Blum's Blog

Are You Waiting Until “The Time Is Right”?
Last week’s post shined a spotlight on one of my heroes, Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt of New York’s Alt Neu Synagogue. I wrote of the importance of learning from failure and

Learn From Failure, Then Let It Go (And Send a Thank You Note)
When Laurie and I visit our daughter Lizzy and her family in New York, one of the highlights is Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt’s sermon at Shabbat services. Rabbi Goldschmidt is an

Business Succession Lessons from The Hit Series, Landman
Many of you have binge-watched the Paramount+ series Landman. A large number of you devotees keep urging me to watch it, especially given the heavy nexus of the series with

Hanging Onto Frugality? You’re Not Alone!
I receive a lot of meaningful feedback each week from readers of Blum’s Blog. One post that generated outsized reactions was “How’s Your Relationship with Money? I’m Working on Mine.”

Be Aware: The Internet Knows You and It’s Writing Your Story
Perhaps you’ve seen the recent trend on social media where people ask AI to create a caricature of them revealing their interests, hobbies, jobs, family, and more. That trend sparked

Equal vs. Unequal: The Inheritance Debate
One of the hottest issues I face in preparing wills is the debate of whether to leave assets equally to your kids when circumstances suggest that an unequal division may

Creating Cousin Connection (“Don’t Let a Funeral Director Plan Your Next Family Reunion”)
How do you create a lasting family legacy? There’s no perfect formula, but one of the key building blocks is getting the family together to grow a close family connection.

Looking Back Over My 50-Year Career
I have the honor of serving for many years on the editorial board of Trust & Estates magazine, a leading national publication in the estate planning field. The February 2026

Attorney Spotlight on Kaitlin R. Goddard
This week, we are proud to spotlight Kaitlin R. Goddard and recognize several recent accomplishments that reflect the depth of her work and her growing impact within the probate and

A Blueprint for Aging, Featuring Charlie Munger and My Brother-in-Law David Usdan
Clint Eastwood famously said, “I get up every day, and I don’t let the old man in.” That’s my philosophy too, giving my all to dodge growing old. In today’s post, I’m

My 43-Minute Crash Course in Estate Planning
If you’d like a 43-minute crash course in estate planning, I recently recorded a podcast on “The Head and the Heart of Estate Planning.” Dr. Kirby Rosplock of Tamarind Learning

How’s Your Relationship with Money? I’m Working on Mine.
My kids enjoy teasing me. In a good-natured and loving way, they like to poke fun at my eccentricities, which I admit are considerable. I own those eccentricities and laugh
