Your Family Matters Blog

A Not-So-Happy Accident: Bob Ross’s Estate Planning Failures Leave His Son with Next to Nothing—Part 1 As the host of the wildly popular The Joy of Painting TV series on PBS, Bob Ross became a pop-culture icon, who was equally famous for his giant head of hair,...

You are likely well aware of the tax benefits that come from donating to charity during your lifetime—donations to charity are tax-deductible. But you may be surprised to learn about the numerous benefits that are available when incorporating charitable giving in your...

A will or a trust? These are two of the most commonly used estate planning documents, and they form the foundation of most estate plans. While both documents are legal vehicles designed to distribute your assets to your loved ones upon your death, the way in which...

The death of rapper DMX clearly illustrates the risks of poor estate planning. This is part 2 of our series "Legendary Rapper DMX Dies With No Will, Millions in Debt, and 15 Children—Part 2 Legendary hip hop artist DMX—born Earl Simmons—passed away on April 9 at age...

What happens when someone dies without a will leaving family and children with debt? Legendary hip hop artist DMX—born Earl Simmons—passed away on April 9 at age 50 after suffering a massive heart attack a week earlier at his home in White Plains, New York. The heart...

Have you considered estate planning for your pet? It is sad but true that many pets end up in shelters after their owner dies or becomes incapacitated. In fact, the Humane Society estimates that between 100,00 to 500,000 pets are placed in shelters each year for...