Kinsey Law Group, P.C.

Your Trusts and Estates Attorney Can Help Plan for Your Religious Needs

When it comes to estate planning, most of us are aware of the common things we need to discuss with our attorney. There are so many financial concerns, legal concerns, and even personal concerns regarding a person’s inheritance and other desires.

However, when it comes down to honoring our deepest religious or spiritual desires, many people overlook the necessity of incorporating such wishes into their estate. When religion plays an important role in someone’s life, it makes sense that it would also be important in the legacy they leave behind.

Many estate planning attorneys don’t necessarily focus a lot of their expertise on the religious aspects of planning, which makes sense. After all, there are so many religions that it would be impossible for one attorney to be well versed in them all. However, if there are religious preferences you would like to see incorporated into your estate plan, a skilled attorney can help you legally document the wishes of your faith.

4 Reasons You Need a Will Now, According to a Bethesda and Largo Wills and Estates Lawyer

by Nicole K. White

Of course it makes sense that a wills and estates attorney would tell you to create a will, right? Our job is to help people plan for what will happen to their estates once they’re gone. But, having been involved in estate planning in Bethesda and Largo for such a long time, it’s clear that message of proper planning is something more people still need to hear.

That’s why I’ve put together a list of four brief reasons that explain why you need a will…and why it must be created sooner, rather than later. There are certainly many other aspects to consider, but these can have a great impact on the future of your estate:

Reason You Need a Will #1: It Saves Money

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Bethesda and Largo Probate Attorney Explains How To Avoid Conflicts When Passing Down a Vacation Home

by Nicole K. White

Leaving a vacation home outright to your loved ones can create more family conflict and problems than you might think.

While a vacation home may have been a peaceful haven for you and your spouse throughout the years, your children may not look at the house the same way when it becomes theirs to manage and maintain.

In fact, many heirs of vacation homes are simply unable to afford the yearly property taxes and related maintenance costs. What mom and dad meant as a blessing actually becomes a burden to the children who were not prepared to assume these new responsibilities.

How Your Bethesda or Largo Estate Planning Attorney Can Help Protect Intergenerational Wealth Transfers

by Nicole K. White

A recent article on Forbes.com took a look into the surprisingly high rate at which intergenerational wealth transfers fail. This is undoubtedly a major issue of consideration for estate planning attorneys in Bethesda and Largo and beyond. Our goal is for your wishes to be followed both in specific and in the spirit of your intentions. So, if transfers are failing, it makes sense to examine why and learn how to avoid these issues in the future.

According to research done by Roy Williams and Vic Preisser, intergenerational wealth transfers fail a staggering 70% of the time! The main factor in the failures was that the families themselves did not implement any post-transition planning. That is to say, the heirs were never prepared to take on the privileges and responsibilities of inheriting the family’s wealth.

Using Online Tools to Set Up Wills and Trusts In Maryland

by Nicole K. White

If you are beginning to think about how to manage your estate in the event that you become disabled or die, it may be tempting to turn to some of the many tools available online. Skilled wills and trusts lawyers will almost always advise against this, and it’s not because they’re trying to get your money.

While it’s possible that some online estate planning tools can work for your situation, it’s much more likely that you’ll end up trying to force your situation to fit their cookie-cutter approach. The end result is that no one truly gets what they need or want.

Working with an Estate Planning Attorney to Secure Your Children’s Financial Future

by Nicole K. White

One of the most important aspects of estate planning is the overall effect it will have on an individual’s or couple’s children. Whether these are minor children who will need a guardian or adult children who are already on their own, the need for financial planning exists. A good estate planning attorney in Bethesda or Largo can help you determine what needs there are and how best to go about meeting them. It’s possible that creating a trust will be the right path for you.

Don’t Let Another Year Pass Without Naming Guardians For Your Kids!

by Nicole K. White

If you’re making New Years resolutions this year and still have minor children at home, don’t forget to add naming legal guardians to the list!

Statistics show that 69% of parents do not have legal guardians named who can raise their kids if something tragic happens to them. Many assume a family member would step in, or that they can simply “tell” someone about their guardianship wishes, but unfortunately, our legal system does not work that way.

Elder Law Attorney’s Advice on Helping Parents Create an Estate Plan

by Nicole K. White

In Maryland, just as everywhere else in the nation, there is a tendency for people to put off estate planning. Elder law attorneys recognize that there are multiple factors that lead people to procrastinate when it comes to the process.

One of the biggest factors, of course, is that most people don’t want to consider their own mortality, and estate planning forces you to do just that. When it comes to adult children, we are just as guilty of not wanting to think about the inevitability of losing our parents, and therefore, we choose not to push them.

Maryland Estates Lawyer Explains The Importance of Creating a Will Now

by Nicole K. White

As a wills and trusts lawyer in Bethesda and Upper Marlboro, it’s easy to see why so many people put off writing their will. After all, no one really wants to think about their own death, let alone prepare for it. In reality, though, preparing by creating a will is exactly what we should all be doing. There are plenty of reasons to consider, and any reputable wills and trusts lawyer will be able to go through the list with you to ensure that you are protecting your assets and the people you love.

Bethesda and Upper Marlboro Estate Planning Can Help You Make Medical Decisions for Your Same-Sex Partner

by Nicole K. White

While some states have enacted marriage equality laws, others are not offering the same rights and privileges to same-sex couples. In either situation, however, most estate planning lawyers can tell you that there are still important steps to take to protect your right to make medical decisions for your partner. In Maryland, as in other places, it all starts with a power of attorney.

A medical power of attorney is used to specifically name the person who can make your medical decisions when you are unable. Sometimes this document may be referred to as a health care proxy. By naming your same-sex partner, you are providing him or her with the legal rights needed to step up and make those choices. In cases where a power of attorney for healthcare has not been created, it’s not unheard of for the same-sex partner to be barred from the room while the patient’s parents or siblings are given the responsibility of making medical decisions.