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Van Pelt Law is open to serve you

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Covid-19 has brought the value of estate planning to the forefront for many people. Estate planning is not just about who gets your stuff after you pass; it’s about planning for disability too. Please contact me to update or create your estate plan.

During this time, I am offering video and telephonic meetings, as well as limited in-person meetings when legally required. In-person meetings will follow the guidelines from the CDC for physical distancing.

I can be reached at anna@vanpeltlegal.com.

Spring Cleaning: Time to Clean Up Your Estate Planning

Spring Cleaning: Time to Clean Up Your Estate Planning

Your estate plan, like your home, periodically needs a thorough polishing. Your life circumstances are constantly changing, and an estate plan that perfectly met your needs a couple of years ago may now be cluttered with outdated provisions or documents. With spring fast approaching, now is the time to dust off your estate plan to ensure that it will still achieve your goals, as well as to avoid unintended consequences that may arise as a result of divorces, deaths, births, or other changes that have occurred since the last time your plan was reviewed.

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Writing Your Own Obituary as an Addition to Your Estate Plan

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Writing Your Own Obituary as an Addition to Your Estate Plan

An obituary can be much more than just a dry announcement of the time and location of your funeral or memorial service. It can be a way to share your life story, communicating information about significant events and people, as well as important values you would like to impart to others. You do not need to leave this task for grieving family members to do after you pass away: Instead, writing your own obituary can be an important part of your estate planning that you can do today.

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Planning during a pandemic

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Planning during a pandemic

Hi Anna. Everything happening right now really has me thinking I need to get a simple will done right away, just in case. What do I really need? Can you help me with this?

Hi friends! I’ve received many similar emails, texts, and DMs lately, so don’t feel like you are alone if the events of the past few days have you thinking about your own will and plans for your kids, should the unthinkable happen to you. There are three things I want you to know right now…

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National Genealogy Day: Investigate the Past and Impact the Future

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National Genealogy Day: Investigate the Past and Impact the Future

Genealogy has long fascinated many people, and it continues to be studied by those who are interested in discovering who they descended from and what those family members were like. Many of us have gazed at black and white or sepia-tone photos of ancestors whose names we don’t know and wondered about their lives, joys, trials, and accomplishments. Fortunately, today, there are many resources making it much easier to discover information about prior generations of our families.

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Ancillary Probate: When Is It Used, Where It Occurs, and How to Avoid It

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Ancillary Probate: When Is It Used, Where It Occurs, and How to Avoid It

Many people own property in more than one state—perhaps a vacation home in Oregon, a rental property in a former home state, or even a car titled in another state. It is important to think about how that property will be handled as you create an estate plan. It may be necessary for there to be an additional probate proceeding called ancillary probate. Through proper estate planning, however, this result can be made less burdensome or even avoided.

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The Lifetime QTIP Trust (Or How to Maintain Control of Your Estate and Keep Spouse No. 2 Happy)

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The Lifetime QTIP Trust (Or How to Maintain Control of Your Estate and Keep Spouse No. 2 Happy)

Estate planning for couples in a second or subsequent marriage can be tricky, especially if their estates are disproportionate. One solution for allowing the well-to-do spouse to maintain control of their property and wealth--but keep their other spouse happy--is the “Lifetime QTIP Trust.”

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How to Protect Your Great Ideas or Works for Your Family

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How to Protect Your Great Ideas or Works for Your Family

Your money, home, and vehicles are not the only things you should include in your estate plan. Your intellectual property and any income it generates should also be addressed. You do not have to be a famous author, painter, or inventor to have valuable intellectual property that could provide a stream of income for your family members or loved ones after you pass away.

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How to Protect Your Family When You and Your Spouse Work in the Same Business

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How to Protect Your Family When You and Your Spouse Work in the Same Business

You and your spouse live together, you work together, and chances are you spend a lot of your free time together. Having a successful marriage and business takes a lot of hard work and dedication but can also be among the most rewarding things in life. To help keep you on the right track, here are a few tips.