Denise Bonk, Attorney at Law

06/23/2026

Today's tip is about charitable giving legacy. As I wrote this, I recognized that many, many people are living paycheck to paycheck doing their best to keep up with groceries, rent, mortgages, gas, and the rising cost of everything. Charitable giving is probably the last thing many people are thinking about whether it be today or as a legacy.

Hopefully, this plants a seed so that when you are preparing your Life Essentials you might consider a donation to charity. It can be as simple as naming a nonprofit as a backup beneficiary or leaving a small percentage of an account to a cause that is important to you. The reality is, nonprofit organizations always need support, no matter how big or small. They will certainly be grateful and honored that you cared enough to include them.

How Your Values Can Keep Working Long After You Do

06/16/2026

Today’s tip is for the singles out there. It doesn’t matter if you have never been married or find yourself single again after divorce or death of a partner. We all know that everyone has an opinion. I think we can agree that it isn’t always shared with the people the law designates to step in when you can’t make decisions for yourself.

Having your Life Essentials(life planning legal documents) prepared and current is an act of self love, one that is often overlooked. You can, and should, do this now because your wishes matters most in when you cannot articulate them in the moment.

Happy reading, happy Tuesday 🙂

Your life doesn't need a plus one to be worth protecting.

06/09/2026

Hello all! Today's Tuesday tip brings us back to the animal world. Our equine and exotic pets are frequently overlooked when talking about pets and planning. Here are some things to think about when you are planning for the care of your horses, birds, and turtles or other pets that have a long lifespan. Enjoy!

Caring for Animals That Live a Long, Long, Time

06/06/2026

I am so thankful to be a recipient of a scholarship from the GP, Solo and Small Firm section of the Indiana State Bar Association to attend this year’s conference!

There is one more day to go and I have met so many wonderful attorneys from all across the state. The sessions have been so informative and interesting. It’s exciting to visit a new part of Indiana too! I have made some new friends in these few short days and love the camaraderie of the Indiana legal community.

06/02/2026

Today’s Tuesday’s tip deviates from the usual posts.

I share my thoughts on why I think estate planning is an outdated term.

I explore looking at estate planning in a different light. I like to call this your life essentials.

Enjoy the read! I’d love to hear if you think changing how we talk about estate planning would make you more likely to prepare your life essentials sooner rather than later.

An Opinion Piece

05/26/2026

Hoping everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend! Here’s this week’s Tuesday tip!

It's more than filling in the blanks on a template

05/25/2026

For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue. — James A. Garfield

05/19/2026

You know what day it is 😉

What Is a Will and Why Do You Need One?

05/12/2026

Today’s Tuesday’s tip introduces you to pet trusts. All 50 states have provisions in their law to set one up.

See the link in comments section for a brief summary and statute citations for all the states.

Understanding Pet Trusts