In the weeks before her death from ovarian cancer, author Amy Krouse Rosenthal gave her husband Jason one of the most treasured gifts a person could receive. She penned the touching essay “You May Want to Marry My Husband” in the New York Times as a final love letter to him. The essay took the…

You might not be a big fan of their typical life choices, but the Kardashians recently demonstrated impressive wisdom in protecting their minor children using estate planning. During a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Khloé Kardashian was preparing to give birth to her first child, daughter True. Khloé was second-guessing her initial…

Last week, we shared the first part of this series, discussing some of the key steps for conscious co-parenting. In part two, we continue with the final steps. Today, many married couples who decide to end their marriages choose conscious divorce. However, once the divorce is finalized, you must continue using the same positive approach…

Committing to a conscious divorce means protecting your children from end-of-marriage related trauma. When the marriage ends in a cooperative manner, divorce can be transformed from a contentious event into one that can inspire healthy growth. In fact, engaging in divorce with a positive focus can better prepare both you and your kids for your…

It’s back-to-school time again, and when it comes to estate planning you may have homework to do. As a parent, your most critical—and often overlooked—task is to select and legally document guardians for your minor children. Guardians are people legally named to care for your children in the event of your death or incapacity. If…

Unlike many estate assets, if you’re looking to collect the proceeds of a life insurance policy, the process is fairly simple if you’re named as the beneficiary. That said, following a loved one’s death, the whole world can feel like it’s falling apart, and it’s helpful to know exactly what steps need to be taken…

Probably every parent who has watched the news lately has felt the heartbreak  over what’s happening to immigrant families at the border due to the Trump administration’s immigration regulations. As you likely know, the administration’s new “zero-tolerance” policy has led to the separation of more than 2,300 children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border…

It always surprises me to hear parents who have a child with special needs tell me that they were not aware of what they needed to do to ensure the future well-being and care of their child is properly handled. Or sometimes, they tell me they didn’t know they needed to do anything at all.…

Last week, we shared the first part of our series on selecting and naming the right guardians for your children. Here in part two, we discuss the final three steps in the process. 4. Narrow candidate list, and rank your choices When you’ve come up with all of the potential candidates for guardian, narrow down…

One of your most important responsibilities as a parent is to select and legally document guardians for your children. This doesn’t mean just naming godparents or trusting the grandparents will step in if necessary. It means consciously deciding who would raise your children if you cannot. And then it means legally documenting your choices and…