As a parent, providing for your children and making sure they are properly cared for will always be your priority. It can be difficult to think of a time when you might not be around to do this for yourself, but unfortunately, life is full of unpredictable twists and turns. Make sure your kids are…
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Estate Planning Considerations for Blended Families
Are you part of a blended family? A blended family can refer to a variety of different combinations. It can refer to extended family members who all live in the same home. More commonly, perhaps, a blended family refers to a family were one or both of the spouses have children from previous relationships. A…
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Difficult Conversations, Part III: Guardianship for Minor Children
You are a young and growing family. Your young child is now 2 and you are starting to come out of the haze of having an infant. Now, you may have the wherewithal to tackle estate planning matters. Many of my clients come to me for the first time when their first child is about…
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Difficult Conversations, Part II: Your Parent’s Estate
Your parents are off enjoying retirement and seem to have a handle on their personal matters. But, do you know what their plan is if anything happens to either of them? Have you asked them about their wishes if incapacitated or worse? Many parents, especially in Minnesota, are reluctant to discuss financial/personal matters with their…
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Is Guardianship the Right Choice for My Loved One with Special Needs?
To be clear, having a disability does not necessarily necessitate the need for a guardian. This seems to be a common misconception and it is important to understand that not every person with special needs requires a guardian. After all, a guardianship is a legal process that results in certain important rights to decision-making being…
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Difficult Conversations, Part I: Dad’s Forgetfulness
This is the first in a series covering how you may handle difficult conversations. You go home to watch the game with Dad one Sunday and notice he seems to be forgetting things. Not the usual: where did I put my keys. More like: “Dad, I just told you the same thing a couple minutes…
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Important Estate Planning Discussions to Have
Estate planning is important and so is talking about estate planning. Unfortunately, there are not exactly people lining up eagerly to talk about death and incapacitation. Regardless, these are topics we should all confront at some level or another. This is because our death and incapacitation effects not just us, but others that we care…
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Reasons to Put a Power of Attorney in Place
One thing is certain in life, we are all getting older. As we age, it is more likely that we are going to need an increasing amount of assistance. There are also infinite unknowns in life. We do not know when an accident will occur or when we could fall ill with a debilitating medical…
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The Guardianship Process
You worry about your parents. Lately, your dad seems more forgetful and confused. He is suddenly vulnerable and unable to care for his basic needs. Now what? Friends have told you to get a guardianship for him. What does that mean? In Minnesota, obtaining guardianship for a parent involves several steps. Please note a guardianship…
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Can a personal representative be held liable for mishandling the estate?
You have been appointed to act as the personal representative for your mom’s estate. From the prior post, you know the duties and obligations of handling the estate. But what happens if you make a mistake? Can you be held liable for that mistake? Yes, a Minnesota personal representative can be held liable for mishandling…
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