Most adults in Minnesota have the right to make their own financial and legal decisions. However, when adults reach a point where they start experiencing cognitive decline due to age or they suffer an injury that affects their testamentary capacity, like a traumatic...
Contrary to popular belief, estate planning isn't just for the elderly or the super-wealthy. That's because estate planning involves more than simply drafting a will to pass on any assets you may have. Estate planning is for everyone -- at any age. It's beneficial to...
You certainly do not have to talk to your adult children as you make your estate plan. Even those who are listed as your heirs do not have to know what that plan looks like in advance. That being said, there are some good reasons to have a conversation or two with...
Most people don't have a firm understanding as to what the probate process entails until they sit down with an estate planning attorney. Lawyers often inform their clients about some of the more common reasons for probate delays and how to best avoid them during these...
Individuals need time to heal and deal with their loss when they lose a loved one. While many people respect another person's request for time to grieve, that often isn't the case with ruthless and unscrupulous debt collectors. Some creditors may even continue to push...
Estate planning has an unearned reputation of being expensive and difficult. While there are certainly situations that require complicated plans and stacks of documents, those are rare circumstances. The average person only needs a last will and maybe a few other...
No one needs a sound will and estate plan as much as older citizens do. The senior years usually bring increased vulnerability to these members of society. Unless your elders already have a solid estate plan, you may feel worried about what will happen to them as they...
If you’re like many Minnesotans, you own a lakeside vacation home or mountain cabin here — or maybe in Wisconsin or up in Ontario. Or, perhaps you have a place in Florida or Arizona where you escape the brutal cold for a few weeks or longer every winter. If this home...
Not all legal documents have the same purposes. Even documents that may seem the same on the surface are slightly different. An advance medical directive, for example, is different from a medical power of attorney. Both might relate to the medical care you'd receive...
Many people who certainly know that they need an estate plan nonetheless do not have one in place. When asked, a common response is that they’ll do it later. Some people mention that all they need to do is download a blank form online and fill it out. How hard can it...
