[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] I can see you roll your eyes as I repeat (for the millionth time?) one of my mantras: Gratitude evaporates frustration. But it’s true, isn’t it? I’ve had so much to be thankful for in my life: the love of family, a faith that changed me from the...
6 of the Biggest Estate Planning Myths: Explained & Busted
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] Estate planning is a crucial step to securing your assets and the well-being of your loved ones. Unfortunately, several myths persist, preventing many individuals from recognizing the importance of estate planning. So, let’s dispel some of these myths and misconceptions while shedding some light on the importance of...
Faces of Our Client Community: Kathy Wedemeyer & Mike Darrow
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] When Mike Darrow and Kathy Wedemeyer started the estate planning process, they didn’t have themselves in mind. They were thinking of their children. As they started their blended family, Kathy and Mike quickly realized that estate planning needed to be a part of the conversation. They weren’t just...
Urgent Estate Planning: Breaking the Procrastination Cycle
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] During the past several weeks at our firm, we’ve received several phone calls from frazzled family members. A loved one is in the hospital, sometimes even in hospice care, and they haven’t started working on estate planning documents. In these moments, we do our best to help these...
Antiques to Art: Tangible Personal Property in Estate Planning
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] This weekend I will head “home” to the Iowa farm where I was raised to celebrate Christmas with my parents and siblings and our families. My childhood home is still filled with many family heirlooms and antiques that were prevalent in my childhood memories. We will eat our...
Faces of Our Client Community: Michelle and Mike Arulfo
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] As in all healthy marriages, Mike and Michelle Arulfo don’t always see eye to eye. One of those minor conflicts was over estate planning. Michelle was ready, but Mike, she says, “wasn’t ready to talk about end-of-life and felt we were too young to start planning.” “It was...
Empowered Decisions: Tips for Your Healthcare Directive
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] Advanced directive, healthcare directive, living will. No matter what you call it, this document is an essential component of your estate plan (no matter your age!) and oftentimes a challenging one because of the emotional weight involved in these decisions. However, taking the time to carefully plan the...
Navigating Firearms in Your Estate Plans
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] It’s finally fall in Minnesota, and for some of us that means pulling out our hunting gear! November 4th marks the start of the 2023 deer hunting season for many in Minnesota who hunt with firearms. In my family, deer hunting season also traditionally marked the start of...
Faces of Our Client Community: George Broostin
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] “You never know what life is going to hold for you,” says George Broostin of his decision to work on his estate planning. “Unexpected things can happen no matter what your age.” At the time, George and his husband, Jake, were making a life transition that involved a...
Digital Legacy: What Happens to Social Media After Your Death?
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] In our increasingly connected world, our lives extend to the digital realm, too. We maintain a virtual presence through social media accounts, photos, and memories. But have you ever wondered what happens to your digital footprint when you die? In a time when technology intertwines with nearly every...