Succession Planning

Digital Assets and Estate Planning: What Happens to Your Phone, Photos, and Accounts When You Die

Most people spend years building an estate plan to protect their home, their savings, and their family. Then they forget about everything stored behind a password. Your photos. Your email. Your cloud storage. Your social media accounts. Your business records and financial logins. None of that transfers automatically. And in many cases, your family will […]
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Why You Don’t Want an Initial Consultation, But a Life & Legacy Planning® Session Instead

Why an Initial Estate Planning Consultation Isn’t Enough If you’ve ever looked for an estate planning lawyer, you’ve probably seen the same offer everywhere: a free or low-cost “initial consultation.” The idea sounds simple. You meet with a lawyer, answer a few questions about your family and assets, and they recommend a set of documents—usually […]
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How to Keep Wealth in Your Family for Generations

Many families focus on building wealth. Far fewer focus on keeping it. The data is blunt: most family wealth is lost by the second generation, and by the third generation, as much as 90% is gone. That doesn’t happen because parents didn’t care. It happens because planning stopped at accumulation and never addressed preservation. Keeping […]
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The Missing Will Mystery: How Zappos CEO’s Estate Chaos Could Have Been Avoided

Imagine this: You’ve built a business empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars, transformed a city’s downtown area, and touched countless lives with your vision and generosity. Then, unexpectedly, you pass away—and nearly five years later, a will you may have created suddenly appears. Meanwhile, your family has been battling creditors, former associates, and mounting […]
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Succession Planning for Small Business Owners: Starting the Conversation You’ve Been Avoiding

Most business owners spend years building their companies with dedication, sacrifice, and endless hours of hard work. You’ve likely poured your heart and soul into creating something meaningful that provides for your family and contributes to your community. But there’s an important question many business owners avoid: what happens to your business when you’re no […]
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Choosing the Right Business Structure: Beyond the Basic LLC

When starting a business, one of the most critical decisions you’ll face is choosing your business structure. While many entrepreneurs automatically gravitate toward forming an LLC (Limited Liability Company), this one-size-fits-all approach might not be optimal for your specific situation. Your choice of entity will affect everything from your tax obligations and personal liability to […]
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The Supreme Court Case All Business Owners Should Know About

You might think Supreme Court cases don’t affect your daily life as a business owner, but think again. The recent decision in a case called Connelly v. United States handed down on June 6, 2024, has far-reaching implications that could hit you right in the wallet. This case fundamentally changes how the IRS values businesses, […]
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How Beneficiary Designations Put Your Family at Risk

You’ve worked hard to build your assets and secure your family’s future. Like many responsible adults, you’ve named beneficiaries on your retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and maybe even your banking and investment accounts. It feels good to know you’ve put something in place for your loved ones.  But here’s the truth many financial advisors, […]
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Why Relying on Legal Templates Instead of Lawyers Will Leave You With a Mess

In the whirlwind of launching your dream business, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and innovation that fuel your days. Amidst this buzz, it’s tempting to look for shortcuts, especially when it comes to the less thrilling aspects of entrepreneurship, like setup of your legal entity, board resolutions, legal agreements, and compliance […]
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