Welcome to Estate of Mind… HWK’s blog focusing on estate matters
Whether you’re new to estate planning or looking to update your current strategies, our blog offers insights, practical advice, and the latest updates to help you make informed decisions. Explore topics ranging from wills and trusts to tax implications and asset protection, all designed to empower you, safeguard your loved ones’ future, and put you into an estate of mind.
Our blog content is not legal advice but rather general information. Please consult with our legal professionals for personalized advice.
New Year’s Eve Trivia
Americans are known for their “work hard, play hard” mindset. On average, we work 1,789 hours per year.[1] However, even with our play-hard mentality, many of us do not stay up to see the ball drop on New Year’s Eve.[2] Less than one-third of Americans plan to either attend or host a New Year’s...
Legal Duties and Support for Family Caregivers
Legal Duties and Support for Family Caregivers: It Is Okay to Ask for Help There are times, like the holiday season, that we think about and prepare for, for much of the year. However, when they arrive, we may still feel unprepared. The holidays serve as a reminder of how quickly life happens. It...
Make Your Estate Planning List and Check It Twice
It Is Time to Make Your Estate Planning List and Check It Twice “He’s making a list. He’s checking it twice. He’s going to find out who’s naughty and nice . . . .”[1] The estate planning process can sometimes be similar to Santa’s process. You decide who should receive your money and property (the...
Wills vs. Trusts
Wills vs. Trusts: A Quick & Simple Reference Guide Confused about the differences between a will and a trust? If so, you are not alone. While it is always wise to contact experts like us, it is also important to understand the basics. Here is a quick and simple reference guide: What a...
Fall Cleanup Checklist
Fall is a time of transition. Depending on where you live and your family’s traditions, the shorter days and cooler temps of autumn could signal that it is time to ditch the short sleeves in favor of long sleeves, pack away the bicycles and tune up the ski equipment, store the lawnmower and test...
Your Estate Planning Football Roster
Your Estate Planning Team Roster Imagined as a Football Squad November is an exciting time in the world of sports. Baseball is fresh off the World Series, the NBA and NHL seasons are starting to hit their stride, and the NFL is at the halfway point as the annual Thanksgiving slate of games...
Transferring Your Season Tickets
What You Need to Know About Transferring Your Season Tickets In many parts of the United States, football is more than a sport—it is a way of life and a passion that we often share across generations. While a fan might pass down their love for an NFL or college football team to family, passing...
Lessons in Estate Planning from Rain Man
Rain Man is one of the most iconic American movies of the 1980s. Starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, it won four Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and was the highest-grossing film of 1988. Although secondary to the main plot, several estate planning threads run through Rain Man,...
Wealth, Legacy, and Family Drama
Wealth, Legacy, and Family Drama: Inside The Descendants Picture this: You are standing on a piece of land that has been in your family for generations and has been handed down through a trust. The land is imbued with memories from your childhood, your children, and family gatherings. You want to...
An Estate Plan Is Your Script to a Lasting Legacy
An estate plan is your script to a lasting legacy. “We are all storytellers, and we are the stories we tell,” wrote American psychologist Dan McAdams. Narrative thinking refers to how we view our own role in the story of our lives. It is a more formal way of describing “main character energy” or...