There are essentially 5 reasons why people need to set up an estate plan for themselves. It’s likely that you have at least 1 of these in your life, and you might have all 5.
Read More
One of the most frequently asked questions I get when I am meeting with people about their estate planning is “Why Should I Avoid Probate? What’s the big deal?” In this video, I give you the 3 top reasons why you want to avoid Probate.
Read More
Everyone needs to do some kind of estate plan. Regardless of who you are, whether you are single or married, have kids or not, are young or older, and no matter your level of assets, a good estate plan is important for you. This video helps you under…
Read More
Some people believe that they will have an “estate” only when they accumulate a certain amount of assets. This video explains what is included in your estate, and what your estate planning needs to address.
Read More
Some people may tell you that owning your property “jointly” with someone else is a good way to avoid Probate, but there are 3 major problems with this approach. This video explains why this is not a good way to avoid Probate.
Read More
Being the Executor of an Estate in Ohio is a complicated and sometimes daunting task. For those who have never been involved in an Ohio Probate proceeding before, the rules and procedures can seem almost incomprehensible. The job of the Executor is t…
Read More
That’s a question we hear a lot from people when they meet with us about their estate planning. Some people are very surprised to hear that the answer we give doesn’t strictly depend upon how large their estate is. Instead, the answer dep…
Read More
You’re probably familiar with the term “living trust.” However, if you think that living trusts are too complicated or only for extremely wealthy people, then this article will help bust those myths. A living trust is simply an estate plann…
Read More
Understanding what Probate is and how it works is essential to being able to make good decisions for yourself and your loved ones about your estate planning needs. In this post, we take a look at the purpose of Probate and the basic things that need…
Read More
Anyone who has lost a close friend or family member knows what a difficult, painful, and overwhelming time it can be. We are often asked to help our clients through the estate administration process when a loved one dies, but estate administration is…
Read More
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.