Advance directives are an important part of anyone’s estate plan. In the event of a healthcare crisis, an advance directive can prove invaluable. Whether a person becomes incapacitated due to a medical condition, an emergency medical situation, or an accident, an advance directive helps preserve your wishes even when you cannot communicate them for yourself….
Continue reading…Common Challenges to Wills and How to Avoid Them
Estate planning is so important to protect your legacy and promote the best interests of your loved ones. Estate planning the right way, however, is critical. For instance, drafting your estate planning documents, such as your will, in a way that safeguards it from future will contests can help ensure your wishes are honored and…
Continue reading…Estate Planning 101: Should You Get A Will or A Trust?
Deciding whether you need a will or a trust can be difficult. Both offer estate planning options, but which is right for you? In this post, I will discuss the benefits of each and help you decide which is best for your needs. The Case for Trusts A Trust Avoids Probate Trusts offer certain benefits…
Continue reading…Estate Planning 101: Why It Is Important For Young Families
A Trusts and Estate Lawyer Talks About the Need for an Estate Plan for Young Families Becoming a new parent is an amazing experience, but it can also be overwhelming. One of the things you need to think about as a new parent is estate planning. Estate planning may not be the most exciting thing…
Continue reading…Guardian Provision for Minor Children
Taking care of our children is a top priority. Doing what we can to ensure that our children are properly cared for and provided for regardless of what life throws our way is of the utmost importance. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your children despite the unpredictability of life. For instance,…
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…Taxes in Estate Planning
Have you ever heard of the federal estate tax? For those estates that fall over the federal estate tax exemption amount, the excess can be taxed at a rate upwards of 40%. The current exemption amount sits just about $12 million and is set to drop by around 50% in 2025, depending on what politicians…
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…Choosing the Right Trustee
A Minnesota Estate And Trusts Lawyer Explains How to Choose a Trustee for Your Trust. You might be wondering how to select a trustee if you’re thinking about establishing a trust or have already done so. It’s critical to pick someone you can trust to handle the assets in your trust. What Is A Trustee?…
Continue reading…Unique Estate Plan Considerations for Single Parents
Single parents, especially when there is no other parent in the picture, are the carriers of so much responsibility. As the sole financial provider and caregiver to their child, much rests on their shoulders. When you are the only source of financial support and caregiving to your child, planning for the future not only means…
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