Creating a will is a valuable way to protect your legacy and provide guidance for loved ones during the estate administration process. However, if you make a will that is not valid or enforceable and you pass away, it could be like you died without a will at all. To...
Tips for Resolving Guardianship Disputes Peacefully
Guardianships are legal arrangements that ensure a vulnerable adult or minor child has someone watching out for their best interests. However, considering the nature of a guardian's duties, it is not unusual for conflicts to arise when parties disagree over the care...
3 Tips for Choosing a Trustee for Your Living Trust
You might be the person you trust the most when it comes to your property and assets. However, if you plan to create a living trust for estate planning purposes, you will need to appoint another person as administrator of the assets and property you put in the trust....
Is Having a Will Enough to Protect Your Wishes?
If you have a will, you have taken an essential step in preserving your legacy and wishes. However, having a will may not be enough. Depending on your planning goals, you may well need more than a will to ensure you protect yourself, your family, and your estate...
What is Incapacity and Why Do We Need to Plan For it?
We all know we're going to die someday, so when people think about making an estate plan, they often think about it in the context of final arrangements for what we leave behind. However, having an estate plan is also crucial in another situation, and one we don't...
In Estate Planning, Fair Is Not Always the Same Thing as Equal
When your children were young, you did your best to treat them fairly. You let them know you loved them equally and avoided giving preferential treatment to one of them. Not only did this help your kids feel equally loved and valued growing up, it also taught them...
Parties face long legal battles without clear estate planning
After a loved one dies, there can be a surprising amount of details to address. And this can quickly become overwhelming, particularly when a person did not leave a valid, clear and comprehensive estate plan behind. Under these circumstances, beneficiaries could be in...
Could Britney Spears’ Case Lead To Conservatorship Reform?
The role of conservators was thrust into the international spotlight when pop star Britney Spears testified in a California court in June that her father is guilty of conservatorship abuse. Jamie Spears was appointed conservator for his daughter in 2008. Britney says...
Planning for Life After the Pandemic
With Covid-19 vaccination rates climbing and mask mandates being lifted across Minnesota, life is starting to look a little more like it did before the pandemic. And while things are not exactly the same, we have a better idea of what the future might hold. With that...
Dishonesty, Disloyalty and Other Problems in Estate Administration
Losing a loved one is painful; having to navigate a complicated and contentious legal battle in the wake of that loss can make the situation even worse. Unfortunately, this is precisely what Minnesota families face when dishonest or disloyal parties play a role in...