It wasn't until my husband and I decided to hire a financial planner that we discovered how disorganized our records really were. Of course, we waited to the last minute to pull together all the ...

While most adults know they should have a will or trust, few realize they also should have a companion document known as a letter of instruction. This letter can help organize their own finances, ease ...

I have frequently written about letters of intent as a means for parents of disabled children to pass on information regarding their instructions if the parent dies. See “Parents of Disabled Children ...

Q: My brother in law told me that in addition to a will, I should have something called a letter of instruction? Exactly what is this? A: If you're old enough to think in practical terms about ...

When you draft an estate plan, the centerpiece is your will or living trust. Such a document determines who gets what, where, when and how, as well as tying up the loose ends of your estate. A valid ...

In addition to the various legal documents included in an elder law estate plan, an informal document referred to as a letter of instruction (LOI) is commonly used to convey advice, desires and ...

Several years ago, a longtime client of mine passed away and left everything to the stepmother of his children. The children were not nearly as concerned about the wife receiving financial assets as ...