t have too … [Read more...]

The Dangers of Joint Bank Accounts

Emily, 67, is seriously thinking about adding her adult daughter, Katie, as joint owner of her bank account. She is considering this because she wants to ensure that Katie would have easy access to her money in case of an … [Read more...]

When Safe Deposit Boxes Aren’t Even Safe

Q. I read an interesting article about safe deposit boxes in the New York Times recently. It is focused on a man who had a valuable watch collection stored in a safe deposit box managed by Wells Fargo, possibly worth millions, who … [Read more...]

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