A living trust helps you control how your assets pass to loved ones. But what happens when your personal life changes through divorce, remarriage, or blending families? Many people set up a trust once and never revisit it, even after major life event…
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Real estate investing is one of the most effective ways to build long-term wealth. But while investors often focus on cash flow, appreciation, and tax strategies, many overlook a critical piece of the puzzle: estate planning. Whether you own a single…
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When families set up a trust, one of the most important decisions is choosing a trustee. Often, parents want to be fair and appoint more than one child to serve together as co-trustees. On the surface, that seems like a balanced approach. Everyone sh…
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When a loved one passes away, managing the details of their estate can feel overwhelming. If that person created a trust, you might assume everything is locked in and unchangeable. But can a spouse change a trust after death? It depends on the type o…
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If you’re thinking about putting your home in an irrevocable trust, you’re probably trying to protect your assets, prepare for long-term care, or ensure your estate avoids probate. In Ohio, an irrevocable trust can be a powerful estate planning t…
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One of the most important decisions in estate planning is choosing the right executor or trustee. The executor or trustee is a “fiduciary and is the person who will manage your estate after your death. This individual, whether an executor under…
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When most people think about estate planning, they focus on what happens after they pass away—who inherits their assets, who manages the estate, and how to avoid probate. But one of the most overlooked aspects of a comprehensive estate plan is plan…
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When most people think about estate planning, they imagine simply passing assets to loved ones after death. But a truly effective estate plan does more than distribute wealth—it protects your beneficiaries from potential risks and ensures your lega…
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When it comes to elder law and estate planning, understanding the different types of trusts for elderly individuals is essential. For many older adults in Ohio, creating a trust is one of the most effective tools for maintaining control, avoiding pro…
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One of the most common goals in estate planning is avoiding probate—the court-supervised process of distributing a deceased person’s assets. Probate can be time-consuming, expensive, and public. Fortunately, there are several ways to bypass it, a…
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Download our free “Estate Planning Checklist: The Essential Guide for Making your Best Estate Plan in Ohio.” The checklist walks you through the steps you need to address to have the plan that is right for you and your loved ones.
Protecting your Family’s Future – All about Wills, Trusts & Probate
Download our free “Protecting your Family’s Future – All about Wills, Trusts & Probate” book. First published in 2020, this comprehensive guide walks you through the essentials of estate planning, giving you the knowledge you need to safeguard your loved ones and their future.
Put in its most simple terms, estate planning involves putting your affairs in order so as to maximize the benefits that your assets can provide to you during your life and to those you desire to benefit from it after your death. Estate pla… Read More
What Does a Proper Estate Plan Include?
A proper estate plan to provide for the needs of your family may include:
An adequate Will or Trust
A written agreement concerning the status of your assets
If you already have an estate plan, it should not be considered permanent. Conditions, as well as your desires, may change. Estate plans should be reviewed at least every two-three years but, additionally, any important change in your life demands… Read More
What Happens if You Don't Have a Will or Trust?
If you do not have a Will or a Trust and have not used other probate-avoiding techniques, upon your death your assets will pass according to the laws of the state which has jurisdiction over your assets. The “state plan” may not provide for th… Read More
What Other Probate Avoiding Techniques Are There In Addition to Living Trusts?
The following methods are often used to avoid probate: joint tenancy title, community property title, bank account trusts, pay on death accounts, life insurance proceeds, retirement proceeds (IRA’S, TSA’S, 401K’s, etc.), retirement pla… Read More
What Should I Bring to My First Meeting?
People often ask what they should bring with them to their initial estate planning consultation (we call this “the Discovery Meeting”) with one of our attorneys.
As we discuss in Our Planning Process, the Discovery Meeting is our oppor… Read More
I Already Have an Estate Plan. Why Should I Think About Changing It?
We find that many people already have an estate plan, but it does not meet their current planning needs. They may have a Will that was prepared many, many years ago, or they may have a trust that prepared more recently, but those plans may not be… Read More
What Does an Estate Plan Cost?
As you might imagine, we get that question all the time. It is a difficult question to answer because fees are determined by the type of plan we put together, and that is determined by your goals, objectives and asset mix. The planning fees can ra… Read More
How Much of an Estate Do I Need to Have In Order to Set Up a Trust?
There is no “bright line rule” for determining whether a person needs a trust as a part of their planning. The answer for any particular person will depend on their own planning needs and planning goals.