Keeping a plan current
A Winning Game Plan
Across the country, families are gathering for Friday night lights, Saturday college rivalries, and Sunday afternoons spent cheering on their favorite teams.
·4 min read
Clear, practical thinking on protecting your family, your assets, and your legacy, written by our attorneys out of the questions Oklahoma families actually bring us.
Keeping a plan current
Getting started
Back to School, Back to Life: Why This Season Is the Perfect Time to Get Your Affairs in Order
As summer winds down, families naturally start getting organized again. Calendars come back out. Routines return. People begin thinking about the months ahead rather than just the weekend in front of them.
·5 min read
Family conversations
From Game Day to Life Planning: Why OU’s SEC Era Reminds Us to Keep Our Estate Plan Up to Date
If you've lived in Norman for very long, you've probably noticed things feel a little different these days. With OU joining the SEC, our city is stepping onto a much bigger stage. Game days are bigger. The spotlight is brighter.
·5 min read
Family conversations
Preparing the Next Generation Starts with Trusted Estate Planning
Every fall, we see families settle back into familiar routines. Calendars fill up, school supplies appear, and there is a renewed focus on growth, responsibility, and learning.
·5 min read
Family conversations
Back-to-School (for Life): One Important Lesson Most Families Don't Think About
Every August, Back to School season brings about the same thoughts. Parents are buying school supplies, filling out forms, packing lunches, and trying to figure out how summer disappeared so quickly.
·6 min read
Family conversations
Family Meetings: The “Back-to-School” Lesson Your Family Never Outgrows
Often, parents spend years holding family meetings without ever calling them that. They remind children about homework, coordinate schedules, discuss responsibilities, and help everyone stay on track because they know something important…
·5 min read
Keeping a plan current
How Our Client Update Program Helps Protect What Matters Most
One of the biggest misconceptions about estate planning is believing there is such a thing as a finished estate plan. People often think of estate planning like installing a roof: once it is done, you can stop thinking about it.
·5 min read
Keeping a plan current
Why Don’t All Firms Do It This Way? The Importance of Maintaining Your Estate Plan
After months, or maybe years, of putting it off, you've met with an estate planning attorney, signed your documents, and created a plan to protect your family.
·6 min read
Keeping a plan current
The 3 Ls of Estate Planning: Why “Finished” Is a Dangerous Word
One of the biggest misconceptions about estate planning is believing there is such a thing as a finished estate plan. People often think of estate planning like installing a roof: once it is done, you can stop thinking about it.
·5 min read
Keeping a plan current
Unlike Fine Wine, Estate Planning Documents Don't Get Better With Age
Estate planning is one of those tasks many people complete and then mentally check off the list for good. Once the documents are signed, sealed, and stored away, it’s easy to assume everything is handled indefinitely.
·5 min read
Keeping a plan current
Why Having Your Estate Plan Reviewed Matters: Keeping Your Plan Working as Life Changes
Most people don’t avoid estate planning because they’re careless or uninterested. It’s usually the opposite. They care deeply about their families, their children, and making things easier for the people they love.
·5 min read
Keeping a plan current
Fourth of July Traditions, Family Recipes, and Why Maintaining Your Estate Plan Matters
There is something special about the Fourth of July. Maybe it is the smell of burgers on the grill, children running through sprinklers, or sparklers glowing after sunset. For many families, Independence Day is about more than fireworks.
·5 min read
Keeping a plan current
Why “Outdated Documents” Don’t Work in Estate Planning
Creating an estate plan is one of the most important things you can do to protect your family, your assets, and your legacy.
·5 min read
Getting started
Why DIY Estate Plans Don’t Work Even When They’re Made With Good Intentions
Most people who try to create their own estate plan aren’t being careless. In fact, it’s usually the opposite. They’re organized and responsible, trying to “get it done” without spending unnecessary time or money.
·6 min read
Giving & legacy
Honoring Our Fathers
A Father's Day Tribute from Cain, Cain & Janik This Father's Day, Cain, Cain & Janik, Estate Planners for Life, pays tribute to all fathers.
·2 min read
Getting started
“I Thought I Had This Handled”: Why Good, Well-Intentioned People Still Make Estate Planning Mistakes
I thought I had this handled.” And honestly, many people did. They created a will after having children. They signed a trust years ago.
·5 min read
Giving & legacy
The Legacy Your Family Will Treasure Most
I recently had the privilege of speaking at the 77th Semi-Annual Collegium of the National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys in Hilton Head Island.
·2 min read
Giving & legacy
Mom Gifted Us Waterford Flutes
My mom once gifted us Waterford flutes, each engraved with a symbol of Happiness, Love, Health, Prosperity, and Peace. More than beautiful, they came with the quiet message of don’t let time pass without honoring it.
·2 min read
Family conversations
Warren Buffett’s Estate Planning Advice Isn’t Just for Billionaires. It’s for You Too.
When people hear the term “estate planning,” they often assume it’s something reserved for the ultra-wealthy. But here’s the truth. Everyone has an estate.
·2 min read
Getting started
Still Waiting to “Get Around to It”? You’re Not Alone, But It’s Time to Take Control
Let’s face it, no one wakes up excited to create a will. Between work, family, and the constant buzz of daily life, it’s no surprise that only 24% of Americans have a will in 2025.
·3 min read
Trusts & wills
When Love, Legacy, and the Law Collide: A Real-Life Case That Proves Why Estate Planning Can’t Wait
Here’s a story you wouldn’t believe if it weren’t true: a TV executive dies, leaving behind a multimillion-dollar estate - and a legal battle between his estranged wife and long-term partner. Properties across Europe.
·2 min read
Taxes & transfer
Could You Lose the Family Home to Taxes? The Step-Up in Basis Debate Has Families on Alert
You’ve worked hard to build something meaningful. Maybe it’s the family home, a rental property, or a carefully managed investment account meant to provide stability for your children after you're gone.
·2 min read
Taxes & transfer
The Great Wealth Transfer Is Coming - Will Your Family Be Ready or Left With a Mess?
Over the next 20 years, an estimated $84 trillion will be passed down from Baby Boomers to the next generation. It’s being called The Great Wealth Transfer - but if you don’t have an estate plan in place, this opportunity to build…
·2 min read
Giving & legacy
Reflecting on Family Legacy: What Will You Leave Behind?
When Jack created his first estate plan at 35, his primary concern was naming a guardian for his two young kids. Now, 25 years later, his children are grown, his assets have changed, and his priorities have shifted. But his estate plan?
·2 min read
Trusts & wills
Financial Wellness in the New Year: Why a Will Alone Isn’t Enough
Financial wellness is about more than building wealth - it’s about protecting what you’ve built. Too often, families assume that a simple will is enough to safeguard their future, only to discover its limitations when life throws them a…
·2 min read
Trusts & wills
Starting the Year Right: Why Updating Your Estate Plan Matters
When Rick and Susan drafted their estate plan 20 years ago, they felt an enormous sense of relief. They created wills, set up a trust for their kids, and designated guardianship in case anything happened to them.
·2 min read
Keeping a plan current
Reflecting on the Past and Planning for the Future: Estate Planning Resolutions for the New Year
As we prepare for a new year, it’s natural to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going. At Cain, Cain & Janik , we believe estate planning resolutions are about more than finances - they’re about honoring the past while looking to…
·2 min read
Keeping a plan current
Year-End Estate Planning Checklist: Wrap Up the Year with Confidence
The end of the year is a time to tie up loose ends and make sure we’re prepared for what’s next. At Cain, Cain & Janik , we encourage clients to finish the year with a confident step forward, using our year-end estate planning checklist to…
·2 min read
Family conversations
Giving the Gift of Peace: Estate Planning for the Holidays
Amid the holiday cheer, we search for gifts that speak to the heart. For many, estate planning might not come to mind as a holiday gift, but what if it could offer the greatest peace of mind?
·2 min read
Family conversations
Family Gatherings and Estate Planning: Starting Conversations During Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time for family, togetherness, and reflection on the past year. The days leading up to Thanksgiving and the days after Thanksgiving can be an opportunity to initiate important estate planning conversations.
·2 min read
Giving & legacy
Creating a Legacy of Giving: Family Philanthropy and Charitable Planning for the Holidays
As the holiday season draws near, it’s a meaningful time for families to reflect on the values that matter most.
·2 min read
Taxes & transfer
The Year-End 2024 Estate Planning Crunch: What to Do Now
As we approach the final months of 2024, it’s crucial to pause, assess, and prepare for changes impacting your estate plan.
·3 min read
Getting started
Estate Planning Myths Debunked: Separating Fact from Fiction During National Estate Planning Awareness Month
October may be the month for spooky tales, but there are some real myths about estate planning that can haunt you if you believe them.
·2 min read
Keeping a plan current
The Importance of Reviewing Your Estate Plan: A Lesson from Experience
Mark thought he had everything figured out. He had met with a lawyer years ago to create a solid estate plan, one that he believed would take care of his family if anything happened to him.
·2 min read
Health & later life
How Estate Planning Can Support Your Physical and Mental Well-Being
As we get older, staying healthy becomes more than just eating right and staying active. It’s about making sure all the pieces of our lives are in place so that we can truly enjoy the years ahead.
·3 min read
Health & later life
Integrating Wellness and Estate Planning for a Fulfilling Retirement
Retirement should be a time of joy, health, and peace. As we age, caring for our physical, emotional, and financial well-being becomes increasingly important.
·2 min read
Giving & legacy
Priceless Memories: The Legacy of Family Moments and Estate Planning
“There are some things money can’t buy; for everything else, there’s Mastercard.” We all remember the iconic line that is still with us almost three decades later.
·4 min read
Health & later life
Parenting Your Parents
As your parents age, the roles can often reverse, with you taking on the responsibility of caring for them. This new phase of life, while rewarding, can also be challenging and overwhelming.
·3 min read
Taxes & transfer
Strategies for Passing Down Assets to Future Generations
Imagine sitting around the dining room table, surrounded by your family, and feeling a sense of pride knowing that the legacy you’ve built will benefit not just your children, but also your grandchildren.
·3 min read
Giving & legacy
Honoring Our Fathers
A Father’s Day Tribute from Cain, Cain & Janik This Father’s Day, Cain, Cain & Janik, Estate Planners for Life, pays tribute to all fathers.
·2 min read
Getting started
Find Estate Planning Overwhelming? Let’s Start with the Basics
At Cain, Cain & Janik, we understand that planning for the future can be daunting. However, establishing a comprehensive estate plan is essential to ensuring your wishes are honored and your loved ones are protected.
·3 min read
Health & later life
Aging Gracefully Involves More Than Just Wrinkles And Wisdom
Aging gracefully involves more than just wrinkles and wisdom; it encompasses safeguarding your autonomy, dignity, and quality of life.
·2 min read
Getting started
Estate Planning: Your Roadmap to Stress-Free Wealth Preservation
Imagine this scenario: after years of hard work and careful financial planning, you've amassed a significant amount of wealth to secure your family's future.
·3 min read
Health & later life
Your Healthcare - Your Choices
Do they know? Do the people who matter the most to you know what matters the most to you when it comes to your health care?
·2 min read
Taxes & transfer
Changes in Laws
Cain & Cain, our Estate Planners for Life™ clients, and the professional advisors who refer their clients to us, know that change is a given. We call it the 3 L’s.
·2 min readNothing matches that yet. Try a broader word, or ask us directly.
Start with the words
Most estate-planning vocabulary exists to describe something simple. Our plain-language glossary defines the terms Oklahoma families are handed, and points you at the fuller answer where we have one.
From the firm
Practical estate planning guide
The 7-Step Family Protection Workbook: Will Your Estate Plan Work When Your Family Needs It Most?
The workbook helps you clarify what you want your plan to accomplish, identify possible gaps, prepare the right people, and decide what to do next, whether this is your first revocable living trust-based estate plan or you are reviewing an old one.
Separately, you can subscribe to A Matter of Trust, a weekly newsletter from Tamara featuring practical estate-planning guidance, thoughtful reflections on family and legacy, and other estate planning ideas worth passing along. Sign up for one or both.
- The 7-Step Family Protection Workbook: free, a one-time download
- A Matter of Trust: a letter from Tamara about once a week, with workshop dates before they fill
- Written by Tamara, not by a marketing department
Questions about our writing
Insights, and where they come from
What we publish, who writes it, and how to get it without checking back here.
Who writes the firm's articles?
Our attorneys do, led by Tamara Cain. The writing comes out of the questions families actually bring us, which is why it reads like an answer rather than a marketing post.
How do I get new articles without checking the site?
Subscribe to A Matter of Trust with the newsletter sign-up on our workbook page. You get a letter from Tamara each week covering practical estate-planning guidance, reflections on family and legacy, and ideas worth passing along. One click to leave. The 7-Step Family Protection Workbook is a separate, one-time download on the same page.
Is anything you publish legal advice?
No. Everything here is general education about how estate planning works in Oklahoma, and it cannot account for your family, your assets or your goals. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice about your own situation, a Right Fit Call is the right next step.
Can I share or quote your articles?
Yes, with attribution to Estate Planners for Life and a link back. We would rather Oklahoma families get accurate information from a source that cites us than inaccurate information from one that does not.
More questions are answered on our estate planning FAQ, or ask us yours on a Right Fit Call.