By Tim Barkley. May 2025. Probate. The word has achieved a Dickensian notoriety conjuring up greedy lawyers, helpless widows and children, and unscrupulous creditors. The avoidance of probate is now a cottage industry, carried on in the back offices of lawyers and...
By Tim Barkley. March 2025. “I don’t need a power of attorney. My spouse and I own everything jointly.” “My daughter is on all my accounts, so I don’t need a power of attorney.” “I’m not letting anybody take control over me! I’m not signing that paper!” “I don’t want...
February 2025 Q: Do I need a trust? I’ve heard that I need one to avoid “probate.” What is “probate”? A: There are many reasons to use a trust, but you shouldn’t need to pay the fees for a trust just to avoid probate, the legal system that gets dead people’s stuff to...
January 2025 The increasing availability of information on the Internet doesn’t obviate the need for wisdom … knowing how to apply that information for the benefit of those who need it. Simply knowing that something called “probate” might be avoided and maybe should...
December 2024 Q: I have established 529 plans for my grandchildren and have purchased life insurance policies on their lives. Is there anything else I need to do? A: Yes! You should do two things. First, since you’re the custodian of the 529 plans and owner of the...
November 2024 Q: Who are all these people mentioned in my documents? A: Allow me to clarify: Fiduciary – person who acts in a position of trust over another person or that person’s assets – everyone below is a particular kind of fiduciary. Trustee – fiduciary...
