Estate Planning for Your Valentine

Written by Jim Worthington on February 14, 2023

The simplest form of will for a married couple basically says: “I give, devise, and bequeath everything I own to my beloved spouse if my spouse survives me. If my spouse does not survive me, I give it to someone else.” Estate planning lawyers call this a sweetheart…Read More

END OF YEAR STEPS TO LEAVE YOUR LEGACY

Written by Jim Worthington on December 13, 2022

One way to describe my role as an estate planning lawyer and counselor is helping clients leave their legacy in a tax-efficient manner. As the year end approaches, here are three ideas to help you with that.

Netting Gains and Losses

It’s a sad truth that many of…Read More

CLIENT-CENTERED DOCUMENTS AND THE ESTATE SUPPORT CLAUSE

Written by Jim Worthington on November 29, 2022

My children are now twenty-somethings and are in different stages of adulting. One thing I’ve learned from helping them is that paying attention to all the details is neither fun nor easy.

Fun, easy, or neither, those details are essential. The details in your will are also…Read More

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL FAMILY CAREGIVERS MONTH

Written by Jim Worthington on November 20, 2022

November 2022 is the 26th annual Presidentially-recognized National Family Caregivers Month. Please join me in giving thanks to the millions of people nationwide who take care of their parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and other family members. Having been in this role myself, I know that the job can seem…Read More

Taking Care of Your Thoroughbred

Written by Jim Worthington on May 2, 2022

Happy Kentucky Derby! Louisville is buzzing with the first Derby Week in three years that feels halfway normal. Despite the “Why Work? It’s Derby Week” t-shirts around town, I’m plugging away. In fact, all of this talk about two-year-old thoroughbreds made me think about pet trusts. Both Read More

What to do with all those documents you just signed?

Written by Jim Worthington on April 6, 2022

Congratulations! You’ve just spent time and money working on your will, power of attorney, health care directive, and maybe even a trust. You wrestled with who to name to take charge of your affairs while you’re alive if you can’t do so yourself, who should make important health…Read More

Working and Photographing in Both Kentucky and North Carolina

Written by Jim Worthington on March 30, 2022

Posting so much recently about North Carolina law and my photography has created some confusion. This blog will hopefully clear that up because, sadly, there haven’t been as many in-person events to talk about these new parts of my life. My North Carolina practice and my photography hobby…Read More

HOW TO FUND A TRUST?

Written by Jim Worthington on March 23, 2022

Hopefully, the last article convinced you that you need a revocable trust if you live in North Carolina. Kentucky residents may want a revocable trust as well so this article should help my clients in both states.

As a reminder, a revocable trust is a document where…Read More

DO I NEED A TRUST IN NORTH CAROLINA OR IS A WILL ENOUGH?

Written by Jim Worthington on March 23, 2022

Many clients call and ask if they need a revocable or living trust instead of a will. A will takes effect only when you die and names a person or company as personal representative to pay your creditors and to distribute your property according to your wishes. A…Read More