[See our Disclaimers page about relying on this website’s contents.] “Professor” Herald Hill, the con-artist from the acclaimed musical The Music Man, wowed River City, Iowa, with his fancy talk and fake credentials. The magic of Broadway and Hollywood gave us a happy ending that does not often appear in the real world. When consultants, […]

  [See our Disclaimers page about relying on this website’s contents.] Most of us become seriously injured or deathly ill sooner or later and depend upon other people to take care of us. We should all plan for this problem ahead of time so that our caregivers can be well prepared to do the job […]

Retirement plans, annuities, and life insurance policies are great tools to accumulate and protect wealth for some people. However, all investments require some attention to details regarding beneficiary designations and ownership choices. None of these tools fits everyone and some tools can be inappropriate for some people. A knowledgeable estate planning attorney uses these financial […]

[See our Disclaimers page about relying on this website’s contents.] We began writing about estate planning and elder law topics almost 13 years ago because we kept hearing people recite laws and rules that either did not exist or did not work the way people thought. Even some lawyers have misunderstood rules about gifts and […]

[See our Disclaimers page about relying on this website’s contents.] Estate planning includes planning with wills and trusts to pass money and possessions from one generation to the next. Too often, an older generation ignores the effect of its plans upon younger generations. That poor foresight allows poorly planned inheritance to vanish quickly, sometimes without […]

Ask anyone about Alzheimer’s disease and you will probably get shudder, grimace, and a story about a friend or family member’s tragic loss of consciousness. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia conditions impact all of us reaches far beyond dementia patient statistics. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that in 2014, Alzheimer’s disease afflicted about 14,000 Indiana residents […]

[See our Disclaimers page about relying on this website’s contents.] Estate planning clients express surprise sometimes by our response to the question: “Do I need a will or trust?” We often respond: “Both!” Most plans should include will to ensure that assets pass to the intended beneficiaries. We always use a will in concert with […]

[See our Disclaimers page about relying on this website’s contents.] Imagine if you could buy a do-it-yourself book by noted computer software guide author Dan Gookin entitled: Brain Surgery for Dummies. How about a book entitled: Bypass Surgery for Dummies? Such titles seem ridiculous, but today’s self-help society encourages people to read simple books and […]

[See our Disclaimers page about relying on this website’s contents.] We think about gift-giving during the holidays, but many people miss  opportunities to give taxable dollars to their favorite tax-exempt churches, colleges, and poverty relief organizations. An entire segment to estate planning is dedicated to the process of helping people give money to charities and […]