American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Recognized by Money Magazine Again Carolyn Bigda’s article “Rethink Your Legacy” in the June issue of Money Magazine explores the five questions you should be asking regarding your estate. The article recommends the American Academy’s website, www.aaepa.com, as a source to find a qualified estate planning attorney. The Associate Director of Education at the Academy, Steve Hartnett, was also interviewed in the article and lent his expertise to one of the five questions. This is the fifth mention of finding a quality attorney on the American Academy’s members list by Money Magazine in the last 21 issues.
Consumer Reports Recommends American Academy The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys was recommended in the January 2009 Consumer Reports Money Adviser newsletter. The article “How to Avoid Inheritance Feuds” focuses on techniques for avoiding conflict after a loved one passes away. The article recommends using the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys as a source for selecting a qualified estate planning attorney. The article also warned consumers to be explicit in their will in order to avoid disagreements. Other advice included deciding what is fair for each heir versus just dividing assets evenly and to keep everyone in your family informed of decisions beforehand.
Consumer Reports Money Adviser is an independent, non-profit newsletter that offers expert advice.
Click here to find out why our American Academy membership is so important to our firm and the many families we provide guidance to each year.
Money Magazine Recognizes American Academy! In the January 2009 issue of Money Magazine, Walecia Konrad’s article entitled “Keep It In The Family” focuses on making sure the wealth you’ve worked so hard to accumulate will go to the people you love. The article recommends the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys as a source to find an estate planning attorney who can tailor a plan for your situation and address your state rules. It also includes a useful estate planning checklist and valuable tips for putting together a proper estate plan that will safeguard your hard-earned assets from estate taxes, lawsuits and probate. This is the fourth time in 16 issues the American Academy has been recognized. Click here to find out why our American Academy membership is so important to our firm and the many families we provide guidance to each year.
New Book Released! Estate Planning Basics: A Crash Course in Safeguarding Your Legacy Our recent book on estate planning is written specifically with you, the consumer, in mind. It is a comprehensive guide written in simple, easy-to-understand language. The book covers topics such as the differences between Wills and Trusts, holding property in joint tenancy, functions of powers of attorney, maximizing IRA distributions with proper estate planning, and much, much more. After reading this book, you will have the knowledge needed to make an informed decision about getting started on - or updating - your own plan. This is a must have for all families looking to protect their hard-earned assets and pass their legacy on to future generations. The net proceeds will be sent to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
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American Academy Mentioned in Money Magazine! Robert Armstrong, President of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, was interviewed by Money Magazine senior writer Penelope Wang for her article " A Midlife Money Checkup" in the March 2008 Issue. The article was part of the Cover Story "A Boomer's Guide to Financial Freedom" that included multiple articles focusing on financial trends, aging well and other issues Baby Boomers are facing today. This is the third mention of the American Academy of Estate Planning by Money Magazine in the last seven issues. The "Midlife Money Checkup" is a nine-step test that highlights questions Boomer's should be asking themselves at this point in their lives. Mr. Armstrong's expertise in estate planning was highlighted in question five, "Is your estate plan in order?" Make sure you don't have to ask yourself that question by meeting with a qualified attorney.
Kendall Maddox on MyFinancialAdvice.com Kendall is now listed on www.MyFinancialAdvice.com to provide consumers financial advice. There are only about 40 CFPs from around the country listed on this site. To be listed, advisors have to be Certified Financial Planners and pass an extensive background check. The site is exclusively for financial advice and not product sales related.
Attorney Maddox on Channel 6 Kendall Maddox recently participated on Channel 6's Financial Planning Week Hotline Show. The purpose of the show was to introduce the Financial Planning Association and educate callers on the planning process. Viewers called in to get advice on a variety of subjects such as financial and retirement planning.
Attorney Maddox Presents at Continuing Education Workshop Kendall Maddox will be presenting at Lorman's Continuing Education workshop entitled "The 8 Greatest Estate Planning Techniques in Alabama." Attorney Maddox's presentation for the event will be "Living Trusts, Calculating the Benefits." The workshop will be held on Friday, November 30, 2007 at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. Continuing Education Credits will be given. For more information or to register, please call Lorman and Associates at 1-866-352-9539.
American Academy Mentioned in Money Magazine The September issue of Money Magazine has an article entitled,"20 Timeless Money Rules." Rule 17, Exiting Gracefully, is particularly significant because it emphasizes the importance of putting together your estate plan. The recommendation of Money Magazine is that you search for a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys: "To find a lawyer, ask friends and colleagues for recommendations or get referrals online at the website of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys (aaepa.com)." The American Academy is an exclusive membership organization for law firms dedicated to estate planning. We are proud of our Academy membership and pleased to be the only law firm in the greater Birmingham area accepted into this prestigious organization. For more information about why our membership is so important to your family, click here.
Attorney Griffin Chairperson of Elder Law Section Attorney Jennifer Griffin was elected Chairperson of the Elder Law section of the Alabama State Bar Association. The Elder Law section is devoted solely to addressing the elder law issues of Alabama’s older adults. As Chairperson, Attorney Griffin is responsible for researching and writing legal updates for Alabama attorneys and is also in charge of coordinating the annual Elder Law Continuing Legal Education Conference for the State Bar Association. To learn more about Attorney Griffin, click here.
Financial Planners Association Residency Program Kendall W. Maddox of Kendall Maddox & Associates, LLC attended the Financial Planners Association Residency Program held at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. This intense week long program offers training beyond financial analysis and crunching numbers. It goes a step further and trains the participants on how to build strong client relationships.
Tips and Traps of Obtaining Medicaid Eligibility for Nursing Home Care Jennifer Q. Griffin of Kendall Maddox & Associates, LLC has been invited to speak at the Area Agency on Aging Coordinating Council Meeting. This meeting will be held July 6, 2006 at the Birmingham Botanical Garden. It is hosted by the Office of Senior Citizen Services. The topic on which Ms. Griffin will be speaking is “Tips and Traps of Obtaining Medicaid Eligibility for Nursing Home Care.” The meeting is open to the public and will start at 12 noon. Those interested in coming to the meeting and would like to RSVP for a lunch ($7.00), may contact Valerie Childers at 327-7306 or vchilders@adss.state.al.us.
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS A Trust Can Help Protect You from a Financial Crisis This article examines how a trust can help expand the protection on your financial accounts, including those at banks, savings and loans, credit unions, and brokerages.
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS Everyone Needs a Periodic Checkup This article examines how legal and life changes may make it a good idea to consult with your estate planning attorney to ensure that your estate plan continues to achieve your financial and estate planning goals.
CLIENT NEWSLETTERS Your Estate Matters Newsletter, Vol. 14.1
Articles included in this issue:
EDUCATIONAL ALERTS Turbulent Economic Times Can Lead to Estate Planning OpportunitiesThis article examines several ways to take advantage of the current economic conditions, from an estate planning perspective. Historically low interest rates combined with depressed asset values make many strategies more effective. The article explains how these challenging economic times can work to your client's benefit.
EDUCATIONAL FYIs Article on Family CaregiversThe Sunday, September 9, 2007 issue of Parade magazine contains an article by Gail Sheehy on family caregiving. It will recount some of her own experiences as a spousal caregiver to her husband.
Critical New Privacy Regulations Impact You and Every Member of Your Family In April 2003 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued final regulations regarding the privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly known as "HIPAA."
