Latest Blog Posts

Much as been written about the Kennedy family with its famous highs and tragic lows. Its patriarch, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., is no exception. Whether you’re a Kennedy family loyalist or not, Democrat or a Republican, one thing is certain: Kennedy was a planner....

With the New Year comes new motivation. And this year is no different. As for resolving to create a thoughtful estate plan, it’s a lot easier than you may think. ...

The results for our 2011 year-end charitable donation. Thank you, everyone, for your vote. All of the initiatives are worthy and making the decision based on your opinions made the process of choosing between them a lot easier....

In a year when many businesses declined or even folded, we have been fortunate to enjoy the continued growth. Being in such a position makes us extremely grateful. This gratitude is one of the reasons we’ve been making a charitable contribution on behalf of Constant Law Group. But the year-end isn’t just for reflecting on the past, it’s also for looking forward to the future....

The year-end is the perfect time to consider making a charitable donation. As we have for the past five years, we would like you to help us choose a recipient just in time for the holidays....

Thanksgiving is a beloved tradition. No matter how you celebrate it, chances are family, friends, turkey, stuffing (and possibly some candied yams) are near. What a great time to be generous with your gratitude. ...

Here in the Northeast it’s getting colder. This means it’s snowbird migration season. But there are estate planning implications to residing in multiple jurisdictions. That is, in addition to leaving the rest us to shovel....

There are countless ways in which children with special needs enrich their parents’ lives. Proper estate planning is a great way to help return the favor....

Today’s pace in a word? Rushed. Yet despite this truth about daily life, I believe estate planning is a chance to reduce your speed to a more slow and steady rate. It’s a time to really think about what you value and then do something to protect it. ...

Whether you’re eighteen or sixty-eight, losing your parents is unimaginably difficult. But just imagine you are the former, barely an adult yet forced into a world of adult responsibilities. ...

Children are our most valuable asset worth protecting. Just ask any parent. It’s don’t-mess-with-mama-bear primal. While some forms of protection are second nature, such as keeping a child away from oncoming traffic and sharp objects, other forms require a lot more forethought, beyond remembering to sign up for next month’s swim lessons. ...

The vast majority of incoming college freshmen are at least 18-years-old. While you may still be doing their laundry for years, there’s no escaping the fact that, legally, they are adults. ...

Like it or not, we’re all online these days. From stockbrokers to grandmothers. Teachers to toddlers. You name it. It’s no surprise that having a website goes hand in hand with running a business, whether you have 500 or 5 employees. ...

When my wife and I married on a beautiful pink beach in Bermuda, I was twenty-five years old with an estate that consisted of, well, not much. Two kids and twenty-one years later, we returned to Bermuda last week to celebrate our anniversary. It was a great family vacation that was also a great time to reflect. ...

Independence Day is a time for celebrating our Founding Fathers. Not only do we have them to thank for our basic American freedoms (not to mention the parades, BBQs and fireworks), but also there’s one who sets a great example when it comes to thinking about estate planning. His name? George Washington....

Remember the story of the lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls, all of them had hair of gold, like their mother, the youngest one in curls... and there was the man named Brady who was busy with 3 boys of his own, they were 4 men living all together, yet they were all alone. Then one day when this lady met this fellow and they knew it was more than just a hunch, that this group must somehow form a family and that's the way they became the Brady Bunch? This is the most popular blended family we all recognize. Think about how beautifully everything worked out for them in becoming a blended family. Aside from the typical disagreements among children, it was a picture perfect end result of two families coming together and living in harmony. How great! In fact, if you missed the intro to each show, you would never even know that these children were all from a prior marriage. Unfortunately, in the real world blended families can be a bit more challenging to navigate, especially when it comes to estate planning....

Hungry for more celebrity news? Celebrity news in the estate planning world that is. In last week's blog I talked about a few celebrities who had no will and how much turmoil it created. I also shared with you how great of a job Farrah Fawcett did in addressing her son's trust fund. This is such a fascinating topic and so much can be learned from what the rich and famous have or have not done in regard to their estate planning. I would like to share a few other high profile cases that we can learn from and some additional "what not to dos."...

Admit it, you are standing in line at the grocery store and a story about one of your favorite celebrities is on the cover of a magazine, you just have to take a peek and see the latest on what they are doing. Maybe they are in a new relationship, maybe a divorce, maybe the latest workout plan they implement. People are naturally curious about who is doing what in the celebrity world. Truth be told, even the estate planning or lack thereof for famous people draws attention. But it also provides a huge opportunity to learn from their hard lessons....

In my previous post about estate planning and divorce I spoke on issues relating to custody and guardianship, re-marriage and beneficiary designations. This week I am going to talk about about the impact of divorce on your Health Care Proxy, Power of Attorney, Will and Trust....

Divorce is one of the most stressful experiences. It not only disrupts the family of those involved but it also wreaks havoc on their estate plans. This is why it is so critical to revisit one's estate plan following a divorce. Because there are a number of areas to address, I will share information with you in two separate articles with this first one focusing on guardianship and re-marriage issues and beneficiary designations....