Personal debt can have a strong, negative impact on someone's legacy. What they leave for their loved ones when they die may decrease substantially because of their financial obligations. Hospitals that provide end-of-life care, credit card companies and other...
Estate Planning
What are some differences between a will and a trust?
Writing a will is a central step to take when creating an estate plan. It can be the basis for the broader plan, and many people think of it as their entire plan. In other words, if they are going to start doing their estate planning, they believe this means they just...
Estate planning matters relevant to new parents
Bringing a new child into the world means taking on a lot of responsibility. Children are expensive and require financial support. They also require 24-hour care and supervision. Those anticipating the birth of a child often have a very long list of tasks they must...
3 reasons to create and fund a special needs trust
Those who have a loved one with special needs must often focus a lot of their energy and resources on that individual's care. Rather than taking care of a child until they turn 18, parents and other family members may need to embrace lifelong responsibilities for...
How parents in Minnesota can prevent sibling probate disputes
Parents in Minnesota who are putting together estate plans usually want to have a positive impact on their children. However, many parents understandably worry that estate administration issues will cause problems for their loved ones. Not only is probate a...
How to pick your estate’s personal representative
When you put your estate plans together, one of the biggest decisions you have to make is who you would like to see appointed as your personal representative. While the court can override your choice if it has a good reason, this will most likely be the person who...
Who should serve as the trustee of a special needs trust?
Having a family number with a disabling medical condition can be a challenge. Parents and other family members often have more personal responsibility when a member of the family is incapable of living independently. They may need to continue providing daily care and...
Could your heirs benefit from a spendthrift trust?
There are many different trusts you can use as you create your estate plan. For instance, you could set up an educational trust if you want to make sure that you cover an heir’s college education costs. You could also consider a spendthrift trust. With a trust like...
Understanding the basics of powers of attorney
There are many different types of documents that people can include in their estate plans. It is quite common for testators to focus primarily on what will happens if they die and less on what might happen unexpectedly during their lives. The best estate plans usually...
How debt impacts the probate process in Minnesota
There are so many details that families must address when someone dies in Minnesota. Planning a funeral often takes priority over everything else at first, but then people also need to locate a will and begin the probate process. Regardless of whether or not someone...