wills Archives - Mark Rubin

Estate Planning for Smart People

August 9, 2016

Estate Planning for Smart People does take off on the better known series. And, for sure, I’m not offering a full-fledged book here. Instead, I write to share some thoughts and provide some guidance for a particular group of people: smart people.

Mark Rubin

Introductory Comments

If you’re here, you’re a smart person. Why? Because you’re devoting time and energy to the estate planning process. It’s a process, for sure, and it does take time and energy. And lots of thinking!

For many reasons the whole estate planning thing makes people uncomfortable. Here are some of those reasons:

It’s about not being among us.
Estate planning often involves hard decisions about important matters.
It can be mysterious and intimidating.
People

estate planning, probate, trusts, wills

Law

1 Comment

Attorneys Don’t Live Forever

February 2, 2015

Mark Rubin

Living in Arizona provides plenty to cry about. Bright spots are here and there, though, and I am not talking about the sun.

I have been involved for many years with the State Bar of Arizona ethics and discipline system, first as a volunteer judge, then as a drafter of our ethics rules, and, for the past almost 20 years as an attorney representing other attorneys. I also speak often to attorney groups and provide expert testimony. The system with which I have been involved has been a national leader for decades, and that is a big bright spot!

Recently, the Bar formed a Succession Planning Task Force. Why? Just look at the age distribution among Arizona attorneys, as of