Minnesota Estate Planning - Lewis Kannegieter Law, Ltd.

Strategic Ways to Fund a Special Needs Trust: Protecting Benefits While Planning for Quality of Life – Guidance from a Monticello Estate Lawyer

When you're planning for a child or grandchild with special needs, your goal isn't just leaving money behind—it's ensuring they enjoy a high quality of life while protecting their access to essential government benefits like Medicaid and SSI. A Special Needs Trust (SNT) is designed to provide for those extras that government programs don't cover, but how...

The Dynamic Duo of Your Financial Future: How Minnesota Estate Planning Lawyer and Financial Advisors Collaborate

When you decide it's time to get serious about your future, you might be surprised to learn that you need not one, but two professionals in your corner: an estate planning lawyer and a financial advisor. Many people assume these roles are interchangeable or that one professional can handle it all. Spoiler alert: they are two separate roles and here's why...

When an Heir Dies Before You Do: What a Monticello Estate Planning Attorney Wants You to Know

Estate plans are built around assumptions. The assumption that your spouse will be there. That your sibling will outlive you. That the person you named as your primary beneficiary fifteen years ago will still be alive to receive what you left them. Sometimes those assumptions don't hold. When a named heir predeceases you and your plan doesn't account for...

Myth: “I Don’t Have Enough Money for a Living Trust” – Guidance from an Monticello Trust and Estates Lawyer

One of the most persistent myths in estate planning is that living trusts are reserved for the ultra-wealthy. The reality? If you own a home, have a retirement account, or want to keep your family out of court, you likely have enough to justify a trust. In fact, middle-class families often need a trust more than the wealthy because they can least afford...

Love, Life, and the Law: Planning for Every Relationship Status with an Monticello Estate Planning Attorney

We often think of estate planning as something for traditional nuclear families, but in 2026, love and family look different for everyone. Relationships are complex, beautiful, and sometimes messy. The law, however, tends to be rigid. It has a default plan for you, but that default rarely accounts for modern relationships. Here's how to ensure your plan...

Monticello Estate Lawyer: Understanding General POAs vs. Limited POAs

It can be difficult to plan for the future, especially for a time when you’re not able to make certain decisions for yourself. The idea can be tough to swallow, even if you’ve experienced it with older relatives and know of the possibilities. However, planning ahead is the key to staying in control and making life as easy as possible for your loved ones in...

5 Asset Protection Strategies Used By Minnesota Estate Planning Attorneys

Asset protection strategies help keep your money out of the hands of nursing homes, litigators, and other financial predators. Keep reading to learn about five of the best asset protection strategies to help you keep your money right where it is. Create an Irrevocable TrustExperienced Minnesota estate planning attorneys often recommend trusts for many...

Beyond the Basics: Selecting a Guardian for Your Adopted Child

Strategic Planning from a Monticello Estate Lawyer When you name a guardian in your Will, you are choosing the person who will step into your shoes as a parent. For families formed through adoption, this decision requires a deeper level of vetting. Your chosen guardian must be prepared to handle not just the daily routines of childhood, but the specialized...

Your Estate Plan Isn’t Just Documents: How our Monticello Estate Planning Attorney Builds a Total Estate Plan

When most people think about estate planning, they picture signing a will or maybe setting up a trust. But here's what many don't realize: your estate plan isn't a single document. Instead, it's how all your decisions, accounts, and legal instructions work together as one coordinated system. Think of your financial life as a network of connected pieces:...

Who Will Take Care of You as You Age? Why Planning Ahead Matters

Many people assume that when they need help later in life, a spouse, child, or close friend will step in. But that assumption is becoming increasingly risky. Today, more than 16 million Americans over age 65 live alone, and most have no formal plan for long-term care or decision-making support as they age. Longer lifespans, higher divorce rates, and...

Why Your Assets Don’t Automatically Go to the People You Assume: Guidance from a Minnesota Estate Attorney

One of the biggest misconceptions in estate planning is believing that your spouse, children, or closest relatives will automatically inherit your assets. In reality, asset distribution is governed by legal structures like title designations, beneficiary forms, and state intestacy laws, not by assumptions or family expectations. Understanding how your...

Choosing the Right Trustee for Your Family

Imagine the people you love most gathered after you are gone, and one of your children now holds the checkbook for the others. That single choice, who you name as trustee, can either hold your family together or quietly pull it apart. Many parents simply pick their oldest child because it feels natural, and we understand the instinct. Still, it is one of...

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