A typical initial consultation with an estate planning lawyer may look like this: you meet, you answer questions about your family and assets, and the lawyer tells you what documents you need – typically a will, trust, health care directive, and power of attorney – and what they will cost. This is a recipe for disaster because this means that the lawyer you are considering hiring is likely not versed in helping you make well-counseled decisions that you fully understand, and does not have a business model in place to support you in choosing what matters to you, and then pricing your planning accordingly. One-size fits all pricing (or hourly billing) for a set of documents is a red flag that you may not be working with the right lawyer on your estate plan.
If you are like most people, you probably assume that when the time comes, someone—your spouse, your children, or maybe a close friend—will be there to take care of you. But the truth is, more Americans than ever are living alone as they age, often without a clear plan for support. According to AARP, more than 16 million adults over 65 now live alone, and 77% report having no plan for living assistance as they age. At the same time, even when family members are nearby, the realities of aging can strain relationships in ways few expect.
October is LGBTQIA+ History Month – a time to reflect on the struggles, resilience, and triumphs of those who paved the way for equality. It’s a month to honor the past while taking steps to protect the future. One of the most powerful ways to do that is by ensuring you have a Life & Legacy Plan that secures your rights, your wishes, and the well-being of the people you love most.
Parenting a child with special needs is an extraordinary journey. It brings moments of joy, pride, and deep love, but also unique challenges that can test your time, energy, and patience. In focusing so much attention on the child who requires extra care, it’s easy—without even realizing it—to overlook the needs of their brothers and sisters.
Losing someone you love reshapes your world in ways you may never expect. Some changes are obvious—you no longer share birthdays, dinners, or conversations. But the harder truth is that grief often weaves itself into the smallest details of daily life. You may notice it when you pour coffee into only one mug, when you pick up the phone and realize there’s no one to answer, or when a memory sneaks into your thoughts during the quietest part of your day. And it can feel unbearable.
My colleague told me a story recently. Her son moved into his first apartment at college and had to go grocery shopping on his own for the first time. After he got back from the store, he called her in disbelief: “Food is so expensive! Can you help me figure out how to meal plan so I can shop strategically?” Her 19-year-old was diving head-first into adulting – and beginning to evaluate his relationship with time and money.
A client once told me she would give anything to hear her grandmother’s voice again. Her grandmother had been the heart of the family—the one who told stories about how she survived the Great Depression and how she fell in love with her husband. But when she passed away, those stories went with her. They had never been written down or recorded, and now an entire chapter of the family’s history was gone forever.
Most entrepreneurs have a love-hate relationship with networking. You know you need it to grow your business, but traditional networking, awkward mixers, forced small talk, and business cards that gather dust often feel like a waste of time. Instead of walking away energized, you leave drained and wondering why you bothered.
