Estate planning, elder law, family transitions, business planning – the legal issues that affect your family are always evolving. Jennifer writes regularly to keep you informed, educated, and empowered. Browse the latest articles below, or search by topic to find what you’re looking for.
For most families, the home is far more than an asset. It holds a lifetime of memories and the hope of leaving something behind for the children. So it is a real and growing worry that, as we age, a nursing home bill could quietly drain everything the home represents. The cost of long-term care is one of the worries we hear about most from families today,...
Many clients come to our office with deeply held religious values and spiritual beliefs that shape how they live, yet they feel unsure about bringing those beliefs into the estate planning conversation. Some worry their values are too personal. Others wonder whether an estate planning attorney can actually reflect faith-based wishes in legal documents. The...
Adopting a child is one of the most meaningful decisions a family can make. Once the court finalizes the adoption, your child is your child, legally and in every way that matters. Updating your estate plan should be one of the first steps you take afterward, because adoption and estate planning go hand in hand. Many families are relieved to learn that...
If you share your home with a furry, feathered, or hooved companion, you know they are not just property. They are family. We make sure our pets have good food, a cozy bed, and plenty of love. Yet many pet owners overlook what would happen to their animals if they were no longer around to care for them. A pet trust is the most reliable way to plan for...
So much of life now lives online, and digital estate planning in Minnesota is something most of us never stop to think about. From family photos to banking to cryptocurrency, it all sits behind passwords, and a death certificate is not a password. Loved ones are often locked out of accounts they did not even know existed. The good news is that protecting...
Most families have one. Sometimes it's a storage unit across town. Sometimes it's a garage, a spare bedroom, or a basement packed floor to ceiling with decades of accumulated belongings. Things that were too meaningful to donate, too plentiful to sort through, and too overwhelming to deal with at the time. When the person who rented that unit passes away,...
Family estrangement is more common than most people talk about openly, and as a Monticello estate planning attorney, it's one of the more delicate planning situations we encounter. The parent who is no longer in contact with a child, but does not want to cut them out entirely, is navigating a situation that requires more legal care than most people...
This is a question that comes up more than you might expect, and it is a genuinely good one. The short answer is yes, absolutely. But the longer answer is worth understanding, because the two roles are more separate than most people realize. Two Trusts, Two Completely Different Roles When you are serving as trustee for your parents' trust, you are acting...
If you have a brokerage account or investment portfolio and you are thinking about creating a living trust, this is one of the most practical questions you can ask. And as a Monticello trust lawyer, it is one we are glad to answer, because the answer is genuinely reassuring for most people. The Short Answer: Not Much Changes Transferring investments into a...
If you've recently been named the executor of a loved one's estate, you are probably running on autopilot. Between making arrangements and notifying family, the last thing on your mind is navigating a bank's bureaucracy. But there is one step that, if skipped or delayed, can create a serious legal and financial headache for you personally: Opening the...
When a loved one names you as trustee of their trust, it is meant as a compliment. They trust your judgment, your integrity, and your ability to look out for the people they love. What most people do not realize until they are already in the role of being a trustee in Monticello is just how much responsibility comes with it. Managing a trust is not like...
For families in Monticello who care for a loved one with special needs, caregiving is not just a role; it is often a full-time commitment built on years of trust, routine, and deeply personal knowledge. When that support is suddenly disrupted, the impact can be immediate and overwhelming. Understanding the risks and planning ahead is one of the most...