In my experience, people choose 1 of 4 approaches regarding their estate planning. 1) Do Nothing. By far, this is the largest segment of the population. I often speak to local mom's groups (younger market) and service organizations (older market). These are workshops where there is just as much a chance that someone's done estate[...]
There was a recent article on CNN.com about services that promise to pass on your "online" life after death. The link to the story is here. Before I get to my take on the whole thing, I just want to comment how amusing I find the names of the companies. LegacyLocker, AssetLock (formerly YouDeparted.com), DeathSwitch,[...]
People call our office looking for a "simple" will and powers of attorney. For most folks, estate planning is something on a to-do list that gets checked off when completed. Our clients, however, understand that estate planning is an ongoing process that requires maintenance over time to ensure that the client's goals are met. Occasionally,[...]
This post is reprinted from my latest newsletter. I hope you don't mind the retreading of the same subject, but the message was important enough to share on multiple platforms. Enjoy. A good part of my practice is dedicated to helping families with young children complete their essential legal planning. Some of that planning has[...]
One of the black letter laws in the world of probate is that real property, that is land, homes, etc., must be probated in the state where they are. That means that if you own a primary home in New Jersey and a summer home or a second home in Florida or New York, you'll[...]
Many clients finish planning their estate with me and then ask me what they should tell and to whom. As you might expect, the answer depends on where the client is in life and on the specific life circumstances for which we've planned. Families With Minor Children For families with minor children, I urge parents[...]
Will? Living Trust? - Neither! When people learn that I am an estate planning attorney, I usually get asked this question: "Should I have a will or a living trust?" Then, conversation usually turns to what the prospective client heard could or would happen with one or the other. It's as if I'm a surgeon[...]
Finally - FINALLY - we get a report of a celebrity who has passed away with some proper estate planning in place. Read this, and then come back. I apologize that the link is coming from TMZ (a bit exploitive), but it's worth it to show what happens with proper planning. Rather than hear a[...]
The Solo Practice University just announced their newest member of the faculty and it turns out....it's me! Yup, here's the substantive copy: Victor Medina is the managing partner of a small law firm run entirely on Mac computers and Apple products. He will teach a course entitled “Macs In the Law Office” at Solo Practice[...]
I was recently featured in an article about blogging and got the opportunity to discuss this blog. You can read the story here at the Princeton Business Journal. Posted by Victor J. Medina - Medina, Martinez & Castroll, LLC[...]