This blog has been in a series on Estate Planning 101 for some time. One of the reasons for that focus is that Estate Planning is such an important topic.  Another reason is that so many clients and others I meet … more

In this blog, we have been on an Estate Planning 101 series for some time. The recent focus of that broad series shifted into another sub-series in recent weeks: using the timely and newsworthy example of Aretha Franklin to discuss … more

If you die without a will (or a trust or other estate planning) like Aretha Franklin, you may lose the opportunity to nominate a guardian for your minor children. Guardianship Overview A minor is someone under the age of majority … more

On occasion, whether by design or in response to schedule issues, I will take one or more of my kids to a routine hearing or other work event.  It is usually fun, and most people at the courthouse, or wherever we go, enjoy seeing … more

Next Tuesday, November 6, is Election Day in the 2018 Midterm Elections.  In Oklahoma, this includes an election for Governor – as well as numerous election and retention decisions for members of all three branches of government. If you are registered to … more

If you die without a will (or a trust or other estate planning) like Aretha Franklin, you may lose opportunities to save on taxes. Estate Taxes The estate tax is basically a tax on gifts a person makes in life … more

The prior blog post made this main point: if you die without a will (or a trust or other estate planning) like Aretha Franklin, you will not ultimately control who your property passes to at death. This blog post focuses … more

If you die without a will (or a trust or other estate planning) like Aretha Franklin, one main consequence is that you will not ultimately control who your property passes to at death. An estate plan consisting of a will … more

The Queen of Soul had a voice that was super human.  And that is probably understating it. But she may have shared a very common human trait with most of us: a tendency to put off planning for the future – including getting a … more

If you live in Guymon or the Oklahoma Panhandle area, one good way of getting more involved in the community is the Guymon Chamber of Commerce. For example, I am currently a member of the Guymon Ambassadors, which is part … more