A recent article in the New York Post about brothers battling over a painting from their uncle’s estate serves as a reminder of the importance of designating a destination for your personal property, either through a will or by gifting while you are still alive. The brotherly brouhaha came about after noted Manhattan interior designer…

Pediatrician Dr. Bill Sears is the author of more than 30 books on childcare, has appeared on dozens of national talk shows, provides medical and parenting guidance for Parenting and BabyTalk magazines, received his pediatric training at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital, is an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at University of California, Irvine School…

Baby boomers are set to inherit up to $8.4 trillion over the next 15 years, according to The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.  A recent New York Times article explored the complicated issues that these inheritances can bring, including transferring the emotional attachment you had to your parents to what they have left…

A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that boomers and seniors are more interested in passing along family heirlooms and history, leaving a legacy for future generations that extends beyond money. Citing a 2012 survey by Allianz Life Insurance that found 86% of boomers and 74% of Americans aged 72+ said keeping family history alive…

Do you consider trusts to be instruments of the wealthy?  While it is true that many Americans of means have trusts to protect and pass their wealth, there are a number of reasons why trusts can also be useful for middle-class families.  Here are 7 of them: Control distribution of assets. You wouldn’t hand over…

For many people, the basics of estate planning are simple enough, but for those families with loved ones who are disabled or have special needs, the estate planning process is more involved – and definitely more critical. The latest statistics show that five percent of minor children have some sort of disability, and the burden…

A recent Economist article says a “perfect storm” of the poor economy of the past few years, resulting in fewer job prospects for college grads and other young adults has more kids than ever living at home well into adulthood. I believe it has a lot more to do with the fact that college simply…

If you are like most of the parents I know, you feel guilty. It’s what parents do. Whether your guilt is about not enough time with the kids, too much time with the kids, hovering incessantly, or being too laid back, you are worried you aren’t doing the right thing by your kids in some…

It’s summer and that means more teen drivers on the road.  Statistics show teens have twice as many accidents during the summer as any other time of the year, and alcohol is often a contributing factor. Researchers say teen drivers do not think about risk the same way adults do, leading them to take bigger…

Unfortunately, money has a habit of bringing out the worst in people, even in the best of families.  One of the most important reasons to get your [city/state] estate plan handled is to keep your family out of conflict.  And, yet, without the right counsel, your estate plan could actually cause conflict! Here’s what to…