Insights & Guidance for Planning Ahead

Farmer Schmidt has a quarter of ground that has long been favored by his neighbor. Farmer Schmidt is trying to downsize and is ready to sell the property to neighbor Jones. Farmer Schmidt and neighbor Jones enter into a contract to purchase the quarter of ground for $2,000 an acre ($320,000). Neighbor Jones is a young farmer, just getting his operation off the ground. He and Farmer Schmidt enter into a purchase for deed contract. The standard in the area is a 20-year con

I will share with you that Christmas is still a magic time for me. When I was a kid, I grew up in Texas. My parents would drive from the coast of Texas to Fort Worth to be with my grandparents. We typically would arrive after dark on Christmas Eve. My sister and I would sit in the back seat of the car, looking to the sky to see if we could see Santa and his sleigh. That activity was encouraged by a radio station: Santa would be sighted “on radar,” and they could tell us

My grandfather, Pop, was a giant of a man, at least to me. He was 6’2” and had huge hands. He grew up as a farmer/rancher in the hill country of Texas. He and my grandmother got married at the beginning of the depression. Their ranch was not profitable enough to support a family, so Pop always had a job off the farm and usually two at a time. I don’t remember what all they were, but they included hauling rock with a horse-drawn wagon for the county, and my grandmother man

I am a rehabilitating procrastinator. (Is that a thing?) My email inbox can be a black-hole of overwhelming to do lists. Now add in keeping track of kids, animals, the school calendar, and well, can I just think about that tomorrow? Through working with a group of other attorneys, I have discovered something magical. If I take my to do list and put it on my calendar, I do it. There is something about just visualizing what needs done that takes the stress ou

The thought of long term care planning is scary to a lot of people. With nursing home and assisted living care in our area costing upwards of $7,000 (and more in urban areas), people are right to be worried. It’s kind of like the monster under the bed. No one wants to think about estate planning or deal with it. But what I think is most scary, is not having a plan. Every week I talk with families about a plan to pay for care. Sometimes that involves protecting assets fo

I love Halloween. I love an excuse to wear a costume. And I looove original, homemade costumes. I would also love to force my kids to wear a themed costume of my choosing. Unfortunately, they are at the age (3 and 8) that they have their own opinion. I can try to convince them how great my idea is, but ultimately, it is their choice. They have the right to make their own decision, even if I do not like it. But I know that if they ever made a dangerous decision,

I was blessed with both a father (dad) and a stepfather (Andy). They both died within a few months of each other in 2016. So many times I still think of them. I learned some interesting lessons. If someone loans you something, return it promptly in as good or if not better condition. A friend for life is one of the most valuable things you can have. Sometimes that means forgiving friends. And sometimes it means a friend forgiving you. You can still be friends, even if you do

A few days ago I was driving down Main Street. There I saw an elderly gentleman, slightly stooped over, leaning to one side. At first I had sympathy, but as I approached him, I realized he was holding the hand of, probably, a grandchild or even a great-grandchild who appeared to be about four years old. He was stooping over to hold the child’s hand while they walked. So many times we don’t recognize how people have stooped over to help us. It may be giving them a hand. It may

Recently I went on a weekend trip with one of my dogs, Kobe. It was intended to be a hiking trip in the mountains. We were greeted by days of rain. Finally, the forecast showed that we would have a three or four-hour window. Kobe and I took the opportunity and headed up into the mountains. This was going to be a “hike to a point and then head back” trip. An hour into the trip it started raining. I started to turn back, but then I thought, what if this is the last time I get

Near our home we have a mulberry tree. Most people disregard it and walk around the tree, ignoring its berries and avoiding their droppings. I, on the other hand, will pause for a few minutes to eat the small berries. What a treat and gift. Time after time I have told my wife that I am going to spread out some old sheets, shake the branches, and end up with a bucket full of mulberries. I never have. Recently while visiting Turkey, my wife and I went on a tour with a tour