A friend of mine is completing the next-to-last semester in her JD–Juris Doctor–degree program. [Juris Doctor: she is studying to become an attorney.] She took the final exam in her Wills, Trusts & Estates class on Monday.

“I did real well,” she said. “I think I may have done better on that than any other tests I’ve taken since I began my studies!”

“That’s great!” I said.

“Yeah. I think it’s because with estate planning, you’re just dealing with straight technical questions. You don’t have to deal with all the messy emotional and relational issues–all the people questions–that are so common in other parts of family law.”

I looked at her in shock. “You’re kidding!” Read the rest of this entry »

The pressure had been building for weeks. And it all came to a head last Thursday. I was sure Sarita and I were about to lose our long-time investment advisor. In fact, I went into my meeting with him sure this would be our last meeting together. And I was totally–totally–bummed. It was the culmination of growing distrust between our advisors.

Why had things come to this point? Read the rest of this entry »

Someone took a survey recently whose primary question was, “What keeps you from knowing God and growing spiritually?” And the most common answer? “I don’t have enough time.”

Question: When will you have enough time? And how will you find it? Read the rest of this entry »

I wrote, about a week ago, about intangible wealth. Somehow the subject keeps coming up in my mind. Read the rest of this entry »

I love questions. If I find a good one, I often consider it almost more valuable than whatever answer someone may offer. Questions can help to reveal the truth, of course. But well-constructed questions can inspire deep thought, and the rare person who asks them can help to deepen relationships in ways that people who merely talk, or others, who merely listen, never will. Of course, merely asking the question is not enough. You have to also listen to the answers–really listen, and demonstrate that you care what the other person has to say. But that kind of questioning and listening behavior can open doors to other people’s hearts in ways that mere talk never can.

All that by way of introduction to my primary purpose, here: I wanted to share with you a set of 10 “golden questions” for parents to discuss with their children. Read the rest of this entry »

Oh, man! I’m becoming more and more upset about the way we’ve been–and are being–treated by J____.

Yesterday, when he told me he was willing to reconsider whether he was, indeed, committed to terminating our relationship, he asked me not to discuss with any other advisors any of the details of his plan . . . until he returns next Monday from his trip out of town.

When I told him that I had already passed the plan along to the National Christian Foundation, he was incensed. How dare I?

Today I went back over our original “Membership Agreement” with his organization. The second paragraph says, Read the rest of this entry »

Ah! It’s been a mess.

I asked J____ for forgiveness to the greatest degree I felt I could, in good conscience.

He accepted my apology and proffered forgiveness.

I made no mention of the conclusion of our relationship. He had stated firmly on Monday that “this was it.”

He made no mention of continuing our relationship, either.

So a couple of hours after I asked forgiveness and he granted it, I wrote him about a refund.

“Interesting follow up email to your email asking for forgiveness,” he replied. Read the rest of this entry »

It sounds as if the threat–the thought–of termination is becoming a reality. J____, our legacy planner, just wrote me a letter:

John,

This email I just received from C____ [the attorney to whom he introduced us] only further confirms my decision to discontinue working with your family. Exactly when was I going to hear about this new development? Read the rest of this entry »