Attorney Zachary Fowler

11/08/2025

Happy National First-Generation Day! The ABA celebrates the law students and lawyers who are the first in their family to embark upon a legal career and welcomes them to the profession. Take advantage of our resources for first-generation lawyers here: https://bit.ly/3LcoK8z

10/16/2025

09/08/2025

The City of Tiffin Law Director is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Part-time Assistant Director of Law (City Prosecutor).

For full details on and to see the job posting visit https://www.tiffinohio.gov/news/tiffin-seeking-part-time-assistant-prosecutor.

08/13/2025

Also, Client: I used ChatGPT to write this. What do you think?

07/26/2025

04/13/2025

Did I do it right? I went with the Funko Pop style for something a little different.

03/17/2025

Estate planning comes down to a simple choice:

You can invest your own resources (time, effort, and finances) into developing a solid estate plan now

-or-

Others may need to handle the aftermath, which typically extends the process and increases the costs.

The greatest gift you can leave your family, regardless of the size of your estate, is to plan ahead so your family doesn't have the burden of making emotional and financial decisions.

03/16/2025

What information do you bring to your first meeting with an estate planning attorney?

🗣️ Personal and family information like:

- Full legal names, date of birth, and contact information for you, your children, and beneficiaries
- Full legal names and contact information for anyone serving in various estate roles (i.e. POA, Executor, Trustee, etc.)

🗂️ Asset information like:

- Real estate deeds and property tax statements
- Bank and investment account statements
- Retirement account information (401(k)s, IRAs, pensions)
- Life insurance policies and annuities
- Business ownership documents
- Vehicle titles
- Valuable personal property inventory (art, jewelry, collectibles)

💰 General information (i.e. approximate balances) on debts like:

- Mortgages
- Personal loans
- Student loans
- Business loans
- Credit cards

Few other things:

📋 Beneficiary designations (on assets themselves - i.e. life insurance, investments, etc.)
📜 Existing estate documents like Will, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Healthcare directives, Living Wills
🗄️ Funeral and burial preferences, including any pre-arranged funeral plans, burial or cremation preferences, etc.

03/15/2025

Five Estate Planning 𝙈𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙨

👫 "I'm too young to need an estate plan"

💵 “I don’t have enough assets to worry about estate planning"

🏛️ “A Last Will and Testament avoids probate"

🔄 “Joint ownership on assets solves everything"

📜 “DIY estate planning is as good as working with an attorney"

03/10/2025

A common yet critical mistake in estate planning is appointing the wrong people to key roles such as:

- Agent under a Power of Attorney
- Executor
- Trustee

Selecting individuals without considering their reliability, ability, or potential conflicts of interest can lead to serious issues. An agent who is careless with finances, an executor who struggles with organization, or a trustee who lacks financial expertise can create delays, disputes, and even financial loss.

Choose wisely—ensure they are responsible, impartial, and willing to serve. In some cases, a professional fiduciary may be the better option.

03/07/2025

Dear financial advisors, can you please not allow your clients to name a minor as a beneficiary without at least having a conversation about what would actually happen if they passed away?

Sincerely, an estate planning attorney.

P.S. Don't let them name a trusted friend who will get the money to the child when they become an adult. That's worse naming the child.

Who do you name instead? A custodian of a custodial account or a trust would be much better.

03/04/2025

COPRORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT NEWS

The Treasury Department announced it does not intend to enforce CTA compliance against U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies. Further rules be forthcoming.

Does this mean companies do not need to report? Not exactly. The law is still on the books, so companies are required to report. However, failure to report may not be enforced by FinCEN at this time. That could always change. The safest course of action is to make the report.

The reporting deadline for companies created prior to January 1, 2024 remains March 21, 2025. New companies created in 2025 have 30 days to report after their creation.