Matthew Erskine’s Blog
Why Well-Drafted Estate Plans Still Fail
An estate plan is not just a legal document. It is a blueprint for how a family will make decisions about wealth, responsibility, and legacy long after the original wealth creator is gone. And when that blueprint is incomplete, even the best-drafted documents cannot save the plan.
The first thing to understand is that estate planning documents are static, but families are not. A will or trust reflects a moment in time. It captures the family structure, financial situation, and intentions of the person creating it. But families evolve. Children grow up. Businesses expand or contract. New assets are acquired. Relationships change. And yet many estate plans sit untouched for years, sometimes decades. When those documents finally become relevant, they often reflect a world that no longer exists.
Strategic Succession
Putting system in place with help with future problems
Client Estate Plan Review Checklist (2025)
20 Point Checklist for Estate Plan Review Your clients' estate plans should be revisited every year or two to ensure it's still aligned with their current circumstances and intentions. This article presents a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the captivating process of reviewing client estate plans.
When Life Changes, Your Estate Plan Should Too
As life evolves your estate plan needs to be updated. Life events such as moving, getting a new job, having a child or grandchild, selling a major asset, or experiencing a medical condition can significantly impact the administration and distribution of your estate.When Life Changes, Your Estate Plan Should Too
The U.S. Art Market: A Legal and Financial Guide
navigating this market demands a thorough grasp of the legal, financial, and regulatory aspects of art transactions.
Client Estate Plan Review Checklist
Estate planning is an ever-evolving process that requires attention. Regular reviews will ensure that your client's plan remains in sync with their life and accurately reflects their wishes. Here is a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the captivating process of reviewing client estate plans.
When Estate Planning Doesn’t Work (and What To Do About It)
Estate planning: It’s all about being human. The short-term turmoil and the long-term decline in the market and the economy has forced clients to face the fact that what was certain six months ago in their financial, social and personal life is no longer so.
True GRIT: An Excellent Tool for Art, Farmland, and Other Unique Physical Assets
Artwork, farmland, and unique assets can be protected from valuation changes and capital gains taxes when held in a special trust that allows the grantor to use the asset, but gift the remainder.
Matt’s Advice for Financial and Healthcare Planning Documents
The Trifecta: Living Will, Healthcare Proxy, and Durable Power of Attorney Recently featured in US NEWS and WTOP, Matt addresses the importance of having these legal documents in place during the uncertainty of the global pandemic. Having these items prepared by a...
Questions to Ask Before Writing a Living Will
CREATING A LIVING WILL is a task that’s often neglected on a financial to-do list – but it shouldn’t be. One reason it’s neglected is that plenty of people don’t know what a living will is – or they know but understandably aren’t...