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When You Do Not Own What You Think You Own
Imagine the following scenario: You have been living in a house for years. As your mother’s sole heir, you inherited it from her when she...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
3 days ago9 min read
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The True Cost of Inheriting a Home
The United States is in the midst of the largest generational wealth transfer in history. Over the next few decades, baby boomers are...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Sep 199 min read
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12 Estate Planning Blunders You Cannot Afford to Make
A flawed estate plan can create headaches, heartaches, and expenses for your loved ones.

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Sep 54 min read
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Why a Trust for Your Child Should Mature with Your Child
Letting your child gradually take on financial responsibility within the protective frame of a trust prepares them for full independence.

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Aug 228 min read
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Trust Funding: Setting Your Trustee Up for Success
the trust agreement does not complete the estate planning process; to work properly, the trust must be funded.

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Aug 84 min read
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Minimalism May Be Great for Your Stuff but Not for Your Estate Plan
In a modern world marked by information overload, overflowing inboxes, nonstop notifications, and the constant pressure to accumulate...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Jul 297 min read
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Does Treating Your Children Fairly Mean Unequal Inheritances?
When thinking through their estate plan and how they want their assets  (money and property) managed after they pass away, most parents...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Jul 113 min read
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Want to Disinherit Someone? This Is What You Need to Know
Disinheritance—the intentional exclusion of a family member, usually a child or spouse, from receiving part of your estate after your...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Jun 278 min read
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Your Divorce Decree: The First Step in Estate Planning
When you meet with the estate planning attorney, it is crucial that you bring all necessary documents, including a copy of your divorce decree.

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Jun 135 min read
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Dower Rights: A Relic of the Past Still Affecting Estate Plans
From laws against selling doughnuts on Sundays to ordinances that prohibit tying a giraffe to a telephone pole, the annals of American...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
May 236 min read
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The Wrong Successor Trustee Can Derail Your Final Wishes
Many estate plans contain revocable living trusts  that will become irrevocable (cannot be easily changed or terminated) when the...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
May 23 min read
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4 Tips to Avoid a Will or Trust Contest
Fighting over provisions in your will or trust can derail your final wishes, rapidly deplete your financial legacy, and tear your loved...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Apr 183 min read
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Should I Buy a Home with Someone Other than a Spouse?
Rising housing costs, the desire for companionship, and the need to share resources are increasingly leading buyers to consider co-owning...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Mar 216 min read
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Planning for the Unthinkable: Essential Tools for Parents of Minor Children
Approximately three-fourths of Americans do not have a basic will. [1] Â Many of the same people also have children under the age of 18,...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Mar 77 min read
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5 Things to Talk About with Your Family
You intend to pass along your hard-earned money and property through your estate plan, but what about your wisdom? Ensuring that you...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Feb 213 min read
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Handling a Loved One’s Debts After They Die
Americans are, quite literally, getting buried in debt, with nearly half expecting to pass away with outstanding debts. [1] As a general...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Jan 106 min read
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Kids Going Away to College?
Why You Should Include Estate Planning in the Preparation You have likely been preparing for a long time to get your college student off...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Dec 13, 20243 min read
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Have You Checked Your Beneficiary Designations Lately?
You regularly check the balances of your retirement, bank, and investment accounts. But when was the last time you checked the...

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Nov 27, 20246 min read
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Caution: Using a DIY Deed to Avoid Probate Can Lead to Unintended Consequences
Deeds are legal documents that must comply with state law to be valid.

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Nov 15, 20243 min read
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Left Out of Your Parent’s Estate Plan?
Research shows a growing disconnect between how much children expect to receive and how much their parents plan on leaving them

Tom c/o Wealth Counsel
Oct 18, 20246 min read
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