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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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. ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Every family has its own approach when it comes to talking about financial and legal information. Minnesota wills and trusts lawyers see everything from very open and transparent situations to those where discussions of money are considered taboo. In reality,...