Years ago, I was in a professional networking group with an individual who wanted to know how to avoid probate. I discussed how they might use a trust, or joint ownership or joint tenancy for real estate, or a beneficiary’s deed, or other methods that do not need to go through probate. This person listened and said, “Yeah, sure, that is how … [Read more...]
Why Would You Want a Trust? Three Big Reasons You Want One
I am often asked what is the difference between a will and a trust. I suppose I get this question a lot because a will and a trust both seem to do the same thing - distribute assets at a person’s death. While that is a similarity between the two documents, each document accomplishes the distribution in a different way. A will goes through the … [Read more...]
Back to Basics: How to Achieve the Basic Requirement for Your Will
There are several basic elements to a will. These are the elements required to make a will valid and have the will distribute your property at your death. I have not included an exact number for the basic requirements, because doing so would seem like just a checklist, and I want this blog to be more than that. This blog will focus on the … [Read more...]
What does it mean to be a Mobile Attorney and Why Do I Do It?
I have written before about what is mobile estate planning, but I still get questions on this topic. Questions like: Why would you want to do mobile estate planning? Where do you go and what do you do? How did you get started? Why don’t more people do mobile visits like you? I can answer some of these questions, but other answers elude me, … [Read more...]
The Coronavirus and Estate Planning – Has Anything Changed?
The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has led to unprecedented actions, quaratines, closing of restaurants, limited gathering of people, and given us new phrases. Who knew what “social distancing” might mean just a few weeks ago? I certainly would not have used that term to describe staying 6 feet or more away from most people, and probably … [Read more...]
How to Effectively Talk To Your Kids About Your Estate Plan
I know that talking to your kids about your estate plan is probably not high on your priority list. In my experience kids frequently don’t want to discuss the possibility of their parents dying, and certainly don’t want to dwell on the subject. I had a client just the other day who brought her daughter with her, and the daughter broke down crying … [Read more...]
Simplifying Your Estate Plan Doesn’t Mean Estate Planning is Simple
I recently had a client apologize to me for laughing at and questioning my legal fee for a certain document. This struck me as quite odd. I had simply explained how a certain document could accomplish her goal, and let her know how much it would cost to create the document to accomplish what she wanted. Perhaps because I had explained a somewhat … [Read more...]
What Does it Take to be The Leading Estate Planning Attorney in Broomfield?
Decades ago, as a junior high student, I recall having lessons on advertising and advertisements. My teacher talked about how in advertising a company is allowed to say something like, “We are the best” at any time, but not “We are better,” without proof. My teacher explained that “best” meant that the advertiser could be the best, along with … [Read more...]
What You Need to Know About the SECURE Act
On December 20, 2019, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act) changed the rules concerning retirement accounts. The SECURE Act became effective January 1, 2020. The Act is the most impactful legislation affecting retirement accounts in decades. The SECURE Act has several positive changes: It increases the required … [Read more...]
Get Your Estate Plan Done Before Your Taxes This Year
We just came out of the holiday season, which was quite busy. Whether you got invited to a lot of Christmas parties, were busy with holiday shopping, just had a million different events to go to with your children, or had big plans to celebrate the new year, the last two weeks of December are extremely busy for everyone. Now that we are in a new … [Read more...]
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