In this webinar, which was recorded on May 14, 2020, Nurse Attorney Cathleen Summers and Attorney Phil Summers discuss the details of probate – how long the process takes, what’s involved, and why you want to avoid it now and at any time in the future. In order for you to easily access this information,...
It’s heartbreaking to comprehend losing a loved one; losing a loved one from complications of the COVID-19 virus can be even more difficult to bear. The swift and sudden onset and extreme contagiousness of the illness means patients are dying without loved ones by their side. These factors can make it especially challenging for those...
AnnouncementsCrisis PlanningGuardian and ConservatorsLong Term PlanningProbate and Estate AdminstrationWills, Trusts, and Estate Planning
It’s 2020- Abbreviate the year at Your Own Risk!
While we all hope for a happy and prosperous new year, scammers aren’t so generous of spirit. With the start of the new decade and new year, many of us commonly abbreviate the year 2020 as simply ’20. In the past, using an abbreviation for the year didn’t matter as much. Now, it could cause...
You have been a devoted daughter taking care of your father. You managed his finances, checked in on him regularly, and arranged for in-home services to make sure he was well taken care of during his last years. He said many times that he wanted everything to go to you and your sibling when he...
Crisis PlanningGuardian and ConservatorsLong Term PlanningProbate and Estate AdminstrationWills, Trusts, and Estate Planning
What’s in a Label?
In estate planning, it can be very confusing understanding the terminology that is used to describe the important fiduciary roles. Have you heard the term personal representative? How’s that different from a Trustee? And what is the difference between a Guardian and Conservator? Here is a quick review of the labels or terms you should...
When parents create their estate plan, one of the decisions that must be made is how to divide their estate among their children. For some, the answer is simple – every child gets an equal share; for others the situation is more complicated and leaving equal shares is not the desired choice. Sometimes the relationship...
If you recently signed revocable trust documents, Congratulations! Establishing the building blocks of your estate plan is an important first step in creating peace of mind for you and your loved ones. One of the main benefits of a revocable trust is the ease of administration for your loved ones and avoidance of the need...
As more seniors are struggling financially, an increasing concern those who are or will be managing their parent’s estate have is “Am I going to be responsible for my parent’s debt?” Credit card debts and medical expenses can often overwhelm a family’s finances. The last thing a parent wants is to pass their debts onto...
A Last Will and Testament (Will) and Revocable Living Trust (Living Trust) are both estate planning documents used to pass assets on to your beneficiaries at your death. Typically, for an estate planning attorney to create a proper Living Trust, the cost is more than to prepare a Will. When debating whether you should utilize...
Last week I had an opportunity to sit with a new client who said it had been several years since he had reviewed his estate plan. During that time he had lost his wife and one of his children had married and had a child. As part of our review process, we look at his...




















