Every single adult needs to have an advance health care directive written, signed and in place. This includes your children, as soon as they turn 18.  This includes you. This includes your parents.

Without an advance health care directive in place, you would not be able to access your child’s medical records, if they are unable to communicate permission. You would not be able to ensure your health care decisions will be made the way you choose. And your parents lose the ability to communicate their wishes and remain in control as long as possible.

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Three-time New York City Mayor Ed Koch died on Feb. 1, leaving an estate estimated between $10-$11 million.  And it’s a good thing that “Hizzoner” loved governing, because one-quarter of his estate will be going to the state and federal governments.

During his tenure as Mayor, Koch was famous for asking people on the street, “How’m I doin’?” He would have been better served to ask that same question to a Personal Family Lawyer® before he passed on.

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Many parents perceive a conflict between funding a child’s college education and building their own retirement nest egg.  The conflict usually arises from the lack of financial resources to do both while funding daily living expenses, so parents become stuck between priorities and usually wind up doing nothing at all.

One of the things a Personal Family Lawyer® can help you do is sort out your priorities in a way that supports your family for the long-term.  With that in mind, here are some guidelines on striking a balance between saving for your retirement and your child’s education:

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The Risks of Poorman’s Estate Planning: How to Pass on Property & Avoid Probate the Right Way

They call it the “poor man’s estate planning.”  Put your child on the title to your deed and avoid probate.  Yet this “poor man’s” planning often ends up, well, poorly; and costing a lot more for the people you love. Here’s why and what you can do about it:

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In the process of becoming new parents, many couples become experts at planning – scheduling the birthing classes, planning the new nursery, even picking out a preschool. There is so much to think about before you welcome your new child.

Unfortunately, one of the most important things you can do to protect your child is often overlooked:  an estate plan.  Here are five important considerations you need to discuss with your Personal Family Lawyer® when setting up an estate plan once your new baby is born:

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What We Can Learn From Downton Abbey About Estate Planning

Downton Abbey – the PBS drama about the fortunes and misfortunes of an aristocratic British family in the early 20^th century that has taken American audiences by storm – gets most of its gripping plot twists as the result of a number of bad estate planning moves.  For example (Spoiler Alert: these include references to Season 3 that recently concluded):

Protect your inheritance.  The Earl of Grantham inherits Downton Abbey and marries a rich American to keep the estate solvent.  However, he squanders the family fortune on an unwise overseas investment that goes belly up.  The family turns to Lady Grantham’s rich American mother, but she is unable to help since her fortune is tied up in a trust.

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There have been a number of new rules and services implemented by the Social Security Administration for 2013 that affect a majority of American workers as well as retirees:

Expiration of the payroll tax cut.  Workers may have already noticed the hit their paychecks took this year due to the expiration of the payroll tax cut, which went from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent on earnings of less than $113,700 (increased from $110,100 in 2012).

Paper checks to stop.  On March 1, paper Social Security checks will no longer be sent to benefits recipients.  Instead, you will need to choose between two options: direct deposit to a bank or credit union account or a prepaid Direct Express Debit MasterCard.

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What is the Difference Between a Will-based plan and a Trust-based plan?

In this article I will explain the difference between a Will-based plan and a Trust-based plan so you can make an educated decision for your family about what is best for you and, ultimately, for them.

A Will-based plan is an estate plan that does not include a Living Trust to hold title to your assets.  If you work with us and choose our Family Plan, which is a will-based plan, your legal documents will include a Health Care Directive, Power of Attorney, a Will and, if you have minor children, a Kids Protection Plan®.

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Planning for a long and prosperous retirement is no longer just about the money; because of the recession, boomers are needing to reboot their retirement plans. Here are six tips to get you on the right track again:

1. Get healthy. This should take priority even over saving more money, since significantly improving your physical health will reduce the chances you will need expensive healthcare procedures. Exercise more, eat better and take advantage of any wellness programs offered by your employer.

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Last year’s uncertainty about the future of the estate and gift tax caused many people to put their estate planning on hold, even though estate and gift tax planning is only a teeny tiny piece of estate planning.  Now that the clouds have lifted and Congress has given us clarity, there is simply no reason for anyone to delay in implementing these five estate planning essentials:

Will.  Look around you right now.  Everything you see has to be distributed in the event of your death.  Your Will names the person you want to handle it all and can also indicate who you want to receive it all.  If you don’t have a Will, a Judge decides who is in charge of your affairs and State law provides who receives everything you own.  Take control now by getting your Will in place today.

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