Estate planning, elder law, family transitions, business planning – the legal issues that affect your family are always evolving. Jennifer writes regularly to keep you informed, educated, and empowered. Browse the latest articles below, or search by topic to find what you’re looking for.
Central Minnesota wills and trusts lawyers see just about every circumstance which results from a parent’s death. Some siblings handle the wills and trusts administration gracefully and with dignity, while others turn to squabbling and pettiness. When we work with our clients, they are often very concerned about how to treat their children equally when...
It is open enrollment season and one of the benefits your employer is offering is legal insurance. Should you sign up for it? The answer to that question, like many other legal questions, is – it depends. Before making your decision, here are some questions to ask. What exactly is covered? All legal insurance plans will hype up the benefits they offer, but...
Timeshares are a popular piece of property for people who enjoy vacationing. But timeshares can create complications when it comes to estate planning. If you have a timeshare you need to consider how it will be handled in the event of your death. You may have some options in how to handle the transfer. It is important to investigate what documents the...
The role of an executor or Personal Representative is to effectuate a deceased person’s wishes as declared in a will after he or she has passed on. The executor’s responsibilities include the distribution of assets according to the will, the maintenance of assets until the will is settled, and the paying of estate bills and debts. An old joke says that you...
When creating a living trust, it is common practice that the person doing the estate planning will name themselves as trustee and will appoint a successor trustee to handle matters once they pass on or become incapacitated. If you have been named successor trustee for a person that has died, it is important that you hire an estate planning attorney to...
In this computer age, when so many tasks are accomplished via the internet -- including banking, shopping, and important business communications -- it may seem logical to turn to the internet when creating a legal document such as a will. Certainly, there are several websites advertising how easy and inexpensive it is to do this. As tempting as it may be,...
A thorough and complete estate plan must take into account a significant amount of information about your assets, your family, your property, and your wishes during and after your life. When you schedule your Personal Strategy Session at Lewis Kannegieter Law, Ltd. you are asked to complete a client questionnaire to bring to the meeting. While it is not...
You want your money and property to go to your loved ones when you die, not to the courts, lawyers or the government. Unfortunately, unless you’ve taken the proper estate planning steps your heirs could lose a sizable portion of their inheritance to probate court fees and expenses. A properly-crafted and funded living trust is the ideal probate-avoidance...
As many can attest, going through a divorce can be a difficult experience and the process can become contentious. Even after the spouses reach a settlement, conflict may continue to arise, particularly when a parent fails to make the required child support payments. In these cases, it may be necessary to take legal action to enforce the child support...
Let's face it: getting divorced can be an emotionally charged experience, particularly if the proceedings become contentious. One way to avoid the acrimony that can arise in a marital breakup is by pursuing an approach known as collaborative law divorce. Collaborative Law at a Glance There are three overarching principles of a collaborative divorce. First,...
As a child of a senior citizen, you are faced with many choices in helping to care for your parent. You want the very best care for your mother or father, but you also have to take into consideration your personal needs, family obligations and finances. When choosing a caregiver for a loved one, there are a number of things to take into consideration....
As the population grows older, many elders must face the difficult challenges of aging, such as declining health, long-term care planning, asset protection and other financial concerns. The practice of elder law is designed to assist seniors with meeting these challenges and give them peace of mind knowing that they will age with dignity. Long-term Care...