Estate Planning for the GLBT Community Guidance and assistance with Living Trusts, Health Care Powers of Attorney, and Asset Distribution.
American Academy Mentioned in Money Magazine! Robert Armstrong, President of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, was interviewed by Money Magazine senior writer Penelope Wang for her article " A Midlife Money Checkup" in the March 2008 Issue. The article was part of the Cover Story "A Boomer's Guide to Financial Freedom" that included multiple articles focusing on financial trends, aging well and other issues Baby Boomers are facing today. This is the third mention of the American Academy of Estate Planning by Money Magazine in the last seven issues. The "Midlife Money Checkup" is a nine-step test that highlights questions Boomer's should be asking themselves at this point in their lives. Mr. Armstrong's expertise in estate planning was highlighted in question five, "Is your estate plan in order?" Make sure you don't have to ask yourself that question by meeting with a qualified attorney.
American Academy Mentioned in Money Magazine The September issue of Money Magazine has an article entitled,"20 Timeless Money Rules." Rule 17, Exiting Gracefully, is particularly significant because it emphasizes the importance of putting together your estate plan. The recommendation of Money Magazine is that you search for a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys: "To find a lawyer, ask friends and colleagues for recommendations or get referrals online at the website of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys (aaepa.com)." The American Academy is an exclusive membership organization for law firms dedicated to estate planning. We are proud of our Academy membership and pleased to be one of only two law firms in the state of Wisconsin accepted into this prestigious organization. For more information about why our membership is so important to your family, click here.
Basic Planning for Unexpected Tragedy None of us ever expects tragedy. Some of us plan in case it strikes us. But we never really expect it to happen to us. But, on February 25, 1990, tragedy struck Terri Schiavo and her family. At 26, Terri was a woman in the prime of her life enjoying a beautiful day in Florida. However, on that fateful day Terri’s heart inexplicably stopped beating. She became comatose and unable to communicate.
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Family Torn Apart by Simple Oversight On December 3, 1963, Mary and Robert Schindler gave birth to a wonderful baby girl, Theresa Marie. Terri grew up in Pennsylvania and had a typical childhood playing with her brother and sister and the family pets. As a teenager, she loved music and did artistic sketches. In November 1984, just shy of her twenty-first birthday, Terri married Michael Schiavo. Terri seemed to have everything going for her. At age twenty-nine, Terri was living in Florida with her husband and had a job she liked.
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS Protecting Your Children from Their Nightmares…and YoursThe article examines statistics regarding divorce in America and how to protect your children from divorce. It examines setting up a divorce protection trust for them as well as using a marital trust for second marriages for your own assets.
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS What Happens in My Initial Estate Planning Consultation?This article describes what happens in the initial estate planning consultation, including the questions asked, the discussion of goals, etc. The article also references a CNNfn segment that talked about the importance of stringent continuing education requirements, like those of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.
EDUCATIONAL ALERTS Potential Changes to Medicaid Laws May Warrant Taking Action NowThis article addresses many of the proposals being set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services Commission and the National Governor's Association for Medicaid Reform. Many of these proposals will change the manner in which Medicaid planning will be done in the future and how your clients may want to accelerate their planning before any changes are made.
EDUCATIONAL FYIs Greenspan Rejects Estate Tax RepealOn June 21, 2005, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testified before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, during which time he reiterated his opposition to tax-cut proposals that increase the deficit and made clear that this opposition applies to proposals that repeal or drastically reduce the estate tax without fully offsetting the costs.