Bivens & Associates

04/10/2026

🚨 Don’t Miss This — It Could Save Your Family Thousands (and a LOT of stress) 🚨

This Sunday, April 12th at 3:30 PM, tune in to AM 960 for a powerful conversation that could completely change how you think about your future.

🎙️ Join Attorney Stephanie Bivens and Retirement Mortgage Specialist Cheryl Scheidell as they break down:

✔️ The biggest estate planning mistakes people make (and how to avoid them)
✔️ What you really need in place to protect your family
✔️ How your home and finances fit into your long-term plan

Most people wait too long—or get it wrong. Don’t be one of them.

📻 Set a reminder. Tune in. Get informed.

Because the right plan today = peace of mind tomorrow.

04/04/2026

Saturday office vibes: pleadings, files … and fetch 🐾🤎
My chocolate labs are convinced they are part of the legal team- chief ball retrievers, obviously.

Who says lawyers can’t have a little fun at work? 😀

01/07/2026

🎙️ Podcast Appearance Announcement 🎙️

We are excited to share that attorney Stephanie Bivens was recently a guest on the Don't Let the Haboob Hit you in the Face podcast! We had a great conversation about elder law and what families need to know. We appreciate the opportunity to share insights and practical takeaways.

If you’re interested in helping seniors or planning for your own family , we think you’ll really enjoy this episode.

👉 Listen or Watch Here:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kHek3jKqeGohVyNC11Pd5
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-let-haboob-hit-you-in-the-face/id1859689077

Thank you to Options for Senior Living for the invitation and the engaging discussion. We’d love to hear your thoughts if you tune in!

How To Podcast · Updated Weekly · “Don’t Let Haboob…” speaks to the important and often tragic metaphor that occurs within millions of families each year. We will explore the growing crisis facing millions of families as America rapid…

01/02/2026

📣 2026 Big News for the Disability Community 📣

Important changes to ABLE accounts expand access and increase savings opportunities for individuals with disabilities and their families.

✅ Higher annual contribution limit
The 2026 annual ABLE account contribution limit is now $20,000, allowing families to save more—without jeopardizing critical benefits.

✅ Expanded eligibility
ABLE accounts will now be available to individuals whose disability began before age 46, a significant increase from prior age 26 requirement. This change opens the door for millions more people to take advantage of these powerful planning tools.

While ABLE accounts are an important option, they are just one tool available in comprehensive special needs planning. The right plan often involves coordinating multiple strategies to protect benefits, provide financial security, and ensure long-term care for your loved one.

🌵In AZ? If you have a loved one with special needs, now is a great time to review your plan.

📞Call our office at 480-922-1010 to schedule a special needs planning consultation and learn how these changes may impact your family.

12/23/2025

🎅❌ Don’t let the Probate Grinch steal your family’s future!

Without an estate plan, the courts decide:
💸 Who gets your money
⏳ How long it takes
😩 How stressful it becomes

Spoiler alert: probate is NOT merry or bright.
🎁 The gift your family actually wants?
✔️ A clear plan
✔️ Less stress
✔️ No court drama

Avoid the Probate Grinch and protect what you’ve built with Bivens & Associates.

InAZ? Call us to schedule your consultations to get started.

12/05/2025

Here’s a brief look at early estate planning and how it evolved:

Ancient Beginnings 🏜️⛩️:
- Ancient Egypt (c. 2500 BCE): The first recorded wills, like Prince Nekure’s, ensured property was divided among heirs. These were often written on stone or papyrus.

Ancient Greece & Rome 🏛️: The concept of wills became more formalized. Romans used written wills (testamentum) to distribute property, often with witnesses present. They also introduced guardianship provisions for minors.

Medieval Europe 🏰:
- Estate planning in this era revolved around land ownership. Nobles used wills to pass estates to their eldest sons (primogeniture) while often leaving smaller gifts for other family members or the Church.
- Trusts began appearing in England during the 12th century as a way to protect land from being seized or taxed excessively.

The Birth of Modern Estate Planning 📜🖋️:
- The Statute of Wills (1540) in England allowed property owners to control the distribution of their real estate after death, leading to more comprehensive estate planning practices.
- The development of trusts became a cornerstone of estate planning, helping families shield wealth and provide for heirs.

Today 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💰🏠🩺:
Modern estate planning continues this legacy but focuses not just on property, but also digital assets, healthcare decisions, and more.

Whether you're a Pharaoh's heir, nobleman, or not, a well-crafted estate plan is essential for securing your legacy for those you care about. 🛡️⚖️

In AZ? Contact us today at 480-922-1010 to get started!

And we won't make you carve ⛏️ out your wishes on a rock or use a quill 🖋️on parchment. We do all the drafting for you!

12/03/2025

🚨 BIG NEWS, FRIENDS! 🚨

We're so excited to share that Stephanie Bivens is now an INTERNATIONAL BEST-SELLING AUTHOR!! 🎉

The e-release of planned Senior Moments – Scottsdale was a big success thanks to you.

This book is a practical, real-life guide to navigating the challenges that come with aging and planning ahead—things like estate planning, healthcare decisions, and the “we should’ve talked about this sooner” moments families face every day. It’s packed with Scottsdale-specific insights and resources to help you feel more prepared, more confident, and a lot less overwhelmed.

✅ Order the e-release here: https://www.tinyurl.com/PSMSCOTTSDALE/

And don’t worry—if you love a physical book in your hands…

The print release is coming in January, so stay tuned for details (We'll be sharing more soon!).

Thank you for celebrating this milestone with us—it truly means the world. 💛

11/25/2025

BIG NEWS at the firm! 🎉✨
We’re thrilled to welcome Amy Murdock to our team!

With a strong background in estate planning, she brings not only skill and experience—but also a genuine passion for helping families feel protected, prepared, and at peace.

From organizing client matters to supporting our attorneys on detailed planning work, she’ll be a key part of making sure every client feels cared for and every detail is handled with precision.

Help us give her a warm welcome! 💙
Drop a “🎉” in the comments to celebrate her joining the firm!

11/18/2025

Today was supposed to be a routine estate-planning house call.

I arrived with folders, forms, and my laptop…
and left after helping a wife call 911 for her 87 year old husband and driving her to an ER so he wouldn’t be alone.
Life doesn’t always give us warnings.
One moment we’re talking about future plans—
the next moment we’re living the “what if” we thought would come years later.
Please, don’t wait.
You never know when you’ll need your medical directives, your powers of attorney, your emergency plan.
If today reminded me of anything, it’s this:
Estate planning isn’t about documents.
It’s about being prepared when life doesn’t go according to plan.

11/16/2025

Wow! 📚✨
What an incredible launch day for our new book Planned Senior Moments - Scottsdale. Thank you to everyone that has already grabbed their e-book copy.

If you haven't yet, you can still get the e-book for just $ .99! It's easy 👉
www.tinyurl.com/PSMSCOTTSDALE

✅Buy the e-book
✅ Read
✅ Leave a Review
✅ Share with a friend

Each download helps us climb the best-seller charts! 🚀

Stephanie Bivens collaborated with an inspiring group of senior care professionals to bring this one-of-a-kind book to life. It is packed with valuable tips and resources for seniors and their families to help age in place, stay healthy and independent. Be sure to check out Ms. Bivens' chapter on how an elder law attorney can help.

11/12/2025

💭 “Planning for the future shouldn’t be overwhelming — it should be empowering.”

That’s the mission behind Planned Senior Moments, a new book featuring insights from 15+ senior care professionals who’ve helped countless families prepare with clarity, compassion, and confidence.

From emotional readiness to practical next steps, these experts share the guidance every family deserves — so you can plan ahead instead of worrying later.

📅 Amazon e-release: November 15
Don’t miss your chance to learn from the professionals who’ve seen it all — and want to help you and your family plan for the future with certainty.

➡️ Swipe through the carousel to discover why this book is a must-read for families, caregivers, and seniors planning professionals.