Minnesota Lawyer Discusses Estate Planning for Married Couples in the Era of Trump. The day after the 2024 election, our firm received numerous calls from the LGBTQ+ community who are rightly concerned about future attacks on same-sex marriage. With the strong possibility of future efforts to overturn or challenge established precedents like Obergefell v. Hodges—the…
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Adoption vs. Guardianship: Understanding the Differences
Are you considering providing a stable and loving environment for a child in need? You might be wondering whether adoption or guardianship is the best option for your family. Both paths offer unique benefits and challenges, and understanding these differences can help you make an informed decision. Whether you’re looking for a permanent solution or…
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Understanding Minnesota Inheritance Challenges for LGBTQ Families
Estate planning can be complex, particularly for LGBTQ families. In Minnesota, inheritance laws may pose unique challenges for non-traditional families, which could result in unintended consequences. Issues with intestate succession and recognition of relationships can complicate the transfer of assets and guardianship. How can LGBTQ families ensure that their wishes are honored and their loved…
Continue reading…Yes Your Rights Are in Jeopardy: Adopt Now!
A Minnesota Estate Planning and Adoption Attorney Urges Adoption! When Minnesota legalized same-sex marriage, I had numerous potential clients call and cancel appointments. When I asked why I received variations on the same response. “Now that we can legally marry, we don’t need [wills, adoptions].” My counterarguments to this are now irrelevant. What is relevant…
Continue reading…Is Obergefeld next? The SCOTUS Decision and Same-Sex Marriage Rights
A Minnesota Estate Planning and Adoption Lawyer Warns of Future Supreme Court Decisions The time for complacency is over. In 2015, the US Supreme Court’s upheld same-sex marriage rights in the Obergefell v. Hodges case. After the decision, many gay and lesbian clients told me they no longer needed to use a lawyer to protect…
Continue reading…Do Married Lesbian Parents Still Need to Adopt? YES!!!
Minnesota LGBTQ Attorney Explains Why Gay Marriage Law Did NOT Fix the Need For Non-Biological Parent to Adopt Children Your wife is pregnant with your first child via artificial insemination. Since you’re married that makes you the legal parent of the newborn child, right? Think again. That is only true if you are legally a…
Continue reading…Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren Is On the Rise! Plan to Protect Both in an Emergency.
The number of children living with a grandparent continues to rise. A new Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data? shows that 2.9 million children – a 6% increase from 2007 to 2008 – now live with a grandparent. About 41% of those children are also being raised primarily by that grandparent. In…
Continue reading…Dear Gay Families: Protect Yourselves NOW!
A Minnesota Estate Planning Lawyer Discusses the Possible Impact of the New Administration on LGBT Families Dear Gay Families: Protect Yourselves NOW! It didn’t take long for the new administration to turn it’s eyes to the LGBT community. We are only 10 days into the term and I opened the Washington Post paper to find…
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