Reasons You Might Need to Write Someone Out of Your Will

by Tom Bates | May 17, 2019 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

In a perfect world, everyone would get along and there would be no arguments between family members or loved ones. Because we do not live in a perfect world, there are a number of issues and challenges in relationships that arise when estate plans are involved. Due to...

The Advantage of Irrevocable Trusts

by Tom Bates | Mar 15, 2019 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

While it is true that no two families are the same, it is also true that no two families have the same type of estate planning requirements. Fortunately, many concerns can be adequately addressed by creating proper trust provisions. While there are many different ways...

Learning from the Estate Planning Mistakes of Aretha Franklin

by Tom Bates | Sep 5, 2018 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

While Aretha Franklin is remembered as an extraordinarily talented musician, she made some significant estate planning mistakes from which we can all learn. When Franklin died in August of 2018, she did not leave a will or any type of estate plan despite having four...

Four Commonly Overlooked Items in Estate Plans

by Tom Bates | Aug 17, 2018 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

There are certain elements that must be satisfied if a person is interested in estate planning, which include some things that are frequently overlooked. Failure to create an estate plan can lead to a variety of negative consequences. Fortunately, an experienced...

Common Mistakes in Picking Life Insurance Beneficiaries

by Tom Bates | Jul 26, 2018 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

Appointing a person to handle money from a life insurance policy often only involves one decision, but this selection is one of the most difficult choices that many people must make. It is common for individuals to make errors, however, when making estate plans, which...