Michigan Estate Planning Blog

Estate Planning for Blended Families

Today, a blended family is more common than ever, with stepfamily members, half-siblings, former spouses, new spouses and every combination of parents, children and partners imaginable.

Traditional estate planning, including wills and non-probate tools like transfer on death (TOD) documents, as valuable as they are, may not be enough for the blended family, advises a recent article titled “Legal-Ease: Hers, his and ours—blended family estate planning” from limaohio.com.

Not too long ago, when most people didn’t take advantage of the power of trusts, couples often went for estate plans with “mirror” wills, even those with children from prior marriages. Their wills basically said each spouse would leave the other spouse everything. This will would be accompanied by a contract stating neither would change their will for the rest of their lives. If there was a subsequent marriage after one spouse passed, this led to problems for the new couple, since the surviving spouse was legally bound not to change their will.

As an illustration, Bob has three children from his first marriage and Sue has two kids from her first marriage. They marry and have two children of their own. Their wills stipulate they’ll leave each other everything when the first one dies. There may have been some specific language about what would happen to the children from the first marriages, but just as likely this would not have been addressed.

It sounds practical enough, but in this situation, the children from the first spouse to die were at risk of being disinherited, unless plans were made for them to inherit from their biological parent.

Todays’ blended family benefits from the use of trusts, which are designed to protect each spouse, their children and any child or children they have together. There are a number of different kinds of trusts for use by spouses only to protect children and surviving spouses.

Trust law requires the trustee—the person who is in charge of administering the trust—to give a copy of the trust to each beneficiary. The trustee is also required to provide updates to beneficiaries about the assets in the trust.

A surviving spouse will most likely serve as the trustee when the first spouse passes and will have a legal responsibility to honor the shared wishes of the first spouse to pass.

Your estate planning attorney will be able to explain the many different types of spousal trusts, and which is best for your situation.

Reference: limaohio.com (Aug. 20, 2022) “Legal-Ease: Hers, his and ours—blended family estate planning”

What Does a Blended Family Need to Know about Finances?

Family finances can be a big issue in any circumstances. It’s even more significant with blended families, where two sets of often well-established financial histories and philosophies try to merge into one.

Kiplinger’s recent article entitled “Yours, Mine and Ours: A Checklist for Blended Family Finances” says that a blended family is one where people have remarried, either after a divorce or the death of a spouse. Sometimes it’s older couples already in retirement. In other cases, it’s a younger couple still trying to raise children.

However, regardless of the specifics of any individual situation, when families blend, so do their finances. That is when things can get problematic, if careful planning and communication don’t occur.

Here are a few things to consider:

Money habits. People are raised with different ideas about money. They’re influenced by their parents or by the circumstances of their formative years. Some people are exceptionally frugal and save every penny and seldom, if ever, splurge on something just for fun. Others spend with reckless abandon, unconcerned about the unexpected expenses that life can throw at them at any moment.
Many people are somewhere in between these extremes. If you are entering a serious relationship, you should speak to your new partner about how each of you approaches spending money.

Financial accounts and bills. Once you learn each other’s financial philosophy, you will have decisions to make. These include whether to blend your financial accounts or keep them separate. If the two of you are closely aligned with your finances and how you approach spending, you may want to simply combine everything. If you’re older, have adult children from prior relationships and are more financially established, you may decide to keep things separate.

For many, a hybrid approach may be best — keep some things separate, but have common savings, investments and household accounts to reach your blended goals.

Family. When there are children from a prior marriage — especially young children — additional financial situations will need to be addressed. Issues of child support and how it fits into the overall budget is one concern, as is the status of college funding for the children.

Talk to an experienced estate planning attorney to make sure you have the plans for your blended family set up the way you wish.

Reference: Kiplinger (June 27, 2022) “Yours, Mine and Ours: A Checklist for Blended Family Finances”

Do I Have to Give My Husband’s Children from First Marriage Anything When He Dies?”

 

This is a common question with second (or third marriages) and blended families. Questions frequently arise about Social Security, investments and savings, when the husband is divorced from the children’s mother and is paying child support until each child turns 18.
Nj.com’s recent article entitled “Are my husband’s kids from another marriage due assets when he dies?” says that these questions demonstrate why estate planning is critical to revisit after a divorce. You can take action to make certain that you’re taken care of, but if you don’t do this at the time of the divorce, it could be too late.
Let’s look at what you should know about beneficiaries and wills. First, beneficiary designations supersede a will. Make sure that all beneficiaries and contingent beneficiaries are consistent with your wishes. There are beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, pensions, life insurance policies, annuities and other accounts that take precedence over what may be stated in a will.
While New Jersey does not provide for beneficiary designations on certain assets like a house, vehicles, and real estate, many other states do. For assets without a beneficiary, it’s important to determine the way in which they’re titled.
The titling of assets has an effect on how the assets will be distributed after death. Thus, when married again, spouses should review and update their wills to have an idea of how a spouse’s estate would be disbursed at his or her death.
If a husband is paying child support, divorce decrees will often dictate that he purchase life insurance to cover that obligation upon his death. Therefore, there may be a life insurance policy for the children from a first marriage.
With Social Security, if a spouse remains unmarried after the spouse’s death, he or she can claim a survivor spousal benefit as early as age 60, and if he or she is caring for the spouse’s children from the first marriage who are under 16 years of age, he or she may be entitled to receive a payment earlier. The deceased spouse’s unmarried children can also claim a survivor benefit until age 18, or longer if in high school or disabled.
Reference: nj.com (Aug. 4, 2021) “Are my husband’s kids from another marriage due assets when he dies?”

How Do I Avoid Estate Planning Mistakes with a Blended Family?

The Wealth Advisor’s recent article entitled “Remarried With Children? 5 Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid” says that you can’t guarantee that everyone in the blended family will be happy with the arrangements you’ve made with a second marriage.
Mistake #1: Failing to change beneficiaries. With a beneficiary designation, the money passes directly to your intended beneficiary without probate. Look at all of your financial accounts to be certain that your spouse is designated the beneficiary if that's what you want. Plus, check your life insurance beneficiaries because these payouts also bypass probate.
Mistake #2: Failing to update your last will. Your last will determines much of who gets the assets you and your spouse accumulated during your lifetimes. You probably don't want your ex-spouse to get these. People on their second marriage frequently decide that the surviving spouse gets all the assets; upon the death of the second spouse, the remaining assets will be divided evenly among all of the children. There are ways to make that happen, but it takes very special legal planning.
Mistake #3: Treating all heirs equally. Most spouses aren't financial equals when they marry, and this is particularly so in second marriages. If your new spouse moves into your house, for example, you may want your children to get the proceeds when it’s sold, not your spouse or your spouse's children. There are many reasons why parents don't treat children equally, including when there’s a child who’s disabled or has special needs. A child may also suffer from an addiction and require a trust that provides stipends at regular intervals to the beneficiary and deters creditors from getting money in the trust.
Mistake #4: Failing to give while you’re still alive. If you're planning to leave money to your kids, you might think about giving it to them now. You can give up to $15,000 per person without having to pay the federal gift tax or deal with the IRS. Plus, your spouse may also give the same amount.
Mistake #5: Failing to work with an experienced estate planning attorney. If you're older and on your second marriage, your life is probably complex with ex-spouses and children and stepchildren. Blended families and comingled assets make things complicated, as does a child with special needs or an aging parent. An experienced estate planning attorney can work through all of your issues and make sure you have the best and most comprehensive plan for your circumstances.
Reference: The Wealth Advisor (July 12, 2021) “Remarried With Children? 5 Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid”

Blending Families, Blending Finances

You might say a family is simply greater than the sum of its parts. This calculus is no less true for a blended family, than for a traditional family. On the other hand, there are so many more parts, moving pieces, and (with childhood Christmas presents coming to mind) possible choking hazards.

Blended families, however loving, oftentimes have more than a few things to address when it comes to financial and estate planning.

Indeed, the challenges faced by the blended family are frequently discussed in professional financial and legal circles. In part, this is because blended families are the new normal. If your family is “blended,” then it is only prudent to consider any tips regarding common challenges you may face.

In that spirit, you will want to read a recent article from Daily Finance titled “Blended-Family Finance: Tips Every Modern 'Brady Bunch' Should Consider.”

[Food for thought: we are coming up on 50 years since the Brady Bunch debut, and we are still learning family lessons from that show.]

While so much of “blended family” planning depends on your own unique blended family, it never hurts to learn from the experiences of others similarly situated. Here are some of the lessons gleaned and shared in the article:

• Agree on roles and responsibilities.
• Discuss your philosophies on saving, spending and investing.
• Establish some mutual financial goals.
• Protect your future.

In addition, you will want to read the pointers shared in the article when it comes to “taxes and estate planning.”

In the end, the only way to have a successful blended family is to plan appropriately once you are all in.

Reference: Daily Finance (November 5, 2013) “Blended-Family Finance: Tips Every Modern 'Brady Bunch' Should Consider”

For more information, see www.jerryreiflawyer.com

 

Blending Families, Blending Finances

You might say a family is simply greater than the sum of its parts. This calculus is no less true for a blended family, than for a traditional family. On the other hand, there are so many more parts, moving pieces, and (with childhood Christmas presents coming to mind) possible choking hazards. Blended families, however loving, oftentimes have more than a few things to address when it comes to financial and estate planning. Indeed, the challenges faced by the blended family are frequently discussed in professional financial and legal circles. In part, this is because blended families are the new normal. If your family is “blended,” then it is only prudent to consider any tips regarding common challenges you may face. In that spirit, you will want to read a recent article from Daily Finance titled “Blended-Family Finance: Tips Every Modern 'Brady Bunch' Should Consider.” [Food for thought: we are coming up on 50 years since the Brady Bunch debut, and we are still learning family lessons from that show.] While so much of “blended family” planning depends on your own unique blended family, it never hurts to learn from the experiences of others similarly situated. Here are some of the lessons gleaned and shared in the article: • Agree on roles and responsibilities. • Discuss your philosophies on saving, spending and investing. • Establish some mutual financial goals. • Protect your future. In addition, you will want to read the pointers shared in the article when it comes to “taxes and estate planning.” In the end, the only way to have a successful blended family is to plan appropriately once you are all in.

Reference: Daily Finance (November 5, 2013) “Blended-Family Finance: Tips Every Modern 'Brady Bunch' Should Consider”

For more information, see www.jerryreiflawyer.com

Elderly Parents – Blended Family Challenges Saginaw, Michigan

Let’s face it – the modern family structure can get complicated. While “family” can make good material for divorce courts and sitcoms alike, it’s also becoming clear that there is a new family crisis brewing in elder care within blended families. This topic was taken up in a recent article in the New Old Age Blog titled “In Blended Families, Responsibility Blurs.” When it’s just parents and just the kids born from those parents, caring for elderly parents can be difficult enough. Generally, most families assume that the adult children can work things out to take care of their elderly parents. In a blended family, however, and especially in one where the parents of those adult children have remarried late in life, the boundaries can get blurry. Moral decisions once clear become blurry. With elderly parents in such situations, there oftentimes are changes in relationships for the worse that can lead to petty angers which further add to complications. Remember, every family requires ongoing communication and shared understandings to make a family run smoothly. Easier said than done. Nevertheless, you owe it to yourself and to your loved ones to come to that point. The original article has so much more to say on this topic, with a first-hand account that is all too familiar to many. Here is an important takeaway: the coming generations of elderly persons are more likely to be in a blended family, so be prepared now for the challenges that may affect you and those you love.

Reference: The New York Times – The New Old Age Blog (February 5, 2013) “In Blended Families, Responsibility Blurs”

For more information, see www.jerryreiflawyer.com

 

Blended Family Estate Planning – Practical Pointers Saginaw, Michigan

So-called “blended” families – a mixture of children and parents of various marriages and biological/legal relationships – have quickly become commonplace. If your family is blended, be mindful of the attending complexities when planning your estate. Granted, every family is unique. So it is with blended families. Some are created early in life and others are formed later in life. One or both spouses may be widowed or divorced, even multiple times with multiple “sets” of children from prior relationships. As you can see, the family dynamics alone can get complicated very quickly. Who will inherit what, when will they inherit and who will control the inheritance? When inheritance issues are added to the other family dynamics, everything can explode like nitro and glycerin shaken together. The Poughkeepsie Journal recently considered this topic in an article titled “Plan estate carefully for blended family.” As you imagine, communication is key. Blended families who are open and share at least the general contours of their estate plans have fewer problems. That noted, however, you know your family members best. For example, which children or in-laws are most likely to become outlaws? Consider including provisions in your estate plan that discourage troublemakers from challenging your wishes. Regardless, estate planning is not a do-it-yourself project. This especially is true when making estate plans for a blended family.

Reference: The Poughkeepsie Journal (February 23, 2013) “Plan estate carefully for blended family”

For more information, see www.jerryreirlawyer.com

 

Have a Blended Family? Consider a Trust to Protect Your Children Saginaw Michigan

Entering into a second marriage (or more) results in what we call a blended family, because ultimately you are blending one family with another and a new dynamic is created. Blended families are very common in modern life, and with these new families come sticky planning situations for children from the prior marriage. If you and your family have come together in a different way, then it simply makes sense for you to plan in a different way. Financial Advisor recently took up the issues facing a specific type of blended family – one created when a senior widower remarries. The role of the widower is statistically proven to be one of the most likely to give rise to challenging situations. More than 60 percent of men (compared to less than 20 percent of women) are involved in a new romance or remarried within two years of the passing of their first spouse. What many fail to recognize is that a new set of legal arrangements automatically apply upon remarriage, the implications of which may conflict with previously agreed upon intentions. Proper estate planning can eliminate, or at least mitigate, these unintended consequences. Of course, as Financial Advisor states, the revocable trust “may be a widow’s best friend.” A trust arrangement can put legal muscle behind your intentions and ensure they are carried out as you plan. If you or a loved one is entering into a blended family, consider protecting any assets and rights from the beginning. A revocable living trust is a great tool to use for your piece of mind as you create a new family dynamic.

Reference: Financial Advisor
(October 16, 2012) “A Trust May Be A Widower's Best Friend”

For more information, see www.jerryreiflawyer.com

 

Have a Blended Family? Consider a Trust to Protect Your Children Saginaw Michigan

Entering into a second marriage (or more) results in what we call a blended family, because ultimately you are blending one family with another and a new dynamic is created. Blended families are very common in modern life, and with these new families come sticky planning situations for children from the prior marriage. If you and your family have come together in a different way, then it simply makes sense for you to plan in a different way. Financial Advisor recently took up the issues facing a specific type of blended family – one created when a senior widower remarries. The role of the widower is statistically proven to be one of the most likely to give rise to challenging situations. More than 60 percent of men (compared to less than 20 percent of women) are involved in a new romance or remarried within two years of the passing of their first spouse. What many fail to recognize is that a new set of legal arrangements automatically apply upon remarriage, the implications of which may conflict with previously agreed upon intentions. Proper estate planning can eliminate, or at least mitigate, these unintended consequences. Of course, as Financial Advisor states, the revocable trust “may be a widow’s best friend.” A trust arrangement can put legal muscle behind your intentions and ensure they are carried out as you plan. If you or a loved one is entering into a blended family, consider protecting any assets and rights from the beginning. A revocable living trust is a great tool to use for your piece of mind as you create a new family dynamic.

Reference: Financial
Advisor (October 16, 2012) “A Trust May Be A Widower's Best Friend

For more information see www.jerryreiflawyer.com

 

ESTATE PLANNING / REMARRIAGE & BLENDED FAMILIES

There is an unfortunate myth that some people still believe about estate planning. Some people think that with the federal estate tax exemption at $5 million for a single person and $10 million for a married couple, they are “out of the woods” in terms of federal estate taxes and so do not need an estate plan. That is a myth. Even if you don’t have estate taxes to worry about (now), you could have plenty of estate issues to deal with – especially if you are part of a Blended Family. The Chicago Tribune recently highlighted just a few of the “wrinkles” that could complicate estate planning for those in second marriages. Consider a few of the potential complications: • Non-Citizen Spouse – Let’s say you have children from a previous marriage, and you marry someone who isn’t a U.S. citizen. Beyond the “traditional” hurdles regarding estate taxes and non-citizens, you may have to deal with another complication. What if your non-citizen spouse leaves the country? What will happen to the estate assets you had intended to leave to your children? Consider a qualified domestic trust with an independent trustee overseeing the assets. • Much Younger Spouse – Another type of trust often used in second-marriage situations is a qualified terminable interest trust (also known as a QTIP), which allows a spouse to receive income and distributions from a trust until their death, when the remainder goes to other heirs. But, if your spouse is much younger than you, that could be a very long time, and the underlying assets of the trust could be exhausted – leaving nothing for your children. In these situations, you may want to consider properly owned life insurance with your children as beneficiaries. These are just two of the many ways that life can complicate your estate planning needs, regardless the state of the estate tax

Potential Portability Problems

Much ado has been made about the new power in estate planning known as “portability,” and for good reason. Nevertheless, it’s also prudent never to put all your eggs in one basket. So it is with the matter of estate tax exemption portabilility. I’ve written previous blog posts regarding some of those issues, like when the Journal of Financial Planning upheld the credit-shelter trust over “portability”, but a recent Bloomberg article gives renewed emphasis and food for thought. As you may know, “portability” is the new ability for a deceased spouse to transfer their unused gift and estate tax exemption amount to their surviving spouse. Provided all the required paperwork is timely filed with the IRS, that effectively allows a married couple to exempt an astounding $10 million from federal taxes for their loved ones without the use of trusts or legal devices. Bloomberg suggests that it is better to think of portability as a “safety valve” for married couples, especially those whose assets would be entirely covered by the doubled exemption, but not something to be relied upon. The biggest limitation, for one, is that portability exists at the whim of lawmakers. After the budget showdown last December, existence of portability is only guaranteed until the end of 2012 (if that, Congress being the politically fickle animal that it is). But there is another important caveat Bloomberg touches upon that is worth mentioning. Portability is a power that exists between spouses, but in a world of shifting marriages, divorces, and remarriages that also creates strange limitations. Portability only applies to the last deceased spouse. Accordingly, if a widow remarries, then they could potentially lose that massive exemption (even after their own estate has doubled, creating an estate tax liability). Indeed, if portability isn’t lost and if the widow’s new spouse predeceases after using their own exemption by gifting, then the widow’s estate is in the same tricky situation. Portability is a wonderful tool to consider, but clearly, too, it is a difficult one with which to make long-term estate tax plans. More information and ideas about trusts can be found in those articles, and of course the best resource is your own legal counsel.

Reference: Bloomberg (August 16, 2011) “Wealthy Take Estate-Tax Exemptions Beyond Grave Until 2013”

ESTATE PLANNING / SOCIAL SECURITY

When should you start taking your Social Security benefits? The current common advice is to wait as long as possible, in order to maximize your eventual monthly benefit. In fact, AARP recently launched a new online calculator to help you decide when to start taking benefits … and it clearly illustrates the benefits to claiming later. The calculator is a useful tool, and worth checking out, but as Reuters Wealth points out, the calculator is not totally neutral, and lacks advanced features that could allow you to estimate more complex situations. For example, the AARP calculator does not allow you to figure out when you should start benefits if you are no longer working and have to weigh savings withdrawals against starting benefits. It also won’t allow you to figure the tax impact of your decisions, which can be sizable. Further, it really does not allow you to compare the outcome of various scenarios in which you and your spouse choose different start dates to coordinate benefits. For those types of complex calculations, you probably will still want to consult with a professional who can help identify issues pertinent to your unique situation. Other websites with helpful calculators include: • Should you Start Social Security Early • Break-Even Calculator • Social Security Administration. Reference: Reuters Wealth – (July 12, 2011) “Now or Later? AARP’s new Social Security Calculator?”

ELDER LAW / ELDER ABUSE

Elder financial abuse continues to the “Crime of the 21st Century,” according to a recently published MetLife study on the financial abuse of the elderly, “The MetLife Study of Elder Financial Abuse: Crimes of Occasion, Desperation, and Predation Against America’s Elders.” The study shows that elder financial abuse falls into three types of crimes: occasion, desperation and predation. Additionally the vulnerabilities of aging increase the risk of elder financial abuse, and there is a continued lack of focus (and prosecution) on the perpetrator. Elder Americans are now estimated to lose $2.9 billion every year, with significant patterns in the nature of these abuses. Most cases of abuse, 51 percent, are perpetrated by strangers, with close family and friends accounting for 34 percent. Crimes classified as “scams” committed by strangers accounted for 28 percent of all financial abuses, business-related exploits made up 12 percent, and Medicare and Medicaid fraud amounted to the most loss per case but only accounted for 4 percent of total cases. The most common perpetrator was likely to be a man between ages 30 and 59. When family or friends were involved, the study found that most cases involved forged checks, stolen credit cards, drained bank accounts, and transferred assets. The most common victims are women, who are twice as likely to be financially abused as men, especially in their 80’s. Most cases found that it was when the victim’s disabilities were outwardly apparent due to the use of a cane, handicap tags, or simple confusion, but those living alone and in need of health care or home maintenance also are at risk. The Elder Justice Act became law on March 23, 2010, and has significantly raised the national focus on elder financial abuse. Provisions of the Act are outlined in the study, which you can download here. Two of the provisions include required immediate reporting to law enforcement of crimes in a long-term care facility and civil monetary penalties for failure to report and a provision for penalties for long-term care facilities that retaliate against an employee for filing a complaint against or reporting a long-term care facility that violates reporting requirements.

Reference: Metlife.com (June, 2011) “The MetLife Study of Elder Financial Abuse: Crimes of Occasion, Desperation, and Predation Against America’s Elders” (study publication)

 

SMALL BUSINESS / PATENT LAW

Depending on who you follow, Congress has either delivered a great gift to entrepreneurs and inventors, or shackled them with a terrible handicap: the House last week passed legislation to overhaul the U.S. patent system for the first time in 60 years, making the effort one step away from being put before President Obama’s executive pen.

As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the House managed a bipartisan maneuver with more than two-thirds of lawmakers from each party supporting the “America Invents Act,” passing it on a 304-117 vote. The overhaul essentially breaks down into two big changes. Firstly, it revises the way that the patent office handles its funding and fees. Under the new law, since the office supports itself on the basis of its fees, it therefore gets to keep all of its fees as budget, rather than have them siphoned off by Congress (note here that as much as $800 million has been diverted to other programs over the past 20 years.) The hope is that the money will help clean up the staggering backlog of some 700,000 applications.

The second change, of greater importance to the small business owner and entrepreneur, is the move from a “first-to-invent” system to “first-to-file.” Here is the blessing and the curse. If your patent is challenged, proving that you were the first to invent can involve drawn-out and expensive legal battles. For the up-and-coming inventor whose very business might rely on that patent, the legal squabble is often too much for them, where a conglomerate can absorb the drain with ease in a battle of attrition. Of course, on the other side of things that legal battle is often the only tool the entrepreneur/inventor has; it is his sling to wield against Goliath.  What happens when big business can simply move quicker with an entrepreneur’s ideas?

The Senate has passed a similar bill and so the final matter at hand is to reconcile the two before passing it up to the Executive branch. President Obama has already pledged his support for overhaul.

Reference:  The Wall Street Journal Online (June 24, 2011) “Patent-Overhaul Bill Clears House

ESTATE PLANNING / REMARRIAGE & BLENDED FAMILIES

There is an unfortunate myth that some people still believe about estate planning. Some people think that with the federal estate tax exemption at $5 million for a single person and $10 million for a married couple, they are “out of the woods” in terms of federal estate taxes and so do not need an estate plan. That is a myth. Even if you don’t have estate taxes to worry about (now), you could have plenty of estate issues to deal with – especially if you are part of a Blended Family. The Chicago Tribune recently highlighted just a few of the “wrinkles” that could complicate estate planning for those in second marriages. Consider a few of the potential complications: • Non-Citizen Spouse – Let’s say you have children from a previous marriage, and you marry someone who isn’t a U.S. citizen. Beyond the “traditional” hurdles regarding estate taxes and non-citizens, you may have to deal with another complication. What if your non-citizen spouse leaves the country? What will happen to the estate assets you had intended to leave to your children? Consider a qualified domestic trust with an independent trustee overseeing the assets. • Much Younger Spouse – Another type of trust often used in second-marriage situations is a qualified terminable interest trust (also known as a QTIP), which allows a spouse to receive income and distributions from a trust until their death, when the remainder goes to other heirs. But, if your spouse is much younger than you, that could be a very long time, and the underlying assets of the trust could be exhausted – leaving nothing for your children. In these situations, you may want to consider properly owned life insurance with your children as beneficiaries. These are just two of the many ways that life can complicate your estate planning needs, regardless the state of the estate tax. To learn more about fundamental estate planning, visit our website and be sure to subscribe to our free monthly estate planning e-newsletter Link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sc-cons-0512-journey-20110513,0,4296535.story From The Chicago Tribune (May 13, 2011) “Your Circumstances Can Complicate Estate Planning