What To Do When a Loved One Passes Away: A Practical Estate Checklist Losing someone you love is overwhelming—emotionally and logistically. On top of grief, families are suddenly faced with handling an estate, navigating paperwork, and making legal decisions they’ve never had to think about. If you know me, you know I’m all about lists.…
Let’s be honest — estate planning isn’t exactly how most people want to spend a Sunday afternoon. But here’s the thing: getting organized now means making things so much easier later — for you and for the people you love. At its heart, estate planning is about taking care of yourself and your people. It’s…
For those of you who follow me on social media, you may have witnessed a rather emotional video I posted a few weeks ago. (If you haven’t seen it, click HERE) I had just finished a hearing where I represented a mother and father trying to get guardianship over their son on an emergency basis…
Picture this: Little Juanito is minding his own business when a distracted driver decides to use the sidewalk as an extra lane. Juanito survives (thank goodness), but he’s left with medical bills, scars, and a personal injury lawyer who manages to secure a nice settlement. Great news, right? Well, not so fast—because Juanito is still…
Words by: Sarah Bailey (Guest Contributor) You just closed. Keys in hand. Paperwork signed. Maybe there’s a champagne bottle chilling in the fridge, maybe not. Either way, the moment you step over that threshold, you’re no longer a shopper — you’re a homeowner. But before you start hanging curtains or dragging in furniture, there are…
When it comes to planning for incapacity or helping a loved one manage their affairs, people often confuse Power of Attorney (POA) with Guardianship. Both serve the purpose of allowing someone else to make decisions on behalf of another, but the differences are significant—and choosing the wrong path can lead to court intervention, family conflict, and costly litigation.…
I was recently interviewed by the South Florida Women’s Chamber of Commerce and we briefly touched upon planning for business owners. I’ve had many clients over the last 15 years of my practice that, among their personal assets, own 1 or more businesses. Many clients don’t realize that you ALSO have to plan for your…
Congratulations! You’ve taken a huge step in securing your legacy and protecting your loved ones by getting your trust done. But before you pat yourself on the back and tuck that binder away for safekeeping (I know… I’m sorry), there are a few more things you have to check off your list before I can…
Imagine this: You spend years building a legacy, carefully planning for your family’s future, and setting up a trust to provide for them. But what if, after you’re gone, your loved ones and trustees aren’t quite sure how you wanted things to play out? That’s where a Letter of Intent (LOI) comes in—a thoughtful, non-binding…
The majority of my clients come to me as pupils… not knowing what they don’t know and eager to better understand the ins and outs of planning their demise. Sounds morbid, I know, but it’s also a part of life, and honestly, part of what makes living so beautiful is knowing there will be an…
