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.
If you’ve heard of a 529 Plan, you probably think of it as a means of education funding for your children or your grandchildren. These plans are sponsored by state agencies or educational institutions, and they’re available to people of all income brackets. While a 529 Plan is a great tool for saving for college, you can also use it as part of your estate...
Sometimes parents wish to change or modify custody orders. Unfortunately this is not an easy task. It is important to understand the impact of an initial order, the limits on timing, and the additional requirements for modifications. Initial Custody Order If parents have not reached their own agreement on custody and parenting time, the court needs to make...
For more than a decade I have helped clients with their estate plans. Things are different now. Previously, a potential client reached out to me wanting to talk about wills or trusts. I would explain that an estate plan is so much more than just the will. It’s taking a big picture look to make sure that things are in place no matter what happens - making...
It’s become more and more common now to see clients come in with estate planning or probate cases that involve multiple states. From clients with a family cabin across the border in Wisconsin or mineral rights to land in North Dakota to “snow birds” who spend the winters away from Minnesota’s freezing cold, more and more people own property not in multiple...
Leaving a cabin or vacation home outright to your loved ones can create more family conflict and problems than you might think. While the property may have been a peaceful haven for you and your spouse throughout the years, your children may not look at it the same way when it becomes theirs to manage and maintain. In fact, many heirs of recreation...
Do single people need to worry about wills, trusts, and estate planning? Yes! Really, “yes” is the only answer that’s needed, but I will take a moment to offer some insight as to why single people need to worry about estate planning. When there is no plan First, it is important to understand what happens if there is no plan. If you fail to plan the laws...
Families who have members with special needs have a variety of unique concerns. Whether you’re traveling to occupational therapy appointments, choosing the most effective medical devices, or contemplating whether to “mainstream” your special needs child, there are so many parts and pieces to keep in mind. For that very reason, you may not have even...
One of the most important jobs of a Minnesota estate planning attorney is to help parents choose the right guardian for their children. This is the person (or people) designated by you to care for your minor children if you should die before they become adults. Working with an estate attorney to choose a guardian gives you a say in the process,...
When it’s time to start your estate planning process (that time is right now, by the way), entrepreneurs need to remember to take their small businesses into consideration. Whether you own the entire business outright and work for yourself or you simply own a portion of the entity, you will need to leave instructions for your family to follow. By...
We’ve pretty much all heard about “bucket lists,” but that term can take on a little bit of a different meaning when you’re a Minnesota estate planning lawyer. We deal with the reality every day that life is fleeting, and it’s our goal to help clients to maximize what they are able to leave behind. For that reason, here are some items that we...
What used to be called the “executor” of the estate is now known as the “personal representative.” The Personal Representative has a very big job of finishing up the decedent’s business, such as taking care of taxes and keeping the bills paid; not to mention the much more commonly recognized job of making sure the decedent’s wishes are followed when it...
Minnesota elder care lawyers work with families to prepare for any number of situations in the estate planning process. One circumstance which is especially relevant to elder care law is dementia. After all, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are almost exclusively conditions which appear or worsen with age. Along with the emotional turmoil on...