A Will cannot name the beneficiaries of your IRA. Or your 401(k). Or your SEP or Simple retirement plan. THIS POST IS VERY IMPORTANT. PLEASE READ. If you only remember one thing from reading our blog, I hope it is this post. Because it can save thousands in income taxes. This post applies only to […]
Posts by Joy Gothard
What a Will CanNOT Do. Part II.
A will cannot change the fact that property you own jointly with your spouse will go to your spouse when you die. That’s the law in Tennessee. It’s called a “tenancy by the entirety”. There’s no “my half” and “your half”…it’s going to pass 100% to the surviving spouse. And this little fact is what […]
What a Will CanNOT Do. Part I.
A Will cannot change the beneficiary of a life insurance policy. This is one of those simple rules that a lot of people overlook…or they just assume that when they get that fancy “witnessed and notarized” Will in their hands that all is well. Not so fast. When you buy a life insurance policy, you […]
“IS LEGALZOOM GOOD?” or…“How to guarantee that you will be in court for years.”
I am a huge fan of the DIY movement. I have a Pinterest account with boards on all kinds of things. It’s like electronic hoarding. But when it comes to important things, like root canals, rewiring my office, or protecting my life savings, I leave it to the experts. I am a big proponent of […]
I have a Prenup—What about the nursing home?
In our practice, we see many folks who have found love for the second (or third) time. Because they were really burned in a divorce, or more often because they simply want to protect their children, a prenuptial agreement (“prenup”) is discussed. A properly prepared prenup (with full disclosure by both parties of all assets, […]
The Stepmother from Hell
I am a stepmother. My stepdaughter, who I refer to as my daughter, is Brittany. She is the greatest stepdaughter you could ever ask for. She has a heart of gold and pure love. She has given us two precious grandchildren. I think our relationship is not the norm. And that makes me happy. The […]