On this episode of the show I talk about the one place you do NOT want to store your will… I’ve done will signing after will signing after will signing. At the end of each session, I always ask my clients, “Now that we’re done, what are you going to do with your estate planning documents? Where are you going to store your will?” The answers vary, but more often than not I hear people tell me they are going…
On this episode of the show I talk about the only way to appoint guardians for your kids (and it’s not what you are thinking)… A note on a paper napkin. A form purchased off the internet. Instructions to a loved one. I’ve heard of these and many more ways that people believed they were appointing the guardians of their children if anything ever happened to them. But the fact is there is only one legal way to appoint a…
I was at an event thrown by some financial planners the other day and the topic presented was gifting. The talk itself centered on the importance of gifting and giving to charity and the joy it can bring the person doing the giving, with just a little bit of talk about tax savings strategies, and more specifically how to avoid estate tax while giving. I wanted to expound on that just a little bit today, as the end of 2016…
I was having a meeting with a potential client the other day and he told me an interesting story. He was asking me about the benefits and consequences of using a service like Legal Zoom to prepare estate planning documents. I told him what I think is the truth, “they are terrible,” I said. “But they are the right fit for some people.” At that point we kind of moved on in our conversation to other things. Eventually we swung…
What Happens if You Die Without a Will Most people just assume that if you die without a will your people get your stuff. They assume it’s a simple process. They assume the money saved by not making a will and using an estate planning attorney goes to their relatives. In many cases this assumption would be wrong. Watch the video to learn more about what happens if you die without a will! Cheers, Christopher Small P.S. Don’t forget to…
We all know we need a will. This is WHY you need a will. Do you know who is going to take care of your kids if tragedy strikes? Do you know who is going to take care of the kids’ finances is tragedy strikes? Do you know who is going to manage your finances if you are unable to because of sickness or injury? If you don’t have a will, a judge will make those decisions for you. And…
Estate Planning: Fail To Prepare Then Prepare To Fail Over the course of the last 5 days or so I’ve been bombarded with messages about the “Storm of the Century” coming to Seattle. I’ve seen news coverage speaking of downed power lines. I’ve seen video of empty shelves of water at the grocery store. And I’ve heard countless stories of people stocking up on batteries, canned food, and even buying generators costing thousands of dollars. And for what? A few…
