What Is an Ethical Will?

December 25, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

My colleague’s father recently got infected with the coronavirus and had to be rushed to the hospital. The move was abrupt and hectic, and left no time for any deep conversation with his wife and family as he was being taken out to the ambulance.

Why Everyone Needs an Estate Plan

September 1, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Life Insurance, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

If you think of estate planning as something only ultra-wealthy people need to do, you're not alone. That's a common misconception.

Picasso’s Sole Heir Continues to Sell Artwork

August 6, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

When the Spanish painter Pablo Picasso died of a heart attack on April 8, 1973, he left behind not only a huge artistic oeuvre of 50,000 works, but enough family drama to cover several generations.

Update Will at These 12 Times in Your Life

June 25, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

It is also important to realize that it isn’t merely ‘why’ you are updating your will, but ‘when’ you are updating that can make all the difference.

Elder Abuse Continues as a Billion-dollar Problem

The official figure for elder financial fraud used by a congressional committee is around $3 billion a year, but that’s based solely on reported cases of fraud. Other estimates are 10 times that much.

Digital Assets Need to Be Protected In Estate Plans

The proliferation of digital footprints in our online communities raise demand for consumer tools and options for dealing with digital assets upon incapacity and death.

Avoiding Probate with a Trust

February 24, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Life Insurance, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

In other words, family members who are not named to inherit anything in the will may still see the list of all of the assets. If you don’t want that result, you can avoid it by establishing a trust.

Five Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid

January 31, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Law, Estate Planning

Five of the most common mistakes are easy to avoid with the right information and support, as well as a little creativity.

Why Is a Power of Attorney Important?

January 29, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Taking over a loved one’s affairs is not easy. However, what can make the task less daunting, is to make sure you get off on the right foot by obtaining the necessary legal documents and other information which will make your job much easier.

Tips for Choosing a Fiduciary

Being a fiduciary is a time-intensive and intellectually challenging task to put upon an individual.