Blum's Blog

Holiday Season—The Perfect Time for Storytelling
Thanks for the super feedback from last week’s email about the 20 question “Do You Know?” scale. That email generated the all-time best response in my Family Legacy Planning series.

20 Questions for Your Thanksgiving Table Talk
Here’s a suggestion for the conversation at your Thanksgiving table: use the time to discuss the “Do You Know?” scale. Arming your family with answers to these 20 questions reinforces family

How Do You Choose What Causes to Support?
In last week’s email, I shared my views on the importance of philanthropy in estate planning. I described the estate planning process as a menu with a main course, appetizers,

What Are You Having for Dessert?
Today, I am honored and humbled to receive the “Outstanding Advisor” award at the National Philanthropy Day celebration by the Fort Worth Metro Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. November 15th

Do You Love Your Grandchildren Equally?
The last several Family Legacy Planning emails have been on the topic of giving assets to your family. While we’re on the subject of family gifts, here’s a provocative question: “Do

Tips for “Use It or Lose It” Planning and Other Gifts
Last week’s Family Legacy Planning email created quite a stir by promoting a “Now & Later” approach to inheritance—give some now while you’re alive and the rest later at your death.

Inheritance: Give Some Now and Some Later, or Do It All at Death?
As discussed in the last two Family Legacy Planning emails, families struggle with balancing the amount to leave their kids versus the amount to leave to charity. As you settle

Leaving Assets to Kids: How Much Is Too Much?
Last week’s Family Legacy Planning email created quite a stir when it raised the question of how much to leave to your kids versus charity. People struggle with finding the

How Much Should I Leave to My Children?
Last week’s Family Legacy Planning email shined a light on philanthropy as glue that can hold a family together, second only to endowed family travel and retreats. When including philanthropy

The “Glue” That Keeps a Family Together
In recent Family Legacy Planning posts, we referred to Mitzi Perdue, a member of both the Sheraton Hotels and Perdue Farms families, author of How to Make Your Family Business

WE INTERRUPT THIS PROGRAM: Important Newsflash
We interrupt our regularly scheduled program on Family Legacy Planning to alert you to pending tax law developments. The US House of Representatives has revealed a series of tax increases

Tradition, Tradition! Your Family Traditions Matter More Than You May Realize
We are now in the Jewish High Holy Days, which always puts me in a reflective mood. Last week we observed Rosh Hashonah, the Jewish New Year, and we turn
