How many times has this happened to you? You’re meeting with a potential client for the first time, and you get to the end of what you thought was a successful consultation. You think you have a new client, but then you hear the news – they’re meeting with another attorney later in the week […]

Many estate planning attorneys know that life insurance can be a great way for a client to add liquidity to the estate. Let’s look at a typical estate planning problem and how life insurance can solve the problem. Facts: Bob and Betty have a successful manufacturing business that they’ve built over the years, while they […]

My grandmother recently passed away, and as I reflect on her life, I’m amazed by how much care my mom and her sisters provided to her in the final years of her life. Every day one of them would go and sit with her, feed her and care for her even though she didn’t remember […]

“Do you or don’t you provide electronic copies of estate planning documents to your clients?” This subject recently sparked quite a discussion among several Academy Members on our Listserv. It turns out that our Members have a variety of policies when it comes to giving electronic copies of documents to their clients. Among the Members […]

Estate Planning attorneys understand that a revocable trust protects their clients’ privacy in death. Few but high profile clients share this understanding of how the use of a revocable trust can protect their privacy. The Will of Elizabeth Edwards, the late, estranged wife of former Sen. John Edwards, is a case in point. She prepared […]

Have you ever gone to a party, showing up with a bottle of wine as a gift for the hosts, and found they’re not ready yet? Maybe they are still cleaning up or putting the kids’ toys away, the food isn’t ready, or oh no, the bar’s not set up! Two attributes that set a […]

The Academy’s training on initial consultations is coming up in February, which is always a great reminder of the real value that we, as Academy lawyers, offer our clients. Anyone who knows our organization can tell you that our clients don’t come to Academy attorneys as a result of bargain shopping. And this is a […]

Every once in awhile, we’re faced with married clients who most likely need an AB Trust or Credit Shelter Trust, but who are hesitant to establish one. Why? They’re afraid that, at the death of the first spouse, the terms of the trust will obligate the survivor to set up a Family Trust that proves […]

Use Nat’l Healthcare Decisions Day to Benefit Your Firm and Your CommunityNow’s the time to plan in earnest for April 16 – National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). Community service can be a great way to offer yourself as a knowledgeable, trusted advisor and expand your presence within your community. In this post, I’m offering specific […]

When it comes to making sure that everything gets done in your firm, there’s a thin line between delegation and abdication. As a business owner, it’s easy to hear the term “delegation” and develop a feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach. This is because we usually approach delegation in one of two […]