When the ‘Queen of Soul’ Aretha Franklin died last year, it was believed that she hadn’t prepared any kind of estate plan, including a last will and testament. However, a few months ago, three handwritten wills were found in her home near Detroit. Two were in a locked closet and one was stuffed beneath the cushions of a couch!

Estate planning is a critical part of financial planning, but something many Americans procrastinate about. Drafting a will and a health care proxy or power of attorney, maybe creating a trust, and maximizing your loved ones’ inheritances by minimizing taxes are all important matters you don’t want to leave to chance.

You may be surprised at how easy it is to make an expensive mistake with your beneficiary designations.

To care for one another, many retirees are living together.

As the next generation buys out, is gifted, or inherits the farm, what are frequent sticking points that arise?

A well-executed estate plan is a thing of beauty – but make sure you aren’t neglecting some of the equally important parts of the process.

A family from the United Kingdom has made international news, as a result of an alleged will forgery fueled by a mother-in-law’s disdain for her daughter’s husband.

While everyone from brand new parents to great grandparents can benefit from the advice of a competent estate planning lawyer, frequently the individuals making sure that their affairs are in order, are those in their golden years. They have a common concern: what about their grandbabies?

The Last Will and Testament plays an essential role in estate planning and without question everybody should have one.

In one of the most famous pet trust cases, hotel magnate Leona Helmsley left $12 million in a trust for her dog, Trouble. The judge reduced Trouble’s inheritance to $2 million.