Maggie Kirchhoff, a certified financial planner with Business & Personal Finance in Denver, has been with her partner, Matt, for 13 years. The two do not plan to ever get married, and they know this means they won’t get the same automatic rights and protections that those who are legally…
For most Americans, estate planning can be complex and daunting. It might seem overwhelming and expensive, and it isn’t easy to confront one’s mortality and make the necessary decisions for it. Nevertheless, it is essential that every American have one important estate planning document: A Health Care Directive. A health…
Divorces that occur in farm and ranch families present challenges that are unique and that can impact agricultural operations. The National Agricultural Law Center has published a fact sheet series that explains family law in agriculture and addresses some of these unique challenges. “Family Law Issues in Agriculture” is a…
The financial abuse of elderly people in the United States is unfortunately a very serious problem, with more than $36 billion being stolen from elders each year according to The True Link Report on Elder Finance Abuse 2015. The True Link study showed that seniors from all walks of life…
You know you need to create a will, but you keep putting it off – it’s difficult to think about dying and about who will take care of your family after you have passed away. But if you’ve only scribbled some notes or considered which lawyer to hire, you risk…
Oftentimes, federal workers and retirees don’t bother with estate planning and think that getting a will off the internet and getting it notarized is all they need to do. However, this isn’t necessarily enough. If you are or were a career civil servant, own a house, have money in your…
Many people know of the stories of well known celebrities, such as Prince and Aretha Franklin, who died without a proper estate plan in place. We want to plan for a good life and retirement, but it is important to also plan for a good end of life. Here are…
Let’s say your oldest daughter is a strong-willed and successful accountant, and your son is a high school teacher who is good at managing money and being the family’s peacekeeper. You’re almost done with your estate planning but unsure about which of your children to choose to be the executor…
People often have more digital assets than they realize. What happens to these assets when a person dies? Until recently, every individual site has had its own terms of service that determined who has ownership and access after a death and whether the assets are deleted, frozen or can be…
It can be very difficult to plan for events like aging, incapacitation, and death, but not planning for these events can cause families burden and grief and might also cost family members a significant amount of time and money. It is estimated that over 50% of Americans haven’t created a…