You’ve built a life with someone you love - sharing a home, experiences, and maybe even finances - but without legal marriage, the law doesn’t automatically recognize your relationship. That means if something happens to you, your partner could be left without legal rights to your property, finances, or even decisions about your medical care. In this article, you’ll learn why unmarried couples face greater legal risks, what key planning steps you can take to protect each othe

For many people, the term estate planning brings to mind stacks of legal documents, a will, a trust, a healthcare directive, or powers of attorney. But estate planning isn’t just about creating documents. It’s about making sure the people you love are protected and supported when they need it most. It's ultimately about love, protection, and peace of mind.  Yet despite that truth, most people are unprepared. A survey from 2024  showed that only 32% of Americans have a will, a

When someone you love dies, grief hits hard enough. But imagine adding legal chaos, confusing paperwork, and no one to guide you through it all. That's the reality for thousands of people every year who are left to navigate a confusing, messy, and expensive legal and financial process without support. In this article, you'll read real stories of families who struggled through the legal and financial process alone, the challenges they faced, and why having the right lawyer, as

A typical initial consultation with an estate planning lawyer may look like this: you meet, you answer questions about your family and...

If you are like most people, you probably assume that when the time comes, someone—your spouse, your children, or maybe a close...

Losing someone you love reshapes your world in ways you may never expect. Some changes are obvious—you no longer share birthdays,...

My colleague told me a story recently. Her son moved into his first apartment at college and had to go grocery shopping on his own for...

A client once told me she would give anything to hear her grandmother’s voice again. Her grandmother had been the heart of the family—the...

Picture this: You and your spouse spend decades building a successful business, accumulating assets, and creating a stable life for your...

Labor Day has always been about honoring the American worker—the people who build our communities, power our economy, and create the...

Swedish Death Cleaning: A Loving Gift That Complements Estate Planning You may have heard of Swedish Death Cleaning —a cultural practice...

When wrestling legend Hulk Hogan died at age 71, the world lost an icon. But behind the headlines about his estimated $25 million estate...

You hired a lawyer, signed your estate planning documents, and filed them safely away. Or maybe your financial advisor created your...

When Anna Harp lost her father, Rudolph Clausing , she didn’t get to say goodbye. It was January 2021, during the height of the COVID-19...

You've just lost someone important to you, and now you're responsible for their home. Maybe it's sitting empty while you figure out what...

Imagine leaving behind $17 billion... and over 100 biological children. That's the scenario tech billionaire Pavel Durov, co-founder of...

A Mother's Care Expressed Through Legal Planning Think about how a mother typically plans her day—ensuring lunches are packed,...