Marriage is more than just the joining of two people; it's also about merging lives and assets. Estate planning might not sound romantic, but it's essential for securing your future together. The Power of Partnership: Marriage involves shared responsibilities, including financial and legal matters. Estate planning helps create a joint financial roadmap, protecting each other's… Continue reading Marriage and Estate Planning: Securing Your Future Together
Estate planning has officially entered the digital era in Oklahoma! The Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act (UEEPDA), effective November 1, 2024, brings a modern twist to traditional estate planning. For individuals and families alike, this means more convenience, efficiency, and flexibility in creating and managing key documents like wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.… Continue reading Embracing the Digital Age: Oklahoma’s Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act
Navigating end-of-life decisions can be incredibly challenging, especially when it comes to understanding the distinctions between a "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) Order and an Advance Directive. What is a DNR? Emergency medical service professionals are required to administer life-sustaining treatments like CPR to patients. However, a do-not resuscitate order says that if your hearts stop… Continue reading DNR vs Advance Directive: Understanding End-of-Life Choices
Common Law Marriage Common law marriage, also known as an informal marriage, is a legally recognized marriage between two people who have not obtained a marriage license or held a formal ceremony. Not every state recognizes common law marriage as a valid and legal form of marriage, so a couple desiring to enter into a… Continue reading Common Law Marriage and Probate
Choosing to establish a Trust for your family is an important decision that requires a bit of planning and time. You have to understand why it is important to open a trust to protect you and your family's future, you have to decide if you have sufficient assets that warrants opening a trust, and you… Continue reading Why Should I Get A Trust?
In 2021, the Oklahoma Uniform Power of Attorney Act went in effect, inadvertently repealing the Oklahoma statutory provisions allowing for the execution of a durable power of attorney for healthcare decisions. However, this past Oklahoma legislative session saw the resurgence of Oklahoma's healthcare power of attorney provisions. Senate Bill 1596, also known as the Oklahoma… Continue reading Oklahoma’s New Healthcare Power of Attorney. What You Need to Know
Passed by the legislature in the spring, House Bill 2548 established Oklahoma's new Uniform Power of Attorney act and went into effect on November 1st under Title 58. This act, which provides for more uniform power of attorney documents from state-to-state, mostly focuses on the financial power of attorney. Unfortunately though, through some drafting oversight, the… Continue reading What are these new change to Oklahoma’s power of attorney laws?
As most of you will be aware, the virus called COVID-19 or "coronavirus" has changed our everyday lives during this time. As of this post, more than 340,000 people in the United States have tested positive for the virus, and it has cause around 9500 deaths. Around the country, including in Oklahoma, courts are shut… Continue reading Estate Planning in time of COVID-19
Most of our clients come to us to help make their loved ones' lives easier - not more difficult. Many people will come in wanting a very simple estate plan because of the cost or because they believe their estate is not large enough to cause anyone any issues. However, often, very simple estate plans… Continue reading As your life changes, so should your estate plan.
Estate planning is not just for after you pass away, it can also be very important for when you become ill or incapacitated during your life. The attorney at the Skillern Law Firm can assist with the creation of a comprehensive incapacity plan, as well as your estate planning for when you are gone. It… Continue reading Ways to Plan for Incapacity & Why It Is Important.
