We regularly update our blog to offer crucial information on living trusts, guardianship of minor children, Medi-Cal planning, asset protection, and other California estate planning matters. Learn more about the planning process from our experienced attorneys.
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Protecting Your Stepchildren’s Legacy in California California’s courts won’t afford most stepchildren an inheritance unless you take specific action to ensure they receive what’s rightfully theirs. Learn more. -
Britney’s Song Can Teach Us a Lesson The very public Britney Spears conservatorship dilemma is playing out for the world to see. This is why proper estate planning is so critical. -
The Devastating, Yet Avoidable Probate Process Tips for avoiding a California Probate. Probate Attorneys in Torrance. -
Why Unmarried California Couples Need an Estate Plan California law favors spouses and close relatives when it comes to inheritance, which means unmarried couples must be proactive in estate planning. -
Preparing for the Unexpected Having the right estate planning documents in place is crucial, but even more so if you're away from home and may need to be unexpectedly rushed to the hospital -
Why You Need to Review Your Estate Plan Even if you have a will or trust, tax laws can change or you may decide to move to another state. Learn more here about why you need to review your estate plan. -
Understanding Charitable Trusts in California Creating a charitable trust is a great way to help others after you’re gone, while helping loved ones and yourself while you’re alive. -
Choosing the Ideal Guardian for Your Children If you have children, you should have a will that names a guardian for them. Here, learn more about choosing the right person to care for your children. -
Writing Your Own Will Could Be a Financial Mistake Writing your own will can be risky, even if you believe you understand the process and necessary paperwork. DIY wills can end up being costly for your family. -
URGENT BREAKING NEWS: You May Need to Act NOW To Preserve Your Home’s Low Property Taxes for Your Children - Here are some frequently asked questions about Prop 19. California voters approved Prop 19 that may dramatically reduce your children’s ability to retain your below market property tax assessment. -
URGENT BREAKING NEWS: You May Need to Act NOW To Preserve Your Home’s Low Property Taxes for Your Children California voters approved Prop 19 that may dramatically reduce your children’s ability to retain your below market property tax assessment. Learn more here. -
How Californians Can Pass Along Tangible Assets to Loved Ones If you're wondering what the best way to pass along your tangible assets to your loved ones, here's some tips on some of the best ways to do this. -
Kids Aged 18 to 26 Are Such a Problem! (Just not in the way you may think) by Attorney, Philip Kavesh Once a child (or grandchild) reaches age 18, in California and many other states he or she is ... Emergency Protection Plan -
New “SECURE” Act Makes Your IRAs Less Secure! (SECOND WARNING!) IRA OWNERS BEWARE New SECURE Act Makes Your IRAs Less Secure! If you have IRAs that in total including ... IRA Inheritance Trust -
All Estate Plans Are NOT Created Equal! Estate planning is something that we see a lot of people put off until later. It's something that can sometimes be difficult ... Estate Attorney -
Instead of Stocking Up on Toilet Paper, You Really Should Be Doing THIS Right Now! If you (or your spouse, together) have IRAs totaling over $150,000, read on... Your IRAs Are Ticking Tax Time Bombs! The ... IRA -
Answers to the Common Questions We’re Now Getting from Clients We recently sent you an e-mail regarding the current status of our office and our services. However, we still received a lot ... Current Events -
When It Comes To Dividing Your Estate Between Your Children (or Other Beneficiaries), What’s Really “Fair”? By Philip Kavesh, Attorney "That's not fair!" What parent of youngsters hasn't heard that countless times? It's a ... Beneficiaries -
New “SECURE” Act Makes Your IRAs Less Secure! IRA OWNERS BEWARE New "SECURE" Act Makes Your IRAs Less Secure! If you have IRAs that in total including ... Secure Act -
Tips for Setting (and Keeping!) Those New Year’s Resolutions in 2020 It's that time of year again. #NewYearNewYou Everyone begins to set resolutions of the new year. The gyms begin to fill up. ... Lifestyle -
It’s Time for a New Year’s Resolution That You’ll Actually Keep! By Philip Kavesh, Attorney Would you drive a car without auto insurance and just wait to get it until after you have a bad ... Estate Plan -
The 2020 Social Security Increase Will Be Smaller than 2019’s Article written by www.elderlawanswers.com The Social Security Administration has announced a 1.6 percent increase in ... Social Security -
Don’t Let Medicare Open Enrollment Go By Without Reassessing Your Options Article Provided by www.elderlawanswers.com Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE ... -
National Estate Planning Awareness Week 2019 Estate Planning Awareness Week: The Importance to You and Your Family of Having an Estate Plan In 2008, Congress ... Estate Planning -
A Little Known Tax Saving Strategy Contributed by Pence Wealth Management As a Financial Advisor, one of the largest client issues uncovered is that people are ... Taxes -
The #1 Mistake Families Are Making (and They Don’t Even Know It!) Have you ever heard of the "silent killer"? It's called PROCRASTINATION. We all do it. Some more than others. ... Estate Planning -
Are Wills Obsolete? When it comes to estate planning, some people know about Living Trusts, but most people know about Wills. Wills are ... Will -
Should You Sell Your Life Insurance Policy? We often have clients who no longer feel they need an old life insurance policy or simply don't want to pay the premium ... Life Insurance -
Disinheriting a Child They say that there's two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. While most people take care of and plan for taxes ... Children -
Estate Planning Considerations for the Modern, Blended Family Estate planning has become a lot more challenging in more recent years. As the divorce rate has increased, so has the amount ... Estate Planning -
Pre-Paid Funeral Plans: Buyer Beware Funerals rank among the most expensive purchases many consumers will ever make. A traditional funeral costs about $7,000, ... Funeral -
Summertime and The Living Was Easy Article Written By, Philip Kavesh One of a series of personal reflections upon growing up in small town America in ... Children -
Steps You Can Take NOW to Plan for Long-Term Care–and Before It’s Too Late! It is estimated that two out of every three Americans will require some kind of assisted living at some point during their ... Long Term Care -
Changes Coming to IRA Planning Have you heard of the bill that is currently going through Congress called the "Setting Every Community Up For ... IRA -
Child Off to College Soon? Is He or She Properly Protected In Case of Accident or Illness? If you have a child (or grandchild) over age 18 and heading to college, read on... Health Insurance Coverage Alone Isn't ... College -
What Happens to Your Living Trust If You Move? You may have spent the time and effort to properly set up an estate plan to protect your hard-earned assets with a Living ... Estate Planning Attorney -
Common Misconceptions About Living Trusts When it comes to estate planning, we often hear quite a bit about Wills (or Living Wills) in media and movies. We rarely hear ... Estate Planning Attorney -
Going On Vacation? You Better Have These in Order! Are you planning on going on vacation this summer? While having your estate planning affairs in order is always a good idea, ... Estate Planning -
How living trusts can help loved ones with disabilities Many people worry about how their passing will impact their loved ones. For those who have children with special needs, ... -
Important Estate Planning Documents for Your 18-Year-Old If you have a high school senior in your home, then you are probably gearing up for a major event this month - - graduation! ... Estate Planning -
New Legislation Will Have A Big Impact On IRA Planning! The U.S. House of Representatives has recently passed the "SECURE" Act and it's expected to soon be approved by the ... Inheritance -
Are you concerned about family conflict and your estate plan? Estate planning can be a challenge for anyone. Because each person's life is different, his or her estate plan is also ... -
The Top 5 Estate Planning Mistakes People Make It's a terrible tragedy to see people work hard, scrape and save their whole lives, then just throw away their money - - and ... Estate Planning -
Benefits of meeting with an attorney for estate planning It's great that you've taken the steps to begin your estate plan. Doing so is a difficult but important step in your life. ... -
Do You Need an Attorney to Draft an Estate Plan? When it comes to getting an estate plan prepared - - whether it's a Will or Living Trust - - it can be confusing to know ... Estate Planning Attorney -
Estate plans should involve more than just wills and trusts Another week has passed and another Hollywood figure has lost his life to an unexpected medical emergency. Director John ... Estate Planning -
It takes more than a deed to put real property into your trust One of the primary purposes for many trusts is to keep real property from going through probate. This keeps the beneficiaries ... -
What’s the Difference Between a Will and a Living Trust? You have worked hard throughout your life to accumulate the assets that you have during your lifetime, so it's only natural ... Living Trusts -
Will You Miss My Bitcoins (Or Other Online Assets) When I’m Gone? How to act now to secure and preserve your digital assets Courtesy of NextAvenue By Mark Ray (edited by Kavesh, Minor & ... Digital Accounts -
Would You Like to Pay MORE Income Taxes? By Philip Kavesh, Attorney You're probably thinking, "Of course not!" However, sadly, you may in fact be paying ... Taxes -
What are the benefits of living trusts? It is often the case that California residents put off making their estate plans because they think the process will be too ... Living Trusts -
Is the reward worth the risk with a DIY estate plan? Online do-it-yourself (DIY) estate planning forms are growing in popularity. Although these forms may work for some people, ... -
Sudden death of actor shines light on need for estate planning California residents who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s may be familiar with the original television series, "Beverly ... Estate Planning -
Have you planned for possible incapacity? Many people believe that estate planning involves planning for what will happen after death. This is not wrong. However, a ... -
You can provide for a child with special needs once you are gone As a parent, your concern for your children is probably on your mind all day, every day. And when you have a child who has ... -
What are intestacy laws in California? An estate plan is a set of legal documents that explains how a California resident wants their assets and wealth distributed ... Estate Planning -
Know the differences between living trusts and wills By now readers of this Torrance-based estate planning and probate legal blog know that it is a good idea to have some estate ... Living Trusts -
Parents of blended families may consider creating a QTIP trust Many families today include children from more than one marriage. Unfortunately, very few parents of blended families ... -
Giving to charities through estate planning At the end of a calendar year, a Torrance resident may take stock in where they have spent their money and what they need to ... Estate Planning -
How to select a durable financial power of attorney agent Setting up a durable financial power of attorney is a good way to eliminate concerns about how your assets will be managed if ... -
What are the advantages of having a revocable living trust? Most California residents believe that their estate planning is finished once they execute a will. While a will is an ... Living Trusts -
How to plan your estate if you have a child with special needs If the worst should happen to you, do you know that your child with special needs will be protected for years to come? It is ... -
The difficult topic of writing an heir out of a will There are a number of planning issues that California residents can run into when they are preparing their wills. On one ... Estate Planning -
Federal rules ease up on estate, gift tax California has no inheritance, estate or gift tax. In an effort to clarify and ease the federal rules regarding gift and ... -
Changes to estate plans may be necessary after divorces The start of a new marriage is rarely the time for a young couple to take stock in their future and plan for the time when ... Estate Planning -
Is a Transfer on Death Deed right for you? For many people, their house is their largest asset. In 2016, California joined a myriad of other states in offering a ... -
Do not fall victim to common estate planning errors Our readers know that any person can benefit from having a plan for their end-of-life estate in place. A person's estate ... Estate Planning -
Approach of the holidays may prompt estate planning discussions Not all families in California have the luxury of living near each other and experiencing their loved ones' company ... Estate Planning -
Can you prevent someone from benefitting from your estate? One of the main reasons that California residents choose to create their own personal estate plans is to take control over ... Estate Planning -
Different types of trusts serve different estate planning needs A trust is an important estate planning tool that California residents may use to protect their assets and wealth and ... Estate Planning -
What’s In a Name? A Lot, When It Concerns Account Titles Having an adult child added as an owner of bank account is a fairly common occurrence that allows both elderly parent and ... Estate Planning -
What can be accomplished with a living will? There is no question that making major decisions about one's own health can be difficult and can require a significant amount ... Estate Planning -
Estate planning attorneys provide peace of mind Although the conversation may prove difficult, preparing your assets for your loved ones before your death constitutes a ... -
How to protect your child’s inheritance from divorce Almost half of all married couples end up divorced in America. Parents hope that their children will not face the financial ... -
What is a revocable living trust? A living trust is given the designation of "living" because it is created while the trust creator is alive. Living ... Living Trusts -
Preparing for a first meeting with an estate planning attorney Most people do not like to think about their mortality, so they may put off estate planning. However, an estate plan does ... -
Estate planning shouldn’t begin near the end of your life Many think of estate planning as something that only pertains to the rich. That's not the case though. It's actually a ... Estate Planning -
Mine, yours & ours: Estate planning for mixed families The traditional American family of a mother, a father and several children is slowly disappearing as the standard household ... Estate Planning -
If you become incapacitated, are your assets in safe hands? Your health and age circumstances may make it necessary for you to designate someone to handle your affairs. If you become ... -
3 different varieties of trusts Trusts are highly flexible documents that trust grantors can draft carefully to suit their needs. There are also numerous ... Trusts -
The estate planning to-dos post-divorce An estate plan doesn't become null and void simply because you've finalized the divorce. Unless action is taken, your entire ... Estate Planning -
An estate plan should answer 3 basic questions Most people understand the basic idea of an estate plan, which is to share your possessions with those you love after you've ... Estate Planning -
Famous astronaut tackles family litigation over estate As people age, they often become more vulnerable. Most Californians, however, wouldn't expect to become victims of their own ... Estate Planning -
How long does it take to make an estate plan? According to Forbes, "Only about 45% of adult Americans have estate planning documents." Creating an estate plan is a layered ... -
Is an estate planning attorney worth the cost? In the Internet age, everything can be done online, including buying groceries, shopping for clothes and redecorating your ... -
Dementia Can Have a Major Impact on Finances Older Americans worry about Alzheimer's and cognitive abilities but finances can also be deeply affected. The Washington Post ... Elder Law -
Debts And Death – What You Should Know Coping with the death of a loved one is difficult enough without the added pressure of creditors calling you to collect on ... Estate Planning -
Scammers May Find the Elderly Easy Targets Anyone can be guilty of a scam, but senior citizens are often considered easy targets. Unscrupulous people try to scam others ... Elder Law -
What If Your Kids Don’t Want Your Treasures? There may be items in your home that have great sentimental value to you. However, they may become an annoyance to your ... Estate Planning -
What Happens when Seniors Outnumber Caregivers? A look at Japan may give U.S. a clue of the results of a shortage of caregivers to assist the elderly. An increasing aging ... Elder Issues -
Do You Know When to Update a Will? Changes in your life can sometimes result in changes to your will. As you pass through the stages of adulthood, many changes ... Estate Planning -
Digital Currency Challenges Estate Planning Cryptocurrencies bring high risk, along with the potential for substantial rewards. Cryptocurrencies have become attractive ... Estate Planning -
Unique Assets Can Create a Challenge Estate planning requires a value be listed for your assets. However, some assets may require extra planning. The value of ... Estate Planning -
Retirees Not Running Out of Savings The view of spending down retirement money runs into conflicting information. A new study has found that two decades after ... Elder Issues -
Life Insurance Losing Popularity Population in America is on the increase but not life insurance sales. Between 1965 and 2016, the population in America grew ... Estate Planning -
Financial Challenges for Elder Care Vary by State If you are paying the bills for caring for an elderly family member, much depends on the state of residence. As the costs for ... -
Waiting for Estate Plan? Not a Good Idea Don't wait for retirement to make your plans ... it would be wise to make them BEFORE. Americans have a tendency to consider ... Estate Planning -
Florida Shooter Wanted His Inheritance Mother left him $800,000 and he was going after his share. Two months before the Florida school shootings, Nikolas Cruz hired ... Estate Administration -
Government Faces Opioid, Burial Crisis It is a sad ending when a body is not claimed. However, the problem also spills over to public expenditures. If someone dies ... Elder Issues -
Social Security Recipients May Need More Information Widows and widowers may not be receiving all the information needed to receive full benefits from Social Security. The Social ... Elder Law -
It May Be Helpful to Include Your Doctor in Your Plans If your doctor knows your bucket list, he may have some suggestions. Almost everyone has a list of things they would like to ... Elder Issues -
Preparing for Elder Care Expenses As life expectancy grows, so does the expense for elders. It is estimated that the average cost for caring for an elder ... Elder Care -
New Tax Laws Gives New Life to Trusts The wise use of trusts may create some real tax savings under new tax laws. New laws double the estate tax exemption limit to ... Estate Planning -
Business Interest Goes to Charity Sometimes a business owner can donate shares, without having a major impact on their lifestyle. After taking care of their ... Charity -
Don’t Delay Planning in Hopes of Immortality So far eternal life is not a reality, so it might be best to make other plans. Some people think there is the possibility of ... Estate Planning -
Specific Language Required in Creating a Trust You can go online and create your own trust, but will it be enforced? One of the reasons it is important to have a lawyer ... Estate Planning -
Cryptocurrency and Its Billionaires Forbes publishes its first list of cryptocurrency billionaires. Economists and financial regulators debate the wisdom of ... Estate Planning -
Court Blocks Inheritance for Victim’s Killer If a person is convicted of killing someone, they really don't inherit the money. The so-called slayer statutes prevent a ... Estate Law -
Lottery Not Always a Winner in the Long Run People who win expect happiness. However, sometimes all they find is trouble. Estate planning for the wealthy can often ... Estate Planning -
Structure of Ikea May Change with Founder’s Passing Ingvar Kamprad's family may not gain control of company. Ingvar Kamprad, the 91-year-old founder of Ikea, was unusual. He ... Estate Planning -
Waiting on Estate Plan Is a Risky Bet The delay in creating an estate plan has many excuses behind it and none of them are good. Wealthy people who delay getting ... Estate Planning -
Families of Boat Crash Victims Sue Jose Fernandez Estate What really happened the night the Miami Marlins pitcher and two others died, still remains unclear. It is uncertain what ... Estate Administration -
Does Someone Know Where Your Will Is Located? What if you go to the work of creating an estate plan but it can't be found? Creating a will includes how you want your ... Estate Plan -
Lost Portrait of JFK Widow Discovered The painting was lost decades ago and is now the focus of lawsuit. A painting of Jackie Bouvier that has been missing for ... Estate Administration -
Protecting the Elderly from Financial Abuse Several states have stepped forward to protect the elderly. A national move may be next. Some people believe the federal ... Elder Abuse -
Retire Early and Remain Active Retirement age may not matter as much as what you choose to do in retirement. Researchers in The Netherlands studied people ... Elder Issues -
Writing Own Estate Plan Is Often a Big Mistake A little work and some quick notes can often leave a lot of trouble behind. One of the major problems with estate plans is ... Estate Planning -
How Will IRS Handle Gifting under New Laws? New tax laws with new exemptions mean that some people will no longer have their estates subject to the estate tax and others ... Estate Tax -
Alzheimer’s Can Create Unique Situations Couple in New Zealand find "new" love and second marriage. A New Zealand couple held a second wedding ceremony ... Advanced Medical Directives -
One Can Leave a Legacy Based on Their Own Unique Life Internet highlights the life of an ordinary man who meant a lot to his family and now perhaps others. Terri Ward's obituary ... Estate Planning -
Children Can Be Blocked from Your Estate It can be a tough decision but you can prevent your children from receiving any part of your estate. As a teenager a man had ... Will -
Wills and Trusts Are Not the Same but Solve Similar Challenges Even through they can accomplish similar goals, there are big distinctions between them. Wills go through probate, while ... Estate Planning -
Whistleblower May Get Share of Estate Tax Employee claims her boss was resident of New York rather than Florida when he filed. The state usually files a complaint on ... Estate Tax -
Does New Tax Law Mean Less Estate Planning? What should occur to your planning under new laws, depends on your circumstances. Perhaps the best way to figure out what ... Estate Planning -
Preparing to Be the Surviving Spouse It is important that preparations are made to support the survivor. It is unlikely that both members of a couple will pass ... Elder Issues -
Perhaps Your IRA Should Go into a Trust It is important to choose the right beneficiary for your retirement account, but it is also important to protect it. If you ... Estate Planning -
New Directive Considers Stages of Dementia Previous documents do not take into account the slow loss of cognitive abilities. The usual forms filed when someone looks at ... Estate Planning -
How Do New Tax Exemption Limits Change Your Estate Plan? While the estate tax didn't end with new laws, some changes may be worth a new look. The new tax laws may be a benefit to ... Estate Planning -
Totten Trust Is One of the Simpler Trusts It is best to be cautious when setting up a trust. However, there are some simple ones that are easier to change. The Totten ... Estate Planning -
Rising Expenses Makes Long-Term Care Insurance a Challenge GE explains its difficulties in dealing with long-term care insurance. Rising nursing home costs, rising numbers of people ... Elder Issues -
Some Provisions of the Tax Law Remain Obscure There was little time to review President Trump's tax bill before passage. Most of the key provisions of the recently passed ... Estate Planning -
Positive Points in Domestic Asset Protection Trusts Domestic asset protection trusts aren't just used to protect assets from creditors. Many people think of domestic asset ... Estate Planning -
Family Members Need to Be Educated to Protect Wealth If the younger generation doesn't know how to preserve wealth, the money may not last very long. While transferring ... Estate Planning -
Ease of Wealth Transfer Depends on Country Transfers can sometimes be a challenge. Some nations around the world can be difficult in carrying out intergenerational ... Estate Planning -
Some Nations Make Inheritance the Right of Heirs U.S. allows transfer of assets anywhere you'd like. However, that is not always the case around the globe. There are few ... Estate Law -
Divorced? You Need to Revisit Estate Plan A divorce will most likely change everything. Therefore, decisions need to be made. The Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Begins with Good Questions Your choice of attorney and your own clear thinking is a good beginning. Asking yourself the right questions before you get ... Estate Planning -
Ben Franklin Got It Right in Estate Planning Some careful planning by Franklin created an estate plan that should be studied. Ben Franklin is credited for creating many, ... Estate Planning -
Divorce Means Taking a Fresh Look at Estate Plan If your estate plan is not up to date and done well, it is possible that your assets will end up under the control of your ... Estate Planning -
Value and Family Conflicts Raise Chances of Contested Will People often hire estate planning attorneys to prevent family fighting, but the outcome isn't certain. Only one in 10 wills ... uncategorized -
What If the Estate Tax Reverts to its Previous Level? The tax law finally passed. However, many questions remain up in the air. The estate tax exemption was doubled under the new ... Estate Tax -
The Most Inexpensive States for Funeral Services The average cost of funeral services is much cheaper in some states than others. The reason for that is a simple matter of ... Elder Issues -
Bad States to Die In While the federal estate tax exemption has been doubled through legislation, state estate taxes are still a concern for some ... Estate Planning -
Hefner’s Heirs Required to Stay Sober A man known for his wild parties, left provisions in his estate plan that limit the ability of his heirs to do too much ... Estate Planning -
Taking Advantage of the Tax Cuts The new tax cuts were passed so quickly and with so little debate, that it is not yet clear to experts. However, there are a ... Estate Planning -
Spousal Election Does Have an Exclusion The spousal election can be a benefit in the future. When a surviving spouse inherits almost everything and gets a double ... Estate Tax -
New Will Won’t Necessarily Override a Contract A decision on assets can't always be changed. A recent case concerning a valid contract on assets and the impact of a will ... Estate Planning -
Estate Tax Stays in Place but Has Modification Final version of bill nearly doubles current exemption. The Republicans agreed to keep the estate tax before the law was ... Estate Tax -
You Can Learn What You Shouldn’t Do Pay attention to elderly family members and make some notes on estate planning. As you watch events unfold in your family, ... Elder Issues -
There are Two Certainties, So Plan Ahead Don't wait until you are a senior citizen to make your estate plan. There are many reasons why planning ahead for your estate ... Estate Planning -
Divorce Should Spark Second Look at Estate Plan Some state laws involving divorce and estate plans may be ruled unconstitutional. Some states laws that automatically revoke ... Divorce -
Will Tax Cuts Lead to Reduced Entitlements? Senator's comments create concerns, as tax reform advances. As tax reform moves forward, remarks by Sen. Marco Rubio have ... Elder Issues -
New Uniform Power of Attorney Act Should Reduce Conflicts Four states have adopted new standards for agents with powers of attorney. Powers of attorney have often sparked conflict ... Elder Law -
States Standardize Digital Access Getting access to digital accounts when someone passes away, has become less complex with the acceptance of the Uniform ... Digital Accounts -
Check with Attorney before Challenging Estate "No contest" clause is included in attempt to avoid challenges, but state laws vary. The outcome of a challenge to ... Estate Attorney -
Manson Leaves Estate to Pen Pal Everyone has an estate and that includes convicted killers. Charles Manson, who died in prison in November, knew he had an ... Estate Planning -
Problems Can Be Avoided by Informing Family of Plan The potential for a fight over an estate can sometimes be avoided by family communications. Surprise can sometimes be the ... Estate Plan -
Insurance on Inheritance Tax May Be Helpful Insurance available in the U.S., as well as the U.K. Inheritance taxes have led families in the U.S. and the U.K. to figure ... Estate Planning -
Stepchildren Can Pay Taxes If They Inherit in Iowa Case challenges the way Iowa treats stepchildren, when it comes to inheritances. Iowa's inheritance tax laws exempt children ... Estate Tax -
Frey’s Estate Is $100,00 and a Family Trust Estate of co-founder of the Eagles is not unusual, but is certainly interesting. Glenn Frey, one of the co-founders of the ... Estate Plan -
Blind Trusts Often Necessary but Not Complicated People in important government roles often use blind trusts. Being a key political figure, President Trump has his assets in ... Trusts -
Retirement Savings Enough? It Depends! How much you need in savings to support your retirement, is not always easy to answer. A million dollars in savings for ... Elder Issues -
Globalization Sets Switzerland against Egypt over Inheritance Estate laws can be vastly different between countries. A court in Switzerland was recently asked to recognize a receipt of ... Elder Law -
Tax Plan May Retain Massive Wealth Transfers GOP plan supports easy transfer of wealth generation after generation. Republicans in the House of Representatives have ... Estate Tax -
Tax Plan Threatens College Endowment Gifts Some wealthy people like to leave a legacy through gifting to their college of choice. However, a new tax could reduce ... Estate Planning -
When Is the Right Time to Write a Will? The seriousness of a medical procedure can spur people into writing a will and protecting their family. An entertainer ... Estate Planning -
Estate Fight over Housing Complex Is Unusual A family estate fight between a widow and stepchildren is not unusual. However, having a dispute over the future of the ... Estate Litigation -
GOP Plan Would Repeal Estate Tax Entire repeal of tax would come in six years. A repeal of the estate tax is included in the latest Republican tax reform ... Estate Tax -
Challenges Not Always Prevented by No-Contest Clauses The situation isn't necessarily simple because the legal move has limitations. The no-contest clause creates a strong ... Estate Plan -
Fending Off False Claims against Estate Someone may not be related to the deceased. However, that doesn't always stop an expense to the estate. Pilar Abel may have ... Estate Planning -
‘Daughter’ Not Included in Jerry Lewis’ Estate Woman was never acknowledged by Lewis, but she feels entitled to a share of his estate. A woman who claimed she was the ... Will -
Estate, Gift Taxes Differ in U.S., U.K. The recent death of a TV personality in the U.K. highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the systems. U.K. television ... Inheritance Tax -
Should You Continue Paying for Insurance? If the original reason for insurance stops, there may still be some value to the policy. The New York Times recently reported ... Elder Issues -
Estate Plans Need Updating or Problems Can Arise The distribution of your assets as you want them, relies on an up-to-date plan. Most successful business people are aware ... Estate Planning -
Digital Is Changing Legal Definition of ‘Will’ Courts are taking a fresh look at what is accepted as a will. An Australian court recently accepted an unsent text message as ... Will -
What Do Your Heirs Want and What Is Just Clutter? Many in Sweden follow a process, known as death cleaning, to get rid of possessions before they become part of an estate. ... Estate Plan -
IRS Isn’t Tough Enough? The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration questions how tax audits are chosen. The method the IRS uses to decide ... Estate Tax -
A Permanent Vacation Can Be Cheaper than Assisted Living The focus on senior years is often on nursing homes. However, assisted living can be an option. That option must be chosen ... Elder Issues -
Don’t Wait for Tax Reform Before Creating Estate Plan It could be a long time before tax reform passes and it may never happen. Instead of putting off estate planning, it might be ... Estate Planning -
Hugh Hefner’s Assets in Trusts While there may not be many assets in Hefner's estate, there are assets held in trusts. Questions have been raised about ... Estate Planning -
Inspiration for Caulfield Character Dies; Possible Heir Steps Forward Woman may be last remaining heir for Lamont Buchanan. A woman has come forward, who claims to be an aunt of the late Lamont ... Intestate Succession -
Repeal of Estate Tax Could Hit Charitable Causes Estate tax is targeted for repeal which could hurt charities across America. President Trump and most Congressional ... Estate Tax -
Inherited IRA? It is Best to Seek Professional Advice Don't do anything with your inherited IRA, until you learn the facts of the laws and regulations. If you are a person who has ... Estate Administration -
Aging Population Creates Looming Problems in U.S. Lawmakers do not seem to be focused on dealing with the issues before they arise. The Baby Boomer generation is steadily ... Elder Issues -
A Growing Elderly Population Challenges Hospice Industry Some patients may be better off being allowed to pass away peacefully and with as little pain as possible, when death becomes ... Elder Issues -
Inherited Roth IRA Can Be Stretched Minimum disbursements can be a problem but not necessarily, if you have an inherited Roth IRA. Because a Roth IRA is subject ... Estate Planning -
Life Insurance Is Beneficial but Must Be Handled Correctly The primary benefits can't be paid out, if there is confusion on the beneficiary. The idea of life insurance in estate ... Estate Planning -
Americans Are Not Saving Enough It seems to be difficult to save for elder years and there are fewer and fewer pensions offered. It is thought that people ... Elder Issues -
Jerry Lewis Cut Sons Out of Will Comedian apparently had severed all ties with first wife and their children. As some of the details from the will of ... Estate Planning -
Hurricanes Can Affect Estate Plan Storms can force temporary relocation to another state, as well as another look at your plan. Once again multiple hurricanes ... Estate Planning -
Passing Copyrights on in Estate Planning Few people have any idea what a copyright protects or how it is enforced. Just how do you pass it along from generation to ... Estate Planning -
Only Morons Pay Estate Tax? Regardless of language, the White House has an interesting viewpoint of the estate tax. In an attempt to convince the ... Estate Planning -
Driving Can Be Difficult for Elderly to Give Up Driving requires quick reflexes and good motor skills. Families face difficulties with the elderly, when safety comes into ... Elder Issues -
Crypto Currency Can Create Problems for Estate Plans Millions of dollars have been lost in estate plans because heirs weren't aware of digital assets. Despite the fact that ... Estate Planning -
Ashes Need to Be Spread Appropriately While it may be of sentimental value to you, it could make it difficult for your heirs when you ask to have your ashes spread ... Estate Planning Attorney -
If Tax Reform Passes There Are Still Options People often buy a home as an investment. However, tax reform could make that investment more of a challenge...but there are ... Estate Planning -
Disbursements Crucial in Retirement Accounts Failure to take minimum disbursement could draw 50% penalty. If the minimum amount is not taken out of retirement accounts, ... Elder Issues -
Pensions Should End at Death but They Don’t Always City in Delaware continues benefits for 20 years, after retiree passes away. For nearly two decades after the death of a ... Elder Issues -
Elder Rich Have More than the Younger Rich Life expectancy is decreasing in the U.S. However, the rich still live longer than other Americans. There are two trends ... Elder Issues -
Assisted Living at $20,000 a Month? Wealthiest Americans will soon have the choice. Developers plan on building new luxury assisted living facilities in ... Assisted Living -
College Students May Need a Power of Attorney Perhaps estate planning should be part of the preparation for college. People should consider seeing an estate planning ... Estate Planning Attorney -
Special Trust Provides Protection from Changes What if there are key legal changes between the time a person writes an estate plan and the time when they pass away? If ... Estate -
Challenge of Downsizing Can Be Daunting The downsizing process often means getting rid of possessions that your family doesn't want or have room for. However, there ... Elder Issues -
Legacy Is Different Than Estate Your estate is your assets, while your legacy is how you are remembered. It is important to keep the difference between ... Estate Planning -
Locking in Lower Interest Rates Different kinds of trusts can help with the challenge of rising interest rates. It is likely that at some point in the near ... Estate Planning -
A Longer Lifespan Can Create Longer Retirement Many elderly retirees with straining budgets are turning to their children for financial help, just as they are reaching ... Elder Issues -
Lewis’ Estate Modest by Hollywood Standards? Jerry Lewis owned everything in his movies and they are in a trust. Jerry Lewis, who passed away recently, was one of the ... Estate Planning -
Be Honest with the Life Insurance Company Life insurance policies pay out immediately upon death and can help the family through difficult times. However, it is ... Estate Planning -
Taking Advice from Britney Spears Changing circumstances should spark a fresh look at an estate plan. Britney Spears, who currently has a will that would leave ... Estate Planning -
Stretch IRA Could Become a Tool of the Past The stretch IRA is a simple way to pass wealth to the next generation. However, it may soon disappear. An IRA is known as a ... Estate Planning -
Some Doctors Troubled by ‘Right to Die’ Law After years of campaigning by elder law advocates for "right to die" laws, California has passed a law that leaves ... Elder Issues -
Royal Dispute Changes Burial Plans The Queen of Denmark deals with a long-simmering issue with "Prince Consort." A long-standing issue in Denmark has ... Elder Issues -
Digital Age Heightens Importance of Estate Planning In the past, physical property were the primary assets tracked for an estate plan. However, the digital age has created some ... Estate Planning -
Undue Influence Difficult to Prove but Not Impossible Legal formalities are the key to a valid will. However, undue influence can create a major challenge. Undue influence on a ... Estate Litigation -
What If a Person Doesn’t Want to Be Saved? The decision on whether you should save someone, can sometimes be very difficult and not wanted. A doctor who saved the life ... Elder Issues -
Breakthrough Said to Be Close in Cryogenics Researchers believe they are closing in on solving problem of damage to tissue from freezing. A group of researchers claims ... Estate Planning -
Regulators Must Decide When a Donation Is a Dodge Large donations to museums resulting in a tax break, often draw a watchful eye from regulators. A story was reported recently ... Estate Planning -
Not Everyone Knows How to Behave at Funerals While proper behavior is the norm at funerals, it is not always the case and a funeral director's life may become more ... Estate -
Congratulations on the Marriage but ‘What If’? A divorce can throw a lot or problems into the family's future plans. Marriages are wonderful but it might be wise for ... Estate Planning -
Live Longer, Save Less and Continue to Work As more people follow the trend of remaining in the work force after the traditional retirement age of 65, a period of ... Elder Issues -
Hutchence’s Daughter May Still Inherit Millions INXS lead singer was reported to be nearly penniless when he died. INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence died in 1997 leaving ... Estate Administration -
Wealthy Not Necessarily Blocked from Social Security How a person accumulated wealth is a key factor in the decision on eligibility to receive benefits. Wealthy people are ... Estate Law -
Medicaid May Be Very Important to You A reduction in Medicaid could have an impact on long-term care in a nursing home. Medicaid was set up to provide health care ... Elder Law -
Producer Files Elder Abuse Case against Jackson’s Estate Quincy Jones claims he suffered elder financial abuse. A judge has rejected a claim by music producer Quincy Jones that he ... Elder Abuse -
Dealing with Intellectual Property Can Be a Challenge If you created it, you own it or so it would seem. Intellectual property rights are relatively new and can be a challenge, ... Estate Administration -
Generations Can Benefit by Digital Legacy Most people are only remembered by their immediate family, but digital technology can protect memories for generations. A ... Estate Planning -
No Should Mean No on Trust Advice You may have an idea for setting up your trust, but is it a good idea? People will sometimes walk into an attorney's office ... Trusts -
Despite Common Belief, Singles Need an Estate Plan Don't be fooled because married people aren't the only ones who need to make plans and consider estates. Single people are ... Estate Planning -
Cost of Funeral Can Be Difficult to Find Some costs are not covered in pre-paid funeral plans, as U.K. and American citizens have discovered. Some people decided to ... Elder Law -
Delaware Gives Up on Estate Tax after a Decade Legislators of many states believe it is best to give in to wealthy residents, before those residents move to greener ... Estate Tax -
It May Be Time to Discuss Death How long should an elderly, ill person be kept alive? It is not an easy conversation. Thanks to medical advances, people can ... Estate Law -
Deceased’s Image Can Be Part of Estate’s Rights Kendall and Kylie Jenner learn the hard way about using an image without permission. Sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner, who ... Estate Administration -
Some Japanese Families Forgo Traditional Funerals Funeral services have traditionally been elaborate, expensive affairs, but changes are underway. The extreme expense of ... Elder Issues -
Debt Issue Can Be Addressed in Estate Plan Specifying how debt should be handled can solve some problems before they arrive. A death debt load can create problems for ... Estate Planning -
The Future of Medicaid Is Important to Everyone As Congress debates Medicaid, some Americans ignore the issue because they think it will not have an impact on them. They are ... Elder Law -
There are Benefits and Drawbacks to Silent Trusts Beneficiaries of a trust do not necessarily have to know about the trust details or its existence. A potential way to avoid ... Estate Planning -
Price of Funeral Not Always Easy to Discover Americans and Australians share same problem: finding out the cost of a funeral. Planning for a funeral can be difficult in ... Estate Planning -
Trusts May Not Stop All Family Feuds Trusts are known to help prevent family feuds. However, that does not mean the fighting will stop. Having a trust is helpful ... Estate Planning -
You Don’t Have to Be Wealthy to Leave a Legacy Some people are concerned with passing away and then being forgotten. The non-wealthy as well as the wealthy can leave a ... Estate Planning -
There are No Boundaries in Estate Planning Different jurisdictions can create a challenge, when it comes to estate planning. A list of different estate planning ... Estate Planning -
The Challenge of Memorabilia Jewelry and other rare items are often easy to price. However, the pricing can become quite difficult, if a celebrity is ... Estate Tax -
Bureau Moves to Protect Elderly from Financial Abuse The CFPB works toward preventing financial abuse of the elderly. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day has sparked some detailed ... Elder Law -
Mortgages are a Big Source of Senior Complaints The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was launched by Obama after the financial crisis. The Consumer Financial Protection ... Elder Law -
Planning for Medicaid Can Be a Challenge If you believe you may need Medicaid, it is best to plan ahead. Planning for Medicaid needs to be done carefully as the ... Estate Planning -
Spousal Portability Election Needs to Be Simple A spousal portability election can be a good way to decrease an estate tax burden. A spousal portability election is a good ... Estate Tax -
Inheritance to Children Before You Pass? While it is traditional to leave your children money, it is possible to give it to them now. The New York Times recent ... Estate Planning -
Are Your Funeral Plans Really a Good Idea? Following non-traditional funeral plans can sometimes lead to problems for your loved ones. A full Viking funeral seemed like ... Elder Law -
Cryptocurrency and How It Is Important to an Estate What is cryptocurrency and how will your loved ones handle the accounts? Cryptocurrency is showing up more often in estate ... Estate Planning -
Germany Protects Facebook’s Privacy Policy The mother of a young daughter, who was run over by a train, wanted access to her Facebook page. Facebook declined a mother's ... Estate Administration -
Texas Court Leaves Inheritance Rights Issue Unresolved There are two possible remedies to undue influence in creating estate plans. The Texas Supreme Court recently had the ... Estate -
District of Columbia Cuts Estate Tax The City's tax plan will meet the federal plan in 2018. Washington D.C. has followed the trend of some states and reduced ... Estate Tax -
Governor Signs Minnesota’s Estate Tax Bill The legislature votes to raise the state estate tax exemption over the objection of the governor. Only 18 states and the ... Estate Tax -
Married Couples without Children Need Estate Plans Dual incomes and no children does not rule out estate planning. Couples sometimes referred to as "Dual-income no ... Estate Planning -
Care of Alzheimer’s Patients May Be at Home Number of people who died from Alzheimer's disease increased 54% in 2014. A longer lifespan and the large Baby Boomer ... Elder Issues -
Inheritance Can Help Your Children’s Retirement If older members of a family pass on wealth, younger family members often have a more secure retirement. A new study suggests ... Estate Planning -
Will Baby Boomers Pass on Great Wealth? The Heirs of the Baby Boomer generation may not receive all of the wealth. Baby Boomers who have wealth, hope it will go to ... Estate Planning -
Will Is Done but Tax Law Changes Continue You can update your will to reflect tax changes or the court may do it for you. When tax laws change, it may be necessary to ... Taxes -
Family Farms Require Careful Estate Planning Succession and estate plans are needed in order to keep the farm in operation. If a farmer wants the farm to keep operating ... Estate Planning -
When Is Right Time to Tell Kids about Estate Plan? Finding the balance between your children knowing how much they will inherit and letting them accomplish things on their own, ... Estate Planning -
Even Judges Can Make Mistakes with Estate Plans Mistake by judge in creating her estate plan, could have caused major battle in family. It appears that a New York judge who ... Estate Planning -
Roger Ailes’ Estate Inherits Lawsuits Former Fox News chairman passes away, while facing sexual harassment allegations. Roger Ailes, former chairman of Fox News, ... Estate Administration -
Genetic Testing Threatens Long-Term Care Insurance Genetic testing is not expensive and can help in decisions on the need for insurance. A person's decision on whether to pay ... Elder Law -
Why are More Older People Getting Divorced? The common belief for an increase in the divorce rate is empty nest syndrome. However, that might not be the cause. Research ... Elder Law -
Brain Transplants Forecast in Near Future Doctor plans human head transplant and projects that brain transplants may be available within a few years. Italian doctor ... Estate Planning -
Since Tax Reform Is Uncertain, You Should Remain Flexible The political system is going through major changes and it is difficult to know exactly what is going on. There are many ... Estate Planning -
Wealth Can Fund Medical Research but There Are Drawbacks Wealthy people can use their assets to fund research for rare diseases. However, problems can arise. Funding research has ... Estate Planning -
Remarriage? Estate Planning Is Needed What is the best way to protect an inheritance for children from a previous marriage? There are numerous ways to protect an ... Estate Planning -
Do You Want to Preserve Your Collection? Your estate plan may be the best way to preserve a collection that took a lifetime to complete. Children often do not share ... Estate Planning -
Actors Continue Working after They Pass Away Technology creates the need for celebrities to plan how they want their fame handled after they pass away. Computers can now ... Estate Planning -
Sotheby’s Appraisal Draws Fire from Judge It is not always easy for the IRS and a wealthy estate to come to agreement on value of art. A recent court case involving ... Estate Administration -
Adoption in Japan May Limit Taxes Adoption can be used for different reasons in different countries, depending on the laws. Japan has an inheritance tax but ... Estate Tax -
Hernandez’s Estate Not Worth Much The fight over Aaron Hernandez's estate may go on for a long time, but it won't be over a lot of assets. It has been ... Estate Administration -
Protecting Assets from All Sorts of Creditors After a short period of time, assets in self-settled asset protection trusts are safe from creditors. A wealthy person has ... Trusts -
What Is the Future of the Gift Tax? The estate tax draws considerable attention during tax reform discussions. However, the gift tax may be considered as well. ... Estate Tax -
Hernandez’s Death Complicates Estate, Civil Suits Former NFL player was found dead of apparent suicide. A Massachusetts law complicates the legal proceedings in lawsuits ... Estate Litigation -
State of Residence Is Important in Estate Planning Estate laws vary by state, so your state of residence is crucial, depending on your goals. If estate planning is important to ... Estate Tax -
Community Property Can Be Beneficial Community property can be a problem. However, it can also keep property within the family. Despite the bad reputation of ... Estate Planning -
Scholars May Learn about Baldwin’s Personal Life James Baldwin has long been an elusive figure. However, there is now an opportunity to learn more about the gay ... Estate Administration -
Jackson Estate Makes a Concession A recent easing of the ongoing family battles over Michael Jackson's estate shows a glimmer of hope. A feud between some of ... Estate Administration -
Elder Care Should Be Adjusted to Reality The changing structures of families have changed the needs of the elderly. The concept of the family structure as husband, ... Elder Care -
Wealthy Look for Ways to Contribute to Society A small number of people control much of world's wealth and some are now focusing on helping others. A new trend has surfaced ... Charity -
Settling Estate Can Bring Trying Times to Family How an estate is handled can separate a family or strengthen it. If there is a death in the family, the resulting estate ... Estate Administration -
Estate Plan Can Help Prevent Family Fight Less than half of Americans have plans for their estate or have a will. A new study points out some of the problems that ... Estate Planning -
Divorce Can Cause Big Problems with an Estate Is a widow with a post-nuptial agreement entitled to allowance? A recent case in Georgia has shown the confusion that can ... Estate Planning -
Humor Tops U.K. List for Being Remembered You will most likely get many different answers to how does one wish to be remembered. U.K. survey reveals that most people ... Estate Planning -
Trend to Live Longer Changes Preparation Longer life span? Different preparations are needed for retirement. People need to plan differently than in the past and ... Estate Planning -
GOP Now Looks to Tax Reform President Trump, GOP look at tax reform and could stall repeal of estate tax. The planned tax reform by the ... Estate Planning -
Families Need to Plan for Wealth Transfer The Baby Boomers are about to transfer a lot of wealth, and planning for it would be a good idea. If it is not managed ... Estate Planning -
Eternal Life Would Create Some Problems Living forever would have some major implications on society. Some people believe that we may be on the verge of obtaining ... Estate Planning -
Jackson Estate Wins One but Still Faces Long Battle Legal battles, family feuds and a long fight with IRS are far from over for the estate of Michael Jackson. A small but ... -
Estate Planning Important for Same-Sex Spouses A recent case highlights why same-sex couples need to carefully check laws of intestate succession as well as the proper ... Estate Planning -
Extremely Religious, Atheists ‘Least Afraid’ to Die Oxford University research yields interesting results on fear of death. Research at Oxford University recently determined the ... Estate Planning -
People with Dementia Should Be Treated as Adults It can be harmful to dementia patients to be treated as children. It would be offensive to adults to be treated as children, ... Elder Law -
Singles Would Be Wise to Consider a Will If you are unmarried and without children, do you need a will? Yes! There is faulty logic behind the reasoning that unmarried ... Estate Planning -
New GOP Health Plan Could Hit Older Americans ACA replacement expected to lower premiums but become a major concern to the aging U.S. population. Older Americans should ... -
More States Allowing Asset Protection Trusts Asset protection trusts, which are controversial and used to block creditors, are becoming more popular. Michigan recently ... -
Federal Law to Protect Rights of Heirs Headed for Test Law aims at making it easier for families and heirs to recover art stolen by Nazis decades ago. The Holocaust Expropriated ... Elder Law -
Think Carefully Before Cancelling Survivorship Insurance It might not be a good idea to cancel survivorship insurance, even if the federal estate tax is repealed. Dropping ... Estate Tax -
Battle over Jackson Estate Shows No Sign of Abating Charges of elder abuse surface in fight over entertainer's estate. The latest charges surfacing in the family fight over ... Estate Administration -
Alzheimer’s Cost Threatens Medicare, Medicaid Alzheimer's is the most costly disease to treat today, with one out of every five dollars spent by Medicaid and Medicare ... Elder Law -
Retirement Planning Should Include Your Estate One of the biggest mistakes in planning for retirement is leaving out an estate plan. A major retirement mistake people ... Estate Planning -
Sharing Burial Site with Pets Gaining in Popularity As the trend for pets to gain importance in people's lives increases, so does the interest in being buried alongside them. ... Estate Planning Attorney -
Price Tag May Be Attached to Repeal of Estate Tax Congress could repeal estate tax but revenue may have to be made up from another source. Congress could find a price tag ... Estate Tax -
Retirees May Face Challenges When Retiring to Another Country Careful planning would be a wise move before retiring overseas. Many people who are retiring and plan to move overseas, ... Elder Law -
Your Inheritance Might Not Be All You Expected Parents and their children not always of the same mind on the total amount of inheritance. Research points out that children ... Estate Planning -
Posthumous Conception Can Create Estate Challenges Support for posthumous conception is strong in the U.K. Posthumous conception involves using the frozen sperm or egg of a ... -
The Cost of Caregiving Can Come as a Surprise The majority of Americans expect to become caregivers for an elderly relative, but many will be surprised by the cost. ... Elder Law -
Economic Recovery May Lead to Increased Charitable Giving Charitable giving has been stalled since the 2008 financial crisis, but an upturn is expected. Charity suffers during ... Estate Planning -
Financial Difficulties after Passing of Spouse Not Necessary Emotional difficulties are expected when a spouse passes, but understanding the management of the family finances can lessen ... Estate Planning -
Millions of Dollars Can Ignite an Estate Battle A New York case highlights how the involvement of millions of dollars may well fuel the fire. The wife of Brooklyn District ... Will -
Controversy Heightens over Ceasing Life Support Decision in U.K. throws fuel on fire in debate over right to remove loved one from life support. A new court decision in the ... Elder Law -
No More Stretch IRAs? Senate committee votes to eliminate stretch IRAs and it may become the law of the land. The Senate Finance Committee has ... Estate Planning -
It Is Not Always Easy to Preserve Generational Wealth The generation that inherits wealth may not be aware of how hard it was to accumulate it. Grandchildren and ... Estate Planning Attorney -
Baby Boomers are Making Elder Law More Popular As elder law becomes a more popular field, there is some good news and there is some bad news. The Baby Boomer generation is ... Estate Planning Attorney -
Assets Held in Irrevocable Trust Can Be a Problem in Divorce Florida case illustrates the issues that arise in divorce when an irrevocable trust is involved. An appellate court in ... Estate Tax -
Estate Planning Could Prevent a Funeral Embarrassment After the death of a Taiwanese politician, his son had a hilarious dream. The result? A funeral procession so unique that ... Estate Planning -
Starting Hospice: Sooner May Be Better Terminally ill patients and their families often report higher levels of satisfaction with the care provided through hospice ... Elder Law -
How Trump Policies May Affect Your Wallet While no one knows the details yet, Trump's policies could affect wide-ranging changes in government programs like Social ... Elder Law -
Wealthiest Colleges May Be Asked to Pony Up for Financial Aid The high cost of a college-education is a hot topic in the news these days. What if the most expensive, and wealthiest, ... Charitable Gifting -
Experts Caution Social Security Cuts Could Trigger Suicide Among Seniors Financial stresses can push some people to a point of desperation ... and suicide. Experts warn that cutting entitlement ... Elder Law -
Estate Plan Can Guard against Misuse of Images Star Wars highlights the value of protecting images posthumously. A new Hollywood trend has developed of using estate ... Estate Planning -
Opting Out of Being an Organ Donor France plans to reduce an organ donation shortage with new legislation. In response to a shortage of organ donations in ... Elder Law -
Disney Carried $50 Million Policy on Carrie Fischer Carrie Fisher was in two of the three recent Star Wars movies but what happens now to Princess Leia? What Disney faces with ... Estate Planning -
Village Benefits from Native Son Who Founded Corona Beer Antonio Fernandez, one of the founders of the Corona Beer empire, gave millions to the village where he was born in Spain. ... Wills -
Interesting Estate Plans Loom in Entertainment World Zsa Zsa Gabor leaves behind no living children and an intriguing estate. Zsa Zsa Gabor, who was famous for being famous, died ... Estate Planning -
Who Can Sue If Will Is Drafted Incorrectly? Virginia high court backs charity in estate lawsuit. A charity has successfully sued the Virginia attorney who drew up a ... Will -
Readers Inspired by Unusual Obituary Man's obit inspires some readers, which resulted in more contributions to foundation. An obituary published on the Internet ... Elder Law -
Preparing for the Death of Your Spouse Things can be made easier if you take a few steps of preparation, should you realize your ill or elderly spouse is going to ... Elder Law -
Financial Abuse of Elders Draws Legislative Focus U.S. Senate committee holds hearings, following report by the GAO on problems of guardians financially abusing the elderly. A ... Elder Abuse -
Do Illegal Immigrants Have Rights of Inheritance? People who enter the country illegally still have the right to inherit property. An issue recently came up about the ... Inheritance -
Co-leased Apartment Responsibility of an Estate? Sometimes determining estate liabilities takes some experience. Is the estate responsible for paying rent if an agreement was ... -
To Challenge or Not to Challenge One of the key approaches to deciding on whether to challenge an estate is to look at it as an independent observer might. If ... Estate Planning -
Robin Williams’ Heirs Face Online Harassment Simple estate planning mistakes fuel ongoing saga of the estate of Robin Williams. The estate of Robin Williams has ... Estate Planning -
Teenager Wins Right to Be Frozen Experts believe cryogenics will not be successful but the practice continues. There are often stories circulated in the media ... Elder Law -
Impact of Election Remains up in Air Trump proposed a number of changes that would have an impact on estate planning. President-elect Donald Trump could eliminate ... Estate Planning -
Vanderbilt Fortune Creates Speculation Anderson Cooper, the son of Gloria Vanderbilt, is not expected to receive an inheritance. The son of heiress Gloria ... Estate -
Some Professionals Won’t Handle Special Needs Trusts Professional trustees normally handle special needs trusts but problems cause some to back off. Professional trustees are ... Special Needs -
The Answer Won’t Change: Use a Trust The estate tax may come to an end but the trust will most likely still be your best option. The estate tax may be eliminated ... Estate Planning -
Monroe’s Estate Attempts to Block Underwear Campaign Lingerie company charged with using Marilyn Monroe's likeness without permission. Marilyn Monroe's estate is charged with ... -
An Estate Plan Can Be Vulnerable to Dispute The details of director Curtis Hanson's will leaves plenty of assets but not all in trust. The long-time partner of film ... Estate Planning -
Confusion Continues Over Entertainer’s Estate Rapper offers $40 million for rights to recordings by Prince but estate rejects offer. And, the estate could be planning a ... Estate Tax -
How Will Trump’s Election Affect Wealthy Estates? President-elect Trump had presented a number of proposals for changing the tax code The press is now exploring the impact of ... Estate Tax -
A QPRT Can Still Be Useful Qualified personal residence trusts have dropped out of favor because of high estate tax exemptions and low interest rates. ... Estate Planning -
Estate Plan Requires Careful Thought and Planning Carrying out an estate plan requires more than the proper legal documents. A general durable power of attorney, a health care ... Estate Planning -
And Now Redstone Questions His Competency Sumner Redstone defended a number of cases recently that questioned his mental competency and won but now he has filed a ... Elder Abuse -
An Estate Plan Needs to Be Precise Connecticut court makes a decision on Maurice Sendak's book collection. Legal intrigue can surround an estate plan if it ... Will -
What Sort of Music Would You Like on Your Death Bed? There is apparently no limits when it comes to making plans for your final days. As you think of your passing you can even ... General Durable Power of Attorney -
Approach End-Of-Life Technology Apps with Caution New startups aim to make apps and online services more prevalent in the estate planning world. Despite the latest technology ... Estate Planning -
Extremely Wealthy Often Struggle with What’s Best for Their Children Bill Gates doesn't plan to leave his entire fortune to his children. People who have made their own way in the world and ... Estate Planning -
Be Considerate in Disposing of Ashes Make sure you don't set up your loved ones for an illegal act when making your final plans. While the traditional method of ... -
Revocable Living Trust Can Be Confusing It is important to understand the legality of a trust and how it fits in with your estate plan. There is often plenty of ... Estate Planning -
Some Bicycles are Worth More Than Others The children of Robin Williams are donating his bicycles as ways for charities to receive support. Robin Williams passed away ... Estate Planning -
Best to Make Sure Your Will Is Valid It is important to be sure your will conforms to the laws of your state in order to avoid problems. Confusion continues to ... Estate Planning -
How Do Wealthy Parents Motivate Their Children? It is possible to set up incentive trusts to help your children. Wealthy people have often been concerned about the ... -
Challenging the Estate and the Marriage Can Be a Tough Task Sometimes a recent marriage has to be challenged as well as the estate. The elderly can be at risk from unscrupulous people ... -
Estate Planning Not Just for Wealthy WealthCounsel survey says half of Americans don't see value of estate plan except for wealthy. A survey conducted by ... Estate Planning -
Salesman’s Life is Example of Frugal Living and Charitable Giving Thrifty shoe salesman surprises community and school with gift of nearly $1 million. The Los Angeles Times reports on a ... Estate Planning -
Capital Gains Tax Laws May Be Best Friend of the Wealthy Wealthy people in the U.S. often pay little, if any, income tax but what is the real reason? It appear as if Donald Trump ... Capital Gains Tax -
Research before Making Donations to Charities The upcoming holidays often spark donations to charities so now is the time to conduct your research. Giving to charities ... Estate Planning -
Planning Your Own Funeral While it may not always be at the top of the list people often want to be sure their family has sufficient cash for funeral ... Estate Planning -
Court Fights are Over for Sumner Redstone for Now Challenges of the competency of the 93 year old are finally over. Sumner Redstone has faced many battle over his mental ... Estate Planning -
Are Charitable Pledges Enforceable? Duke files lawsuit in attempt to enforce $10 million unfulfilled pledge. Duke University has filed a lawsuit against Aubrey ... Estate Planning -
IRS Rule Changes Draw Fire from Republicans IRS goes ahead with change in valuation discounts after failing to get Congressional approval. The Internal Revenue Service ... Estate Planning -
A Living Will Needs to Be a Job Well Done If one does not have a living will there is a real risk that life savings will be severely reduced. A living will, also known ... Estate Planning -
No More Estate Tax in New Jersey The state's estate tax is soon to be eliminated while the tax exemption on retirement income is increased as part of move to ... Elder Law -
There Is Room for Religion in an Estate Plan Interests vary when it comes to estate planning and reflecting your views. Religion and estate planning can intersect, ... Estate Planning -
Widow Leaves $100 Million to Former Mob Informant Family of widow challenges validity of estate plan. Alben Sagan, a former military officer known as "The General" ... Estate Planning -
Heir to Major Art Estate Accused of Tax Fraud rench authorities accuse Wildenstein heir of tax fraud. The Wildenstein family, famous for its art collection and expertise ... Estate Planning -
Careful Planning Can Reduce Chances of Challenge to Will A challenge to a will can be costly and timely as well as sometimes block the deceased's last wishes but the chance of a ... Wills -
Hillary Clinton Changes Position on Estate Tax Democratic Presidential candidate proposes a larger increase similar to that of her primary opponent Bernie Sanders. ... Estate Tax -
Donation Sparks ‘Academics or Sports’ Controversy A $4 million gift creates controversy of expenditures: academics or sports? The Independent reported recently on a ... Charitable Gifting -
Charities are Likely to Benefit from Gene Wilder’s Estate Actor's estate details not available to the public. Wealth Management explains in "Gene Wilder's Real-Life Golden ... Estate Planning -
Wealthy May Leave Behind $3.9 Trillion Expected transfer may spark even more debate on income inequality and the estate tax. The charges of inequality of wealth and ... Estate Tax -
CEO of Wrestling Organization Sells Shares Vince McMahon sells 1.55 million shares as part of estate plan. Bloomberg has reported that Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment ... Estate Planning -
Gifting Provides Lifetime Experience Many people want to witness the results of their gift to heirs. Many people prefer to see results and the subject of gifting ... Gifting -
Recent Divorce Creates Need for New Look at Old Plan It is prudent to take a closer look at your estate plan following a divorce. Forbes recently discussed the potential impact ... Estate Planning -
Will May Include Colonel Sanders’ Secret Recipe The original KFC secret recipe may no longer be a secret after notes revealed on back of will. Colonel Sanders' secret recipe ... Estate -
Leaving the Vacation Home to the Next Generation Children may not be thrilled to receive the vacation home despite fond memories. Children who receive a vacation home as an ... Inheritance -
Blended Family Does Not Have to Be at Odds Proper handling of finances today and in the future can avoid tensions in blended families. Advisor.ca recently offered some ... Estate Planning -
Could Presidential Election Determine Future of Estate Tax? One of the key differences between the candidates is opinions on future of the estate tax. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton ... -
States Race to Approve Trust-Friendly Laws A number of states seek to become popular with wealthy by passing laws more friendly to trusts. The New York Times recent ... Trusts -
Lump Sum Payments Can Cost Heirs of Retirement Accounts When retirement accounts are passed on to heirs they face major decisions that have to be made in a timely manner. Market ... Inheritance -
Retirement Is Not the Time for Regrets When people retire they sometimes sit down and consider their regrets. They shouldn't. Some people make the decision to focus ... Elder Law -
Treating Your Children Fairly through Your Estate You can treat your children differently and still be fair. Sometimes parents treat children differently because one child may ... Estate Planning -
Seniors Now Have Option of Hiring Help in Downsizing Senior Move Managers can make the difficult chore of downsizing easier. Moving to smaller living quarters is sometimes one of ... Elder Law -
What Is the Best Way to Pass on Assets to Your Family? Which assets do you want to leave to your family? And what is the best way to meet the challenge? Every family is unique when ... Estate Planning -
Legal Documents Are Important, but That Is Not All There Is to Estate Planning An important part of estate planning is successfully planning for how to transfer wealth. An estate plan can sometimes seem ... Estate Planning -
Wealthy investors fund projects in hopes of longer life span. Wealthy people can expect to live a lot longer than previous generations, according to an article in Financial Advisor, ... Elder Law -
New Rules Provide Some Clarity on Firearms Issue Executors of estates receive guidance on firearms transfer. A new rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and ... Estate Administration -
Will Your Art Collection Ruin Your Estate? Estates that contain valuable artwork face increased IRS scrutiny and often receive unexpected large estate tax bills. Art is ... Estate Planning -
Minnesota, Life Insurance Companies Face Off in Court State recovers $200 million in unpaid life insurance. Minnesota has sued several life insurance companies for unpaid claims ... Beneficiaries -
The Young Should Also Consider Estate Planning You might benefit from beginning estate planning in your 20s and 30s. Estate planning does not have to be a big hassle in ... Estate Planning -
Sudden Wealth Syndrome It is a well-documented fact that many people who suddenly become wealthy often lose that wealth almost as fast as they got ... Estate Planning -
Could Joint Will Be the Answer? A joint will can sometimes be the answer for a couple but they need to know what they are getting into. Do you need two ... Estate Planning -
A Rock Star’s Death Is Lesson in the Need for Estate Planning Prince died without a will or estate plan which can be a lesson to all. Prince passed away without a will despite being worth ... Estate Planning -
Your Children Could End Up Paying for Your Retirement A lack of retirement planning can pass on responsibility to your children. Most of those people who are not saving might ... Elder Law -
Sumner Redstone’s Legal Problems Benefit Someone There are profits from Sumner Redstone's competency hearings but it is not likely to be the shareholders. The legal actions ... Elder Law -
Do the Wealthy Relocate to States with Lower Taxes? New study rejects theory that wealthy residents will relocate to a new state if taxes are increased. Legislative fears that ... Estate Tax -
Settling Estate Can Still Be Problem for Same-Sex Partners Recent court decision shows the settling of an estate can still be a challenge for same-sex couples. Different laws enacted ... Estate Tax -
NBA Team Focus of Estate Battle in Oklahoma The basketball season is over for the Oklahoma City Thunder and creditors line up in estate fight. When oilman Aubrey ... Estate -
Family Limited Partnership May Be the Answer Lowering tax burdens and protecting financial wealth of future generations may be accomplished through a family limited ... Estate Planning -
A Number of Famous People Have Died without Estate Plans Prince joins a list of entertainers who have died intestate. Prince is not the first entertainer to pass away without an ... Estate Planning -
Challenges to Sumner Redstone’s Competency Continue Another legal challenge on competency follows Redstone's successful defense against charges filed by ex-girlfriend. Media ... Trusts -
Drummer’s Long-Lost Wife Gets Nothing from Estate Former Motorhead musician leaves his divorced wife nothing in his will. Phil Taylor, drummer for the rock band Motorhead, ... Will -
The IRS Isn’t Easily Misled on Art Value The IRS has its own methods when it comes time to set the value of prized collections. Estate taxes are not an exception when ... Estate Tax -
Nursing Home Costs Continue to Increase The cost of nursing home care varies from state to state but still keeps increasing. The Lincoln Financial Group has ... Elder Law -
A Contingent Beneficiary for Your IRA Is Important A recent IRS ruling highlights why it is important to designate a contingent beneficiary for your IRA in case the primary ... Beneficiaries -
Keeping the Family Business in Business A good estate plan may prevent the family business from failing after the first generation passes away. Family business ... Estate Planning -
Increased Minimum Wage Improves Service? Advocacy group says increasing the minimum wage will improve care for seniors in nursing homes. An increase in the minimum ... Estate Law -
Another Battle Likely over a Celebrity’s Estate Sister files papers in court claiming Prince died without a will. Recently deceased entertainer Prince apparently died ... Estate Planning -
Medicaid Eligibility Issue Unresolved Federal judge's decision leaves key Medicaid eligibility question unanswered. South Dakota resident Howard Johnson requested ... Elder Law -
Estate Planning Not Limited to Big Ticket Items The little personal items can become big problems if not included in an estate plan. An estate plan that only incudes major ... Estate Planning -
Paying for Long-Term Care Continues to Be Problem The problem of paying for long-term care continues to grow in the U.S. as the population ages but it is possible the ... Elder Law -
What Is Impact of Trump’s Support for Social Security? Columnist sees Donald Trump as possible savior of Social Security. There is a general concept even in Presidential election ... Elder Law -
Gun Trust Is about to Become More Difficult New rules will make it even more difficult to pass certain firearms from generation to generation through a gun trust. ... uncategorized -
Reverse Mortgages Need a Close Look A reverse mortgage may be the right option for some seniors but needs careful consideration before being accepted. The ... Elder Law -
Delaying Social Security May Not Always Be the Best Option Seniors should carefully consider the start date for receiving Social Security benefits. While delaying Social Security ... Elder Law -
Tech Companies Have Impact on Estate Laws Bypassing the iPhone's security features continues to be a challenge to law enforcement as well as grieving families. While ... Estate -
Are Social Security Benefits Keeping Up with Inflation? Unfortunately, despite Social Security benefits being adjusted for inflation, the system isn't always successful. ... Elder Law -
Knowing Your Medicare Options and the Impact on Existing Coverage It is best to be knowledgeable about your current healthcare coverage when considering your options when signing up for ... Elder Abuse -
Does Your Retirement Plan Give You Confidence? If your retirement includes Social Security or part-time employment you may need to rethink your plans. While the majority of ... Elder Law -
Same-Sex Couples Still Face Challenges and Still Need Estate Planning Older same-sex couples still face challenges and need special estate planning despite the Supreme Court's decision legalizing ... Estate Planning -
Tough Health Issues Go Along with Longer Life for Women Study reveals women will have more years of life than men but tough health issues loom. Because the expected norm is that the ... Estate Law -
Increased Taxation for the Rich Draws Mixed Responses Americans are willing to eliminate the estate tax, reducing taxes for the rich, but they also want the rich to pay more ... Estate Tax -
There Is Still Plenty of Life in the Social Security System Many Americans believe the Social Security system is about to collapse but it is more likely to continue because the system ... Elder Law -
Social Security Benefits Can Be Taxed Social Security retirement benefits are sometimes taxable. As My San Antonio explains in "Will I Pay Taxes on My Social ... Elder Law -
Estate Planning May Sometimes Require Special Needs Considerations If a family includes special needs members estate planning options can help assure care is provided. When parents with ... Estate Planning -
Applying for Social Security Isn’t Always Easy When to apply for Social Security benefits and how to apply for Social Security benefits can be a challenge. The question ... Elder Law -
Estate Planning Could Include Postnuptial Agreements Spouses may find it beneficial to use a postnuptial agreement to detail how property is divided. Married couples can enter ... Estate Planning -
Will ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Skip School? Financial decision by Harper Lee's estate may turn out to be quite costly. People often find they never forget discovering ... Beneficiaries -
It Is Not Always Easy to Keep a Family Farm in the Family A farmer may love the farm and love the work but that doesn't mean that all the children will. This can create an estate ... Estate Planning -
Living Wills Gain Popularity in Japan The U.S. has long had an established right to refuse life-extending medical care through living wills which refuse certain ... Estate Planning -
Financial Media Figures May Face Regulation Financial planners may face new regulations from Department of Labor that may restrict Dave Ramsey's media activity. Proposed ... Elder Law -
What If a Nursing Home Won’t Take You Back? A nursing home patient can request a hearing if they are admitted to the hospital from a nursing home but upon returning to ... Elder Law -
The Estate of Gaddafi’s Son is Not Easy to Resolve Muammar Gaddafi's son, who was killed in the Libyan revolution of 2011, is thought to have stolen money and then hid it in a ... Estate -
What Percentage of Income Should Come from Social Security? ocial Security is not a program designed to fully replace income upon retirement so it is important to know just what ... Elder Law -
Tax Code Changes Unlikely to Pass Congress If Obama's tax codes are approved they will have an impact on estate planning. While it appears there is little chance of ... Estate Planning -
Living Trust Scams Often a Threat to Seniors Many living trust scams are aimed at seniors in an attempt to scare the victims into unnecessary trusts that are worthless. ... Elder Law -
What Is the Right Age to Take Social Security? The Social Security retirement age for most people is 67 but that might not be the right age to begin receiving benefits. ... Elder Law -
An Inherited IRA and Its Requirements Can Create Confusion Some people mistakenly believe the rules are the same for withdrawing from an IRA you inherited and one you initiated. The ... Inheritance -
What is the Succession Plan for the Detroit Lions? The NFL may have some concerns as the Detroit Lions say they have an ownership succession plan but don't actually reveal the ... uncategorized -
Clearing up the Mystery of Medicare Eligibility You may still be eligible for Medicare even if you are not automatically enrolled. The rules for Medicare eligibility are ... Elder Law -
Disagreement over Family Trust May Have Sparked Violence Police suspect a lengthy disagreement over a family trust was a cause of a double homicide and suicide. Raymond Giehl III of ... Family Feud -
Inherited Property Can Become a Major Problem Inheriting commercial real estate can turn into a major financial expense should pollution be discovered onsite. Two heirs to ... Inheritance -
Who is Most Likely to Donate? Estate planning may look closely at charitable giving and the difference between self-made wealth and inherited wealth. An ... Estate Planning -
The Sumner Redstone Saga Continues Interest by the media and Wall Street in the life and drama of billionaire Sumner Redstone is not unusual as once again an ... Estate Planning -
Science and the Impact on Estate Planning Science may be making inroads in cryogenics with the idea of freezing a person's brain until medical advances allow a person ... Estate Planning -
Kansas City Schoolteacher Leaves a Large Estate Schoolteacher Anna Kurzweil left most of her estate to the Jesuits and the size of the estate came as a surprise. ... Charitable Gifting -
Use the Tax Season to Look at Your Estate Plans our estate plan should be reviewed occasionally and linking it to the annual tax season could be beneficial. The tax season ... Estate Planning -
Your Social Security Could Go to Your Survivors Your Social Security benefits don't necessarily end when you pass away. It is possible your dependents could receive ... Elder Law -
Retiring and Living to 100 Retirement money could be challenging for those who join the rising number of Americans living to celebrate their 100th ... Elder Law -
Mounting Debt Challenges Millennials Saving For Retirement Many millennials who carry a large debt load could be making a mistake as they face the challenge of planning for retirement. ... Estate Planning -
The Internet is changing the way we mourn and could give us the opportunity in the future to plan our own digital funeral. An outpouring of grief and mourning on social media often follows the death of a celebrity with viewpoints posted and ... Estate Planning -
A Second Marriage Could Threaten Assets A remarriage can cause problems with distributing assets as a new spouse enters the picture and children from the first ... Estate Planning -
States Evaluate Importance of Estate Taxes Since wealthy elderly residents have been known to relocate to states with more favorable estate tax laws, a clear trend has ... Estate Tax -
Number of Elderly Facing Poverty May Increase Current trends may force an increase in the number of elderly people living in poverty in the U.S., reversing recent success ... Elderly -
Trump’s Actions Involving Father’s Estate Spark Media Attention Family disagreements can sometimes rise into public view as seen in Donald Trump's campaign for president. Given presidential ... Estate -
Social Security Loopholes Closed but Questions Remain Some popular Social Security loopholes for married couples have been closed but some strategies remain. Recently Congress ... Elder Law -
What is the Real Tax that Creates Worry? While the federal estate tax receives the news coverage, the bigger concern is the federal capital gains tax and the impact ... Capital Gains Tax -
Decisions Are Needed with Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease Quick action can help ensure comfortable end-of-life care following a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The early stages of ... General Durable Power of Attorney -
Brain Dead Declaration Creates a Lawsuit The issue of when a person can be removed from life support is making headlines in California as a family files a lawsuit. A ... Advanced Health Care -
Just How Healthy Are Elderly Baby Boomers? The baby boomer generation may be living longer than previous generations but a real concern has arisen over health issues ... Advanced Health Care -
Guardianship Laws May Need to Be Expanded There is a growing concern that guardianship laws need to be expanded in order to protect the elderly from abuse. Nearly ... Elder Abuse -
An Incentive Trusts Can Presents Problems The limitations of incentive trusts should be considered carefully as people attempt to encourage their heirs to succeed. ... Estate Planning -
A Collection Needs to Be Handled Carefully Any decision you make about a valuable collection in your estate is likely to create tax consequences. Collections left in ... Estate Planning -
FDA Approves Testing of Anti-Aging Drug We are already in the position of stressing some retirement and estate plans because people are living longer. A new ... Estate Planning -
It Is Not Always Easy for Teenagers Who Inherit Wealth Giving a teenager large sums of money often results in considerable waste and it often is no different when a teenager is ... Estate Planning -
With Hidden Costs, Dementia is a Financial Disaster for Families Of the three leading diseases that kill most Americans, two are well known for being financial nightmares: heart disease and ... Asset Protection -
Inheritances Inevitably Lead to Tax Consequences: Irrevocable Trusts Basics Taxes and inheritance issues go together like Halloween and trick or treating. Tax planning is a critical part of estate ... Asset Protection -
Mother’s Thorough and Proper Estate Planning Protects Her Wishes After Death Depending on your perspective, this case is either proof of what proper estate planning can do or an exercise in frustration ... Elder Law -
Foundation’s Generous Gift Brings New Life to Library With a $350,000 grant, The Stanley and Elaine Ball Charitable Foundation has made it possible for the Taneyhills Library to ... Charitable Gifting -
‘Tis the Season for End of Year Financial Matters With the holiday season on the horizon, the end of year financial season has arrived. It's time to deal with money issues ... Charitable Gifting -
Congressional Testimony on Special Needs Trust On September 18, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health in favor of the Special Needs Trust ... Long Term Care -
Would You Want Your Soon-to-Be Ex-Wife Making Medical Decisions for You? Another celebrity situation that points to an important lesson: until a divorce is final, you are still married. For Lamar ... Estate Planning -
Estate State Taxes: More than a Tongue Twister With every state seeking additional revenue and every candidate seeking additional votes, estate taxes have become part of ... Asset Protection -
Financial and Estate Planning Tips That Unmarried Couples Need to Consider If you are a member of a couple, whether you are married, living together or have some creative arrangement, if your lives ... Asset Protection -
Succession Planning for the Family Farm to Protect Your Legacy It is impossible to know how events will play out, both on a grand scale and in small and unexpected ways. Last minute ... Asset Protection -
One Man’s Tattoo is Another Man’s Inheritance We guess it had to happen. With the incredible popularity of tattoos has now come a means of allowing individuals who love ... Estate Planning -
Will England’s Supreme Court Allow Science to Change History? When the Queen speaks, people listen. In this case, a dispute over a title has led to Queen Elizabeth II asking England's ... Estate Planning -
When Your Estate Plan Includes Fine Art Collectors of fine art are advised not to think of their collections as investments, but collectors cannot ignore the value ... Asset Protection -
Teach Your Children Right from the Start to Protect Your Legacy and Family The expressions change from country to country, but the sentiment remains the same: passing family wealth from the first ... Estate Planning -
How to Support Charitable Goals Through Bequests and Donations There are tax breaks to be had while you are living and those that can benefit your heirs after you have passed. Knowing ... Charitable Gifting -
Reducing or Eliminating Estate Taxes: Smart Strategies Will you be leaving substantial assets to your heirs? Then you are probably concerned about estate taxes and the bite they'll ... Asset Protection -
Your Gift May Have Strings Attached: IRS Form 709 Technically speaking, whenever you give a gift to someone, you have to follow the gift-tax rules. You don't have to file a ... Asset Protection -
We Don’t Like to Do Wills Because We Don’t Understand the Process Reports of the failure of Americans to have their wills properly prepared are frequent. But one survey revealed that we don't ... Estate Planning -
Red Flags to Be Aware of When Choosing an Estate Planning Attorney Most estate planning attorneys go into the practice area because they are ethical and caring individuals who enjoy helping ... Estate Planning -
Action Needs Now to Support Special Needs Trust Fairness Act The fight is not over to have the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act become law. The Act has won a victory in the Senate, but ... uncategorized -
Bill Wurst Leaves Millions to his Alma Mater MSU Bill Wurst, a 1959 alumnus in electrical engineering left $4 million to the MSU College of Engineering as a gift from his ... Charitable Gifting -
Keeping Estate Plans Current Protects Family Businesses Whether it's a farm or a manufacturing facility, family businesses are a key part of the global economy. Family business ... Asset Protection -
Why You May Want a Trust to Achieve Your Estate Planning Goals Trusts are the misunderstood poor cousins of wills. They do not have to be overly complicated and, depending on the ... Asset Protection -
Will You Leave Your Spouse or Kids a Mess or a Method? In most households, one person pays the bills and the other person hopes that things are being handled correctly. All too ... Asset Protection -
Estate Planning Needed to Continue Family Farm Traditions Sitting down for "that conversation" with family members is never an easy thing when it comes to planning for the ... asset protection -
Regular Estate Planning Updates Essential for Family Business Owners An international survey of 336 middle-market family businesses recently reported in Forbes,"Most Family Business Owners ... asset protection -
Key Question for Estate Planners: Will I Outlive My Money? While few of us ever feel that we have enough money for retirement, strategies to help ensure that your nest egg lives longer ... asset protection -
So Many Trusts, So Little Time! Here's the basic concept behind trusts: a trust allows an individual to separate the legal ownership of property from the ... -
Estate Planning for Millennials People of all ages need to do estate planning, even Millennials who are just starting to consider themselves grown-ups. These ... Estate Planning -
Before You Say “I Do,” Do This Financial planning should be a part of every couple's wedding planning, whether they are just starting out or if they are ... asset protection -
When Your Legacy is Measured in Acres For farmers, land is far more than an asset to be valued and sold. Land is a legacy to be protected, a resource that ... asset protection -
Inheritance Issues Better Managed with Planning and Communication Adult children worry about their parent's finances, but whether they are worried for the right reasons is sometimes hard to ... asset protection -
How QTIPs Are Used to Preserve and Control Assets Second and subsequent marriages that occur later in life present challenges when it comes to estate planning. While no longer ... Estate Planning -
Discussion: What Kind of Death Do You Want? Death is truly our final frontier. Most of us like to imagine a story-book ending: lying in our bed at home, surrounded by ... asset protection -
Retirement Savings Options for Self-Employed Unlike people who work for an employer and can set automatic deductions for their IRA accounts, self-employed people need to ... asset protection -
If You Have No Will, There’s No Way Your Heirs Will Know Your Wishes Consider your will as one last chance to let your heirs know how much you love them - because you thought enough of them to ... asset protection -
Estate Planning For Adult Children with Mental Illness or Addictions When their daughter had a breakdown while attending college, there was nothing that Keisha Sacher's parents could do when she ... Estate Planning -
Family Limited Partnerships and Family LLCs About to Get Overhauled The details are still unknown, but family limited partnerships and family limited liability companies are being scrutinized ... Estate Planning -
Wealth Needs a Deep Bench of Talent Managing and growing wealth requires a deep bench of skilled and trusted advisors. Among millionaire investors, a third are ... Estate Planning -
Why Your Estate Plan Needs to Be Reviewed and When Life is about changes, both good and bad. Children grow up and marry and have children of their own. Families experience the ... asset protection -
The Best Estate Sales from the Most Eccentric People! No stranger to unusual estate issues -- like a pet eel with no named caretaker and a security detail for a ring worth half a ... Estate Planning -
Untraceable Bonds, Zero Credentials and Investors Who Believed a Con Artist A word to the wise: if you cannot find an independent financial report on an investment property, usually that is because it ... asset protection -
Should You Have a Trust? Trusts are widely used by estate planning attorneys, with good reason. Trusts are a good way to pass wealth from one ... asset protection -
Three Estate Planning Fundamentals You Can Fix It's so easy to put off estate planning, when lives are busy and there are more inviting things to think about than death and ... asset protection -
Why You Should Put an Estate Planning Attorney on Your Cancer Defense Team Cancer patients from low-income, at-risk populations face an even tougher road to a cure than those who are well-off. Even if ... asset protection -
The Biggest Challenges to Estate Planning Getting to a successful estate plan can be a tricky road to follow. Laws create a path that has many steep inclines and sharp ... Estate Planning -
Penny-Wise and Pound-Foolish: The Expensive Cost of Cheap Wills Families in the United States and the United Kingdom who think they can save a few pence by downloading wills from online ... Estate Planning -
One Lawsuit against Estate of Adam Lanza’s Mother May Be Nearing Settlement A lawsuit has been filed by 16 of the victim's families from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings against the shooter's ... Estate Planning -
What to Do when a Million Dollar Inheritance Costs Too Much? For most people, turning down a million dollar inheritance seems crazy - but if you are already wealthy, turning down certain ... Estate Tax -
Hackers’ Move into Declaration of Death Poses Threat to Estate Plans Declaring individuals dead has been made a digital, online task, like so many other time consuming yet important tasks. But ... Estate Planning -
Will Your Money Work Hard Enough When You Retire? You are working hard in your pre-retirement years to max out your retirement funds. And while your money should always work, ... Asset Protection -
Law School Sets Up Estate Planning Clinic to Help Veterans Law students at The University of Nebraska's College of Law are helping military veterans with estate planning in a special ... Elder Law -
Tragic Death of Bobbi Kristina Brown Holds Grim Lessons for Parents The tragic and untimely death of Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown holds a number of lessons in estate planning ... Asset Protection -
Baseball Legend’s Contentious Divorce Becomes a Contentious Estate Battle Ernie Banks, known as "Mr. Cub" had been diagnosed with dementia just days before he signed a will leaving his ... Asset Protection -
FINRA Helpline for Seniors Is Flooded with Calls, Many Are from Heirs FINRA launched the Securities Helpline for Seniors on April 20, and it became very popular, very quickly. In addition to ... Asset Protection -
Long Lost Sibling Sends Brothers on a Million Dollar Scavenger Hunt For most families, the idea of being out of touch with a sibling for decades is unusual. Even more unusual would be learning ... Estate Planning -
Protect Your Estate, Protect Your Estate Planning Documents Congratulations - you have an estate plan! Now it's time to turn your attention to ensuring that these important documents ... Estate Planning -
Estate Plan Fundamentals: Documents and Differences Estate planning involves far more than a will to transfer assets after death, and is not just for the wealthy. If you have a ... Estate Planning -
Anna Nicole Smith’s Legal Saga Winds Down – Maybe For nearly two decades, celebrity tabloids and the estate planning bar have had a shared interest in the long-running ... Estate Planning -
Even the Wealthy Make Mistakes in Estate Planning – Bigger Mistakes! Perhaps having attained success that leads to wealth makes wealthy people think that they are not going to make any mistakes ... Estate Planning -
Billionaires, Not Family Farmers, Push for Estate Tax Repeal We've all heard the stories of family farmers and mom-and-pop stores who make for great news interviews when it comes to ... Estate Tax -
Times When it is Worthwhile to File an Estate Tax Form With the changes in the tax law, most estates today are not required to pay federal estate taxes and that also means there is ... Estate Tax -
Not Every Elder is as Wise as the King of Solomon When two women both claimed a child as their own, the dispute was brought before King Solomon. His edit was terrifying to ... Inheritance -
Germanwings Co-Pilot’s Estate Declares Bankruptcy As a result of a German law that makes any heirs liable for any debts, no one is making any claims on the estate of the ... Estate Planning -
Peace Trust Dissolved to Spare Desmond Tutu Embarrassment A trust created by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, has been quietly dissolved earlier this year, yet another victim of a family that ... Estate Planning -
Boomers Are Still Changing the Rules, This Time Regarding Inheritances Boomers are devoted parents, and their children, who struggle with a challenging economic environment, appreciate the help. ... Estate Planning -
The Giving Pledge Comes At a Cost A new round of billionaires have committed to taking The Giving Pledge, created by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, agreeing to ... Estate Tax -
Newly Discovered Stock Certificate Re-Opens Estate of Lawman Elliot Ness Best known as a Prohibition era lawman who battled against powerful mobsters, Elliot Ness had a second career as the CEO of ... Estate Planning -
Millionaires without Estate Plans Leave a Costly Mess Behind Surprisingly, a recent report shows that a third of all millionaires do not have an estate plan. The problems this creates ... Estate Planning -
Step Siblings Fight over Audrey Hepburn’s Storage Locker It's been more than 22 years since Audrey Hepburn's death, and her two sons still can't divide up her belongings. The late ... Blended Family -
If Bernie Sanders Could Have It His Way, the Estate Tax Would Go Up U.S. Presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for lowering the amount individuals can shield from the federal ... Estate Tax -
Spread the Wealth with These 5 Tips You've spent a lifetime building your estate. Now it's time to decide how it will be distributed. Handing down your wealth is ... Estate Planning -
Vanderbilt Descendants Feud with Nonprofit over Historical Estate “The Breakers” The Vanderbilt family has fallen into a full-blown public spat with the nonprofit organization that now owns their ... -
Bobbi Kristina Brown Goes to Hospice, Questions over Inheritance Ensue Unconfirmed reports point to a battle between the Houston family and Whitney's ex-husband, Bobby Brown, over daughter Bobbi ... Estate Planning -
Keep Track of a Will through Online Registration The U.S. Wills Registry is an online service that offers to keep track of the location and holder of a will. Would you use ... Will -
A Will Can Say a LOT about a Person Wills occupy a curious place in our collective psyche. They are one of the oldest forms of legal document, having existed in ... Estate Planning -
Inheritance Styles: Are You the Cricket or the Ant? Aesop's Fable of the hard working Ant and the all-play Cricket holds true for Individuals who inherit a great deal of wealth ... Estate Planning -
Who Gets Your Personal Property? Estate Planning Considerations It is more likely that your family will come to blows over Great Grandmother's favorite serving platter than over a bank ... Estate Planning -
Would You Dig Up a Grave? For $50 Million? A New York woman went to court to force a DNA test to prove that the man on her birth certificate was not her father. ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Tips for Widows "A widow gets bombarded with all the things she'll have to do, so it's essential to have everything as organized and ... Estate Planning -
MLK Estate Battle May Finally Reach Settlement A court-ordered mediator would help the parties put the "final touches" on an agreement, Eric Barnum, Bernice ... -
Shipping Mogul’s Widow Claims Stepchildren Cut Off Her Stipend, Files Lawsuit A Florida widow who expected to be kept afloat for life by her shipping-magnate hubby's wealth is suing her stepkids in ... -
Billionaires May Sign Up for Giving Pledge, but Pledge Is Actually Non-Binding The Giving Pledge emphasizes that it's a moral pledge. This distinction has a very real legal purpose: it eliminates the ... -
Will Delaware Soon Be Estate Tax Free? Would you consider estate tax a reason not to move your family to a particular state? Delaware considers the costs and may ... Estate Tax -
Manage the Emotions of Estate Planning he conversation isn't fast or fun. But, waiting until it is too late or not keeping an up-to-date estate plan will likely ... Estate Planning -
Oscar de la Renta Holds Grudge and Keeps Son from Most of $26M Estate Although he later returned to work for his father after it failed, Oscar de la Renta's son Moises attempted his own fashion ... Will -
An Unfinished Divorce Could Result in an Estate Dispute The estranged husband of a Scranton homicide victim is fighting a judge's ruling that bars him from receiving any part of her ... Estate Planning -
Arizona Town Being Asked to Give Back Life Insurance Bequest The Town of Snowflake received a windfall a decade ago in the form of payment of life insurance proceeds from a former ... Estate Planning -
Impact of State Tax Laws on Trusts Smartly setting up trusts requires knowledge of state tax laws, not just federal rules. "Each state has its own little ... Taxes -
If Brother Gets the Smaller Inheritance, He May Set the House on Fire! Police learned that the possible motive for arson is the problem on land inheritance as the suspect believed his two sisters ... Estate Planning -
Heirs Expected to Challenge BB King’s Will A lawyer representing a group of BB King's heirs said on Saturday they would challenge the blues legend's will and the ... Will -
$788,000 Estate with No Heir to Claim It Kathleen Hilda Ryan, a woman with Mullingar roots, died in Greenwich in the UK in October 2013, at 83 years of age. She left ... Estate Planning -
Want to Pass on Frequent Flyer Miles? Better Put That in Your Estate Plan! Along with all the other paperwork that comes with being newly widowed, Roberta Bekerman had to persuade Delta Air Lines that ... Estate Planning -
Media Mogul Sumner Redstone’s Estate Plan is Under Wraps "I can tell you that careful planning has been done so that estate taxes at Sumner's death will not require a forced ... Estate Planning -
Beware of Fake Inheritance Scams A 54-year-old O'Fallon, Missouri man was sentenced Friday for scamming lenders by telling them he was the beneficiary of a ... Inheritance -
Bartender – How About a Round of Drinks for My Heirs? A dying man left money in his will as a surprise for his best mates, so they could go on a boozy holiday together. Roger ... Estate Planning -
Busted! Will Forgery Suspect Arrested A Walnut Ridge woman was arrested Thursday for forging a will after someone else had died. KAIT reported the story in an ... Estate Planning -
Will Your Gift Be Taxed? Every year, you're allowed to give another person up to the annual gift tax exclusion-this year $14,000-without reporting the ... -
Do You Expect an Inheritance to Retire On? With millions of Americans woefully unprepared financially for retirement, many have come up with a workaround for not ... Estate Planning -
Don’t Have a Will? Cousin Vinny Could Be Your Kid’s Guardian! If you do not have a will the state will provide one for you. And if you are married with young children and both parents die ... Asset Protection -
Give Money Now – Or Later? For those who are fortunate to enjoy their retirement and have enough money to leave behind, they might be wondering whether ... Estate Planning -
Which Is Greater – Farmers Paying the Estate Tax or Americans on the Moon? Bill Maher Weighs In Liberal comedian Bill Maher made an out-of-this-world comparison to poke a hole in the Republican argument that the estate ... -
Top 4 Estate Planning To-Do’s for Same Sex Couples Regardless of your state's laws regarding same-sex marriage, same sex couples can and should start protecting themselves and ... Estate Planning -
Estate Tax Exemption May Go Up for Minnesota Residents Minnesota lawmakers are considering a big reduction in the amount of taxes owed when wealthy people die. In their $2 billion ... -
Your Last Words Go Beyond Your Death Bed If you don't have a will, you're not alone. You're actually in the company of the majority of adult Americans and some ... Estate Planning -
Avoid These Common Estate Planning Mistakes Failing to take action or making the wrong moves can be costly for you and your heirs. Here are six blunders experts told us ... Estate Planning -
House of Representatives Passes Bills Concerning Gift and Estate Taxes The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed a bill to provide gift tax certainty to individuals who make gifts to ... Estate Tax -
Inheritance Scam with a Twist A Brooklyn woman scammed $300,000 from her friends by telling them she had inherited a boatload of cash but needed their ... Inheritance -
10 Strikes against the Estate Tax With the fate of the bill against the estate tax yet to be determined by the Senate and President, let's reflect on the top ... Estate Tax -
Cost of Nursing Home Care Skyrockets Nursing home expenses continue to rise with the nationwide average increasing to $91,250 per year for private and just over ... Estate Planning -
Congress Examines the Burden of the Estate Tax For the first time in a decade, Congress has decided to seriously examine the burden the death tax - also known as the estate ... Estate Planning -
5 Things You Need to Know about Beneficiaries The dictionary defines beneficiary as "the recipient of funds" -- from a will, trust, retirement plan or life ... Estate Planning -
Best Approach to Passing On the Family Business Whether a family business is big or small, succession planning is important to avoid family feuding or damage to the ... Estate Planning -
Grieving Mother Loses Access to Deceased Daughter’s Facebook Account 19-year-old daughter Becky loved sharing her life on Facebook. When she fell terminally ill with a brain tumor, and lost ... Estate Planning -
Illinois Bill Proposal Would Treat Digital Assets Like Physical Assets A bill in the General Assembly would treat individuals' Facebook, Twitter, email and other online accounts the same as ... Estate Planning -
Practical Lessons from a 100-Tractor Inheritance "This family tried so hard to make sure they did with the tractors what their loved one most likely would have wanted - ... Estate Planning -
Will That Established Nobel Peace Prize Is Now on Display Alfred Nobel's last will and testament, which played a pivotal role in Swedish history by creating the now-illustrious Nobel ... Estate Planning -
Special Plans for Special Needs Children Planning for family members with special needs can be overwhelming, particularly when so many decisions may have lifelong ... Trusts -
Legendary Coach Dean Smith Continues Coaching through His Will Former University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith, who died last month at 83, is treating his former players to ... Estate Planning -
Would You Give All of Your Wealth to Charity? Apple Inc (AAPL.O) Chief Executive Tim Cook is joining the roster of the very rich who are giving away their wealth. Yahoo ... Estate Planning -
Trust Companies – Choices, Choices If figuring out the price of a car is tough, try setting up a trust. Published fee schedules offer some guidance, but since ... Estate Planning -
Protect Your Estate from Identity Theft The recently deceased continue to exist on paper, and this may be the case for some time. Meanwhile, many bankable facts -- ... Estate Planning -
Options for Communicating Estate Wishes to Family If you are the spouse that handles the finances, take my advice seriously. Don't frustrate yourself and cause your spouse ... Estate Planning -
Should Heirs Be Required to Pass a Drug Test? Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez offered a baffling defense of the death tax Wednesday during a hearing examining the sometimes ... Estate Planning -
Estate Tax Impact on a Non-U.S. Citizen Spouse The estate tax laws differ for U.S. citizens vs. non-U.S. citizens. When there is a large estate, this could mean a hefty ... Estate Planning -
Did You Inherit a Roth IRA? Get to Know Your Options In order to make sound financial decisions, you must have a good understanding of the rules. Receiving an inheritance is one ... Inheritance -
Irrevocable Trusts Can Actually Be Revoked … Say What? Here are some developments in trust law that led to irrevocable trusts being not exactly irrevocable. Is an irrevocable trust ... Trusts -
Sibling Rivalries Don’t Always End after Childhood Siblings can be our closest family members. But when it comes to litigation over family property or money, genetics can fall ... Estate Tax -
Estate for Sale: Come One, Come All! Liquidating a relative's estate is one of the most personal ordeals, yet it is becoming increasingly common, people in the ... Estate Planning -
Will Millennials Invest Inheritances Wisely? Wall Street Has Concerns It seems that the millennials are going to inherit a lot more from their baby boomer parents than just some tie-dyes, Steely ... Investing -
Proposed Pro Se Estate Planning Forms in Texas Supreme Court If passed the bill would direct the Texas Supreme Court to create various forms to aid individuals in creating wills and ... Estate Planning -
Scandal, Disinheritance and One Son’s Quest to Find Hidden Millions from Father’s Estate Sidney Kronenberg, who owned an East Williamsburg hardware business called Brown Industries Inc., died in 2010 with about $8 ... Estate Planning -
What Can We Learn from Robin Williams’ Estate Planning Missteps? As I have previously discussed, in spite of thorough planning, the estate of Robin Williams faces additional legal action ... Estate Planning -
Another Celebrity OOPS – No Will for Greg Plitt Bravo's fitness star Greg Plitt -- who was hit and killed by a commuter train -- did not have a will, and now his family is ... Estate Planning -
Blended Families Require Proper Planning Second marriages bring additional estate planning considerations, especially when children from past relationships are ... Estate Planning -
Don’t Forget to Sign Those Documents! A missing signature is at the heart of a legal battle in Australia. A man's estranged wife, who wanted to remarry, had served ... Estate Planning -
6 Motives for an Ethical Will Unlike regular wills or trusts, which define how assets are conveyed to heirs, an ethical will conveys intangible values and ... Estate Planning -
Failed Attempt to Avoid New York Estate Tax of Infant Inheritance A Brooklyn Surrogate judge rejected a petition of an heir who sought to disclaim her infant daughter's interest in a deceased ... Estate Planning -
Sheide Collection is Princeton’s Largest Bequest to Date Beethoven's autograph, the 1455 Gutenberg Bible and an original printing of the Declaration of Independence are among the ... uncategorized -
Estate Administration 101: Pay Applicable Taxes When a loved one dies, the resulting tax issues must be handled. The person to handle these issues is typically identified in ... Taxes -
Leaving a Legacy through Private Foundations So you've got a private foundation. Have you thought about who would run it after your death? Peter Karoff, founder of The ... Estate Planning -
Which Trust Is Best for You? Trusts can range from simple to extremely complex, and are a standard tool in the anti-estate-tax arsenal. Trusts are a legal ... Estate Planning -
Cohabiting Couples May Need Estate Plans Too Fewer young people are taking the trip down the aisle, opting instead to cohabitate. This is creating a variety of unique ... Estate Planning -
What Widows Need to Know about Estate Planning The loss of a spouse creates different considerations for women than men as women are more likely to face financial ... Estate Planning -
Late Iowa Attorney Being Sued for Estate Settlement Fraud The parents of a Hudson boy who died in a 2011 water skiiing accident said they were bilked by their former attorney. ... uncategorized -
Estate Planning Changes from Obama’s Budget Proposal Just when you thought the estate tax laws were permanent, President Barack Obama comes out with a comprehensive plan for ... Estate Planning -
Social Media Post Led Robbers to Steal Inheritance Authorities said the men said during the robbery that they had seen recent social media postings from a resident that he had ... Estate Planning -
Woman in China Posts Ad for Stand-In Daughter to Inherit Estate A wealthy elderly woman in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, has social media buzzing after posting a classified ad in the hopes of ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Checklist for 2015 January is generally a busy month for estate planners as clients follow up on resolutions to get their estate plans in order. ... Estate Planning -
Shine Bright like a Diamond through Cremation Consider that diamonds are really carbon that's been subjected to great pressures. You're carbon, too. So a company called ... Estate Planning -
Don’t Try This At Home People have many options today for creating their own estate planning documents. Forms can be purchased quickly from websites ... Estate Planning -
Planning to Pass on the Family Business Building a successful business takes hard work, careful planning and significant foresight. When a business has been able to ... Business -
Securing The Future For Aging Parents "So don't give away your money. There are other things you can do ahead of time. Talk to an elder law attorney to make ... Retirement Planning -
When Can You Revoke an Irrevocable Trust? "An irrevocable trust is a trust generally created during someone's lifetime that is exactly what it says -- it can't be ... Estate Planning -
Massachusetts Could See Estate Tax Reduction State Rep. Shawn Dooley is proposing a cut in the state estate tax as a way of keeping older residents and their assets in ... Estate Planning -
Obama Seeking to Close Capital Gains Tax Loophole The president proposes to tax capital gains at death rather than allow them to pass income-tax free to heirs as under current ... Estate Planning -
Inheriting Firearms: Don’t Shoot Your Eye Out and Follow the Law! For clients who have a collection of firearms, they can bring them into their estate plan and ensure they go to the right ... Estate Planning -
Don’t Off Your Parents If You Want Your Inheritance Thomas Gilbert Jr. is accused of murdering his own father, a wealthy New York hedge fund founder who was fatally shot earlier ... Estate Planning -
Is an Estate Tax Repeal Possible? Area Congressman Mac Thornberry filed his first bill of the 114th Congress on its opening day. The Death Tax Repeal Act (H.R. ... Estate Tax -
Inheritance TV Show to Debut on Fox Business News The series examines real-life stories of unconventional inheritances and will appear Mondays-Thursdays, with new episodes ... Estate Planning -
Grave Digging in Search of Will Does NOT Lead to Buried Treasure A man accused of helping a woman ransack her father's grave in search of his "real will" has pleaded guilty and ... Estate Planning -
Veteran Leaves Gifts to Long Term Care Facility Employees in Will, Employees Lose Jobs An attorney testified Wednesday that he found no rules in the Oklahoma Veteran Department's handbook to prevent seven workers ... Long Term Care -
Proposed Estate Tax in China Could Cause Wealthy to Flee the Country There have been rumors circling the internet that China will impose a long-proposed inheritance tax in 2016, dropping a ... Estate Planning -
Undue Influence in San Diego Estate Case Forces Attorney to Repay $4.3M A judge who determined that an Encinitas lawyer manipulated his relationship with a wealthy and mentally ill woman who left ... Trusts -
Parents: Will Your Kids Fight over Your Estate? Parents should do what they want with their money, says Kotzer, but they should also think of the consequences. "Will my ... Estate Planning -
“Spring” Your Power of Attorney or Make It Effective Immediately? Good advisors recommend their clients of all ages have powers of attorney ("POAs") in place. But the biggest and ... Estate Planning -
Viewing Wills Online in the UK From George Orwell, who insisted all his manuscripts be preserved, to Charles Dickens who wanted no memorials put up to his ... Estate Planning -
Looking Back on Estate Planning Changes in 2014 Here is a quick review of some key estate planning developments that occurred in 2014. The only true constant in life is ... Estate Planning -
Avoiding Title Insurance Problems – Your Revocable Trust Do you have a revocable living trust? Are you thinking about creating or updating one in the New Year? Either way it is ... Estate Planning -
Will Drafting 101 No one really wants to do it. I mean, it makes one face the realities of one's own mortality. For many people writing a will ... Estate Planning -
Another Inheritance and Heir Wasted (Quite Literally) A fool and his money will go separate ways. So it is with many an inheritance. People often fear that leaving large sums of ... Inheritance -
Suspicious Deaths, $2 Million Estate and No Will to Be Found John Sheridan, Cooper Health System's CEO, and his wife were declared dead Sept. 28 after they were found unresponsive in ... Estate Planning -
Digital Estate Planning Conundrum: You Can Still “Like” Robin Williams on Facebook Search for the late actor and comedian Robin Williams on Facebook and you'll quickly come to an invitation to ... Estate Planning -
Modern Medicine Impacts Estate Planning through Frozen Eggs When Apple and Facebook made news recently for paying the expenses of their female employees to freeze their eggs, chances ... Estate Planning -
Dispute Over Bequest to Disgraced Religious Order Legion of Christ is a Catholic holy order whose founder was found to have molested seminarians and fathered children. A ... Estate Planning -
Don’t Fight over Trusts! Ways to Minimize Conflict People often fight over trusts for a wide variety of reasons. One of the most frequent conflicts over trusts occurs when the ... Estate Planning -
Single? Yes, You Still Need an Estate Plan Much of the talk about estate planning is often centered around married couples with children. This leads some single people ... Estate Planning -
Young Adults Need Estate Planning Too People in their 20s often do not think that they need to worry about estate planning. They plan to live much longer, so they ... Estate Planning -
Learn from Celebrity Estates in 2014 Important lessons about estate planning can often reach the general public through issues over celebrities' estates. 2014 has ... Estate Planning -
Get Your Estate Tax Break before It’s Too Late! The IRS is throwing a lifeline to taxpayers who missed an important deadline for estate tax purposes. Have you heard of ... Estate Planning -
Got Questions about 529 Plans? We’ve Got Answers The rules about purchasing a plan and using the money can be challenging to understand, and there are numerous points of ... Estate Planning -
Inheritance Waiting Game with People Living Longer Today, a 65-year-old man has a life expectancy of 84 while a 65-year-old woman has a life expectancy of nearly 87, according ... Estate Planning -
Charitable Gifts: It’s All in the Delivery … At Least for Tax Purposes With the holiday season in full swing, 'tis the season to review date of delivery rules for charitable gifts, which determine ... Charitable Gifting -
James Brown’s Companion Challenges Estate, Claims to Be Brown’s Wife In 2007, Hynie contested the will, claiming to be Brown's wife and entitled to a spousal share of his estate. Under a ... Will -
Beware of Trust Mill Peddlers! How do you protect yourself? Be on guard and on the lookout. Don't be a victim. Here are just a few warning signs and common ... Estate Planning -
Tax Law Changes Should Prompt Estate Plan Reviews There have been recent changes to tax laws that create the need for married couples to review their wills, especially ... Estate Planning -
Will Changes on Deathbed Can Spark Suspicion The woman convinced party-boy Proskauer partner Harry Goldsmith to marry her as he lay dying of pancreatic cancer - then ... Estate Planning -
Protect Your Estate Plan through Document Storage How important is it to preserve one's original estate planning documents? Where should one keep these documents? If you've ... Estate Planning -
Blended Family? Ways to Avoid Conflict In unions of those who marry twice, about 65 percent include children from prior marriages, according to the National ... Blended Family -
Sorry, You Can’t Disinherit Your Spouse! In general, the concept of testamentary freedom makes a person free to dispose of their property as they see fit when they ... Estate Planning -
Can I Really Lose Control of My Estate? very decision you make, whether personal, financial, or legal, should be designed to maximize your control over your ... Estate Planning -
Will Changes May Lead to Hurt Feelings I have four sisters and brothers, and three have taken out loans against their share of any inheritance - significant loans, ... Estate Planning -
Passing on a Family Business? Plan Wisely to Avoid Family Drama It's a high-stakes multi-million-dollar sibling rivalry that reads like a Hollywood movie script and is playing out in a ... Estate Planning -
Tax Considerations of Inherited Real Estate My father-in-law left land to my mother-in-law, stating that it goes to the kids. A conflict has erupted. Now she wants to ... Estate Planning -
What Is an Ethical Will and Do You Need One? These days, ethical wills are nonbinding documents that are increasingly seen as important legacy-building ingredients, say ... Estate Planning -
Choosing Guardians: Will You Hurt Someone’s Feelings? My husband and I have decided we would want our kids to go to my brother and his family, who live in another city, a 10-hour ... Estate Planning -
Estate Taxes: Federal Vs. State In the past, most people didn't have to worry about state estate taxes. Federal law provided an estate tax credit that ... Estate Planning -
IRS Increases Gift Tax Exemption for Next Year As many estate planners anticipated, the Internal Revenue Service has raised the limit on tax-free transfers during life or ... Estate Planning -
How to Manage Unequal Inheritances Of course, in most families, the split is an equal one, giving adult siblings no reason to quibble over the disposition of ... Estate Planning -
Beware of These Eight Estate Planning Faux Pas Over the years, we've seen estate plans fail to do what they were intended to do. For your estate plan to remain a valuable ... Estate Planning -
Communication Is The “Key” to Unlock the Doors of the Estate A 2012 study of 3,200 wealthy families by U.S. Trust showed that 70 percent failed to successfully transfer the family's ... Estate Planning -
Alzheimer’s Is a Potential Future Problem – Are You Ready for It? Waiting to create an estate plan could result in significant out-of-pocket costs at the end of life. Or even worse, it could ... Estate Planning -
Burial Court Battle: Jim Thorpe’s Remains Stay in Jim Thorpe, PA The remains of Jim Thorpe can remain in Jim Thorpe, Pa. That was the ruling handed down on Thursday by a federal appeals ... Estate Planning -
Timing Is Everything – Have Your Estate Planning Talks before It’s Too Late Gresham advocates laying the groundwork for the estate-planning talk with a few separately held, lead-up discussions on ... Estate Planning -
Financial Impacts of Elder Abuse According to the new survey, the most common types of financial loss reported: funds disappearing from accounts (reported by ... Elder Law -
Caring for Your Parents: Where Do You Begin? There is no one right way to be a caregiver; everyone's situation is different. You will find that, among a host of things, ... Elder Law -
The Basics of Estate Planning Are you childfree? Are you planning with an elder parent? Do any of your potential beneficiaries have special needs that must ... Asset Protection -
Lasting Charitable Giving Options With a little research, a family should be able to find a suitable home for their estate and leave a lasting legacy - whether ... Charitable Gifting -
Family Feud over Large Estate Raises Questions about Deceased’s Passing In what likely foretells a bitter probate battle to come, a judge ordered Wednesday that the body of wealthy Alamo Heights ... Probate -
Inheriting a Classic: When Books Are Valuable Many people tend to overlook books as potential assets. And even if you bring a rare book to a general antiques dealer or ... Estate Planning -
Michael Jackson’s Estate Battle: Revived Allegations of Child Molestation Robson, 32, still needs a judge's permission to file the probate court claim because it was brought in May 2013, nearly four ... Estate Planning -
Inheritance from a Long Lost Uncle? It Could Happen An insular Hemel Hempstead man who died with an estate worth £750,000 has had his legacy split among 39 relatives who never ... Will -
Tom Clancy’s Estate: A Lesson for Blended Families Tom Clancy's estate can teach advisors a lesson about blended families. Clancy was a best-selling author whose books were ... Estate Planning -
Did Former Lawyer Mismanage Rosa Parks’ Estate? A former lawyer for civil rights leader Rosa Parks is being sued by a New York auction house, the New York Post reported ... Estate Tax -
Do You Really Need That Trust? Most people want to avoid probate, and therefore, want to avoid the use of a will. The following are some key questions to ... Estate Planning -
Ohio Bill Could Reduce Guardianship Abuse "This is about protecting the state's most vulnerable people," Pelanda said. "We want to hold those in charge ... Elder Law -
Estate Plan Location, Location, Location You might think those three words - "Location, location, location!" - are uttered more by realtors than estate ... Estate Planning -
Andrew Madoff’s Estate Could Face Clawback The court-appointed trustee seeking to recover money for bilked investors began taking aim at Andrew Madoff's money even ... Estate Planning -
Parents Went to Court Over Son’s Burial The facts of the Wilson case involved a divorced couple, at odds over where to bury the ashes of their 23-year-old son, who ... Estate Planning -
What To Do with an Inherited Collection Ms. Smith's inheritance is unique in the value of the works she didn't know about in her mother's attic. But her initial ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning: Know What’s in Your Plan Before You Sign I recently completed my estate plan. I signed a power or attorney but I have no idea why I have it or what I'm supposed to do ... Estate Planning -
Leave an Inheritance? Or Spend the Money Instead? Once people hit retirement, they do not know how long they will live or how long their money will last. Still, the vast ... Estate Planning -
Can You Use Your iPhone To Make a Will? Smartphones sure make lives a lot easier (and, arguably, busier). With a few taps of a screen, individuals can do everything ... Estate Planning -
Death Cafes: Have Some Tea While You Discuss End-of-Life Care Visitors, mostly aged 50-plus, enter the center's cool, dimly lit quarters, where they're invited to help themselves to tea, ... Estate Planning -
Copyright Violation? Marvin Gaye’s Estate Says Yes, but Robin Thicke’s Response Raises Eyebrows Representing the only complex thing about it, "Blurred Lines" has long been the subject of a confusing legal tangle ... Estate Planning -
Take a Cue from Joan Rivers – Include Your Pets in Your Estate Plan! As Rivers' goddaughter Tracie Hotchner told the Daily Mail, "She loved her dogs dearly, and they meant so much to her ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Mistakes You Can Learn From Of course, there's no shortage of ways in which people can stumble when it comes to making their after-death arrangements. ... Estate Planning -
Bernie Madoff’s Son Andrew Passes Away Leaving a Large Estate Bernard Madoff is serving a 150-year term in federal prison in North Carolina. Though sued for millions of dollars, his sons ... Estate Planning -
Not Married? Protect Your Partner with Estate Planning For married couples, the planning rules are fairly straightforward. For unmarried couples, however, whether same-sex or ... Estate Planning -
Joan Rivers May Get the Funeral She Always Wanted … Minus the Tax! Rivers would have probably gotten a kick out of the fact that the expenses associated with her funeral are tax deductible for ... Estate Planning -
Senator Proposes Increase in Estate Tax This legislation would exempt more than 99.7 percent of Americans from paying any estate tax while ensuring that the ... Estate Planning -
Never Assume a Will is Enough The information family and friends will need when a loved one dies goes far beyond those much-talked-about documents, and ... Estate Planning -
Gifting Advice for Grandparents Helping out family members is to be encouraged, but can raise a number of legal issues involving taxes and eligibility for ... Estate Planning -
Planning Ahead for Mental Health Having a say in your own mental healthcare may be very important to you. But what if someday you're unable to make decisions ... Estate Planning -
A Failed Attempt To Create a Revocable Living Trust If you have a revocable trust or living trust, best to check out what's in it before you, your spouse and your children get a ... Estate Planning -
Forfeiture Clauses May Not Hold Up to Reasonable Will Disputes A recent case from the Supreme of Mississippi held that forfeiture provisions in wills in Mississippi are enforceable unless ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Lessons From Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart’s Marriage Bacall's loss of her husband when her children were young does point to some of the issues surviving spouses face when there ... Estate Planning -
Should You Give an Inheritance Outright or Create a Trust? nheriting in trust can mean a lot of different things, but usually comes with benefits that are not available otherwise. ... Estate Planning -
You Just Inherited Some Money – Now What? The biggest mistake people make when they inherit a chunk of money is not thinking it through, said Meg Green, a certified ... Estate Planning -
A Power of Attorney May Not Be the Answer to Your Problems For millions of people over the decades, the power of attorney has been an inexpensive way to give someone the right to act ... Estate Planning -
Keep Your Heirs from Being Spoiled One of the perennial issues high-net worth families worry about is how they can pass their wealth to the next generation ... Estate Planning -
Very Few Americans Use Trusts If the SCF represents a good cross section of the country (it really tries), that means that overall about 0.95 percent of ... Trusts -
Secretly Wealthy: The Millionaire Next Door The woman wore frumpy house dresses, drove a beat-up old Chevy Cavalier, lived modestly in a two-family house on Washington ... Estate Planning -
College-Bound Kids? Get These Two Key Legal Documents If you are about to send a child off to college or to a gap-year program, you're probably busy with last-minute shopping, ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Buyer Beware! Don't be a victim. Protect yourself by being on the lookout for estate planning scam artists. Scam alert! How do you know if ... Estate Planning -
Remarried? How To Plan For Blended Families Estate planning with one family is hard enough. For families with a mix of biological children and stepchildren, first ... Blended Family -
Nelson Mandela’s Estate Debacle Nelson Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has launched a legal challenge against the former South African leader's ... Estate Tax, Will -
Abusive Heirs? It Can Happen In a recent case out of Washington State, the Court of Appeals held that the state's anti-lapse statute applies to ... Estate Planning -
Could You Inherit Your Child’s Student Loans? Normally you cannot inherit someone else's debt. However, there are key exceptions, as this California couple's story shows. ... Inheritance -
Will Changed After Dementia Diagnosis Raises Red Flags When might a police commission get involved with estate litigation? When a new will created after a patient was diagnosed ... Estate Planning -
A Frank Discussion Now Can Avoid Family Strife Later Discussing your estate plans with your adult children may be the single best defense against leaving a legacy of family ... Estate Planning -
Power of Attorney: Deciphering Different Types Generally, there are four types of powers of attorney, or POA. A power of attorney is a legal document that allows you to ... Estate Planning -
What You Should Know About Wills Your will is an essential tool in making sure that your property goes to the people you want to receive it after your death. ... Estate Planning -
Financial Planning: Don’t Go It Alone, Get a Financial Planner To Help Financial planners are not just for rich people. Everyone, no matter where you stand financially, can benefit from the advice ... Estate Planning -
Is Your Estate Plan Up-To-Date? In some cases, outdated or inadequate estate plans have led to highly-publicized disputes between heirs that have squandered ... Estate Planning -
Long-Term Care Questions for the Rhinestone Cowboy [Glen Campbell's wife] Kim Campbell told The Associated Press in an email Thursday that the 78-year-old's Alzheimer's disease ... Elder Law -
IRA Required Minimum Distributions: When is the Right Time to Withdraw? Ordinarily, the deadline for taking this so-called required minimum distribution is Dec. 31. But for your first such ... Estate Planning -
Stretch IRAs for Your Beneficiaries This valuable estate-planning tool can help your beneficiaries make the most out of their inheritance but many investors do ... Estate Planning -
Higher Tax Rates on Trusts While minimizing taxes is certainly not the only, nor even the primary, objective of trusts, it is a major issue for trustees ... Estate Planning -
Take a Note From the Clintons on QPRTs Bill and Hillary Clinton are making headlines for their use of the qualified personal residence trust or QPRT - lovingly ... Taxes -
Any Life Changes as of Late? It’s Time to Freshen Up Your Estate Plan! All sorts of things can change over the course of our lives-and some of those changes may affect existing estate plans. ... Estate Planning -
Rising Costs of Special Needs Care New studies are providing more current cost estimates. "What we found was shocking," Mandell said. "This is a ... Long Term Care -
Three Step Plan for Passing Down the Family Home Passing down your home is so much more than just a transaction. It's a delicate process that affects your entire family-and ... Estate Planning -
Long-Term Investing: Three Ways to Generate Growth "It takes money to make money." What drives long-term investments to succeed? We all know the saying "It takes ... Investing -
Does Your Will Hold Up in Court? All too often, people go to great pains to write a will and put other estate-planning documents in place, only to have a ... Estate Planning -
Are You to Blame for Your Retirement Mistakes? When it comes to retirement investing, the dangerous moving part is - you. According to a recent Forbes article titled ... Investing -
US Supreme Court Ruling Permits Creditors to Go After IRAs In a unanimous ruling written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court said inherited IRA money not received from a spouse isn't ... Asset Protection -
Family Feud Breaks Out During Casey Kasem’s Final Days The public battle -- always emotional and sometimes bizarre -- began in October 2013 when daughters Julie and Kerri led a ... Estate Planning -
Don’t Invest with an “Island” Mentality The result of an "island" mentality is a portfolio that isn't fitted to the individual for maximum efficiency. A ... Asset Protection -
Didn’t Handle Finances Before Your Divorce? It’s Time to Get Some Help! "Now, all of a sudden, sometime without much or any warning, it's all thrust onto her plate. It's quite an adjustment ... Asset Protection -
Retirement Uncertainties Around 60 percent of those surveyed described themselves as "terrified" of what health care costs could potentially ... Estate Planning -
Letter of Intent – Your Blueprint For Estate Planning Since for most of us, our children are our foremost priority in life, a Letter of Intent can be a crucial document. And ... Estate Planning -
Money To Part With, But No Heirs — Where Should Your Dollars Go? "We say to people: 'If you do nothing, your money will go to the state. Is that what you want?' That's enough to make ... Asset Protection -
Retirement Myths Busted Many people spend years planning for retirement and think they have it all figured out, until they actually retire. Think you ... Estate Planning -
Roth IRA: The Cadillac Of Inherited Retirement Accounts A general rule is that Roth IRAs are good accounts to leave to loved ones. Distributions typically are tax-free, and if your ... Asset Protection -
E-Z Legal Form Wasn’t So Easy Afterall In this case, Ms. Aldrich created her Will using an "E-Z Legal Form". In her Will, she specifically identified ... Estate Planning -
Pre-Marital Money Talks Before you or a loved one says "I do," there are a few things you should know about their money habits. Something ... Asset Protection -
Gift Now Or When You Pass? Consider The Taxes Should you give your heirs gifts now? Or wait? Ultimately, there's no "right" answer. This is a personal choice. ... Estate Planning -
If You Snooze, You Lose — Perk Up And Tackle These Financial Topics Sometimes we have to think about the not-so-fun things so we can enjoy the fun ones. Who wants to talk about money? How about ... Asset Protection -
Don’t Leave A Heap Of Problems Behind, Plan Ahead For Your Loves Ones Although death planning can be emotionally vexing, it is essential for families and survivors. They may not know your true ... Estate Planning -
Celebrity Disappearance Spurs Estate Planning Lesson For All In the case of Casey Kasem, no matter what happens, there are no winners here-everyone loses. Don't let this happen to you. ... Estate Planning -
Scam Alert! Estate Planning Victims Beware One surprising area in which scams are becoming more common is estate planning. Each year, more people fall victim to ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Goals For Married Couples Knowing these objectives help both the couple and their estate planner determine what might be the best way to structure ... Estate Planning -
Charitable Giving Options – Think Beyond Cash One way to fulfill your philanthropic goals is to provide for a particular charitable cause or organization in your estate ... Estate Planning -
Cohabitating Couples: Why Some Choose Not To Marry Later In Life For many, the decision to remain single is a matter of money. A partner who remarries stands to lose alimony, Social Security ... Estate Planning -
Have You Appointed Guardians For Your Minor Children? Being a parent is full of surprises and requires constant judgment calls and adaptation. Try as you might to cover all the ... Estate Planning -
Choosing A Home Caregiver For Your Loved One How do I know what kind of caregiver my family member needs?How do I go about finding a home caregiver?What if I prefer to ... Estate Planning -
No Family To Pass Your Estate To? Today, with smaller families and more women choosing not to have children, "the dynamic has changed pretty significantly ... Estate Planning -
Increasing Expense Of Long-Term Healthcare The new Genworth numbers also provide yet more evidence that you need to save a good chunk of money for potential long-term ... Elder Law -
Clearing Out The Family Home Without A Brawl Experts share tips for getting the job done and keeping the peace. Clearing out the family home? How do you keep the ... Inheritance -
Estate Planning Defense To grasp the importance of planning for the distribution of your worldly goods, consider all the things that influence what ... Estate Planning -
New Elder Abuse Law Passed In Kansas The law is aimed at protecting people 70 and older who are victims of financial abuse. People convicted of large-scale abuse ... Elder Law -
Is A Reverse Mortgage Good Or Bad? Federally insured reverse mortgages, issued under the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage program, are a way for homeowners 62 ... Asset Protection -
Caregiving Responsibilities Of Elderly Parents Rest On Women There is no question that most of the burden falls on women for the physical and financial impacts of caregiving. As parents ... Estate Planning -
What It Really Takes To Retire The math gets complicated fast, because there are so many variables. How much to save depends on things like your future wage ... Asset Protection -
Be Prepared For Anything And Everything Financial planners believe that one's financial affairs should be organized in such a way that if today is the day that your ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Must-Haves Here are the four estate-planning documents everyone needs. Don't think you really need a will? Think again! Creating a will ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Fundamentals There are basic rules and guidelines that apply to every estate plan, whether it is taxable or not. Draft an effective plan ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning Will Lift The Burden From Relatives If you care about those who will handle things for you in case you become incapacitated, help them now. Do it if you have ... Estate Planning -
Cousin Biff Bullied You And Gets Your Money Too? It Could Happen! The legal and estate planning industries don't like to discuss the fact that millions of wills, trusts and other end-of-life ... Estate Planning -
News Headlines About Disasters Can Segue To “The Aging Talk” Instead of flat out asking them to tell you about their personal information, it can work better to talk about emergency ... Elder Law -
Elder Care Planning For The Unknown Elder planning deals with protecting assets while you're still alive and perhaps unable to make good decisions. Having ... Elder Law -
Traditional IRA Or Roth IRA? Enlisting the help of a qualified wealth management professional to determine which type of IRA will best support a person's ... Asset Protection -
Is The New Girlfriend A Gold Digger? Should you be happy or suspicious of dad's new girlfriend Goldie? If Goldie is in similar circumstances-divorced or widowed, ... Estate Planning -
Don’t Hide Your Head In The Sand — Get Your Estate Plan In Order! When you blog about personal finance for people over 50, every so often you need to write a scold post. This is one of those ... Estate Planning -
Secret Trusts For Secret Beneficiaries A better alternative for the secret paramour or child is the Totten trust. Millions of bank accounts are actually Totten ... Estate Planning -
Baby On Board … With Insurance! A federal rule requires insurance providers to cover children signed up within 30 days of birth retroactively to day one. ... Estate Planning -
Ease The Estate Planning Pain We get it: Nobody wants to contemplate his or her own mortality. Estate planning is going to hurt, at least a little ... Estate Planning -
2014 Grads, Can You Still Prepay For College? Advocates of prepaid tuition plans call them "peace of mind programs" and say they still offer that comfort ... But ... Asset Protection -
Top Estate Planning Mistake: Failing To Update Beneficiaries "Beneficiary designations that are inconsistent with your will can wreak havoc on a well-structured estate plan," ... Estate Planning -
Retirement Planning: How Long Do You Expect To Live? While my mother never ran a retirement calculator or created a formal retirement plan, she incorporated her individual ... Asset Protection -
Don’t Fight Over the Estate! Five Tips from Canada According to a report from BMO Wealth Institute, Canadians list conflict (54%), unpleasant surprises (37%) and financial or ... Estate Planning -
Safeguard Your Business With A Financial Power Of Attorney Whoever you name as your financial power of attorney makes all of your financial decisions. By specifically picking someone ... Business -
Are You A Social Security Know-It-All? Think you know enough about Social Security to make the best decision about when to claim your benefits? The catch is, when ... Elder Law -
Elder Financial Exploitation Is On The Rise A federal consumer activist, along with a professor of elder law and representatives from organizations like the State ... Asset Protection -
Sibling Rivalries With Finances Several experts said that the ways that families handle these situations depends on multiple factors, such as what caused the ... Estate Tax -
Get The Facts On The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Although the AMT's original intent was to ensure the wealthiest earners paid some tax, it now ensnares a large number of ... Taxes -
The Magic Of The Dynasty Trust While dynasty trusts may at first glance seem complex, they are an excellent mechanism to create structure around the family ... Estate Planning -
Inexpensive Places For Relocation Or Retirement To find the Most Affordable cities, we started with America's 100 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) and ... Estate Planning -
What’s The Holdup? Get Your Elder Law Estate Plan Now When is the right time to create an elder law estate plan? Even though you may not want to be troubled with serious issues ... Elder Law -
Retirement Planning: Take The Home Off The Table Future generations of homeowners should remember the frustrations and family struggles that were caused by the housing bubble ... Asset Protection -
Will Or Trust Or Both? Either a will or a trust may be appropriate for your estate depending on your circumstances and neither is best for all ... Estate Planning -
Should You Have A Living Trust? The most common and basic estate planning vehicles are wills and living trusts. Everybody should have a will or a living ... Estate Planning -
Estate Tax Vs. Inheritance Tax "An estate tax is primarily based on the total value of a decedent's estate compared to the state's estate tax exemption ... Estate Tax -
Time To Set Your Clocks, Change Your Oil and … Update Beneficiaries? Plan to review your beneficiary designations on a regular schedule, ideally as part of an annual review of your finances. ... Asset Protection -
Mindful Estate Planning By Fast And Furious Star Recently, Paul Walker's father filed to open the estate, including Walker's Last Will and Testament.. It sheds some ... Estate Planning -
Helpful Habits To Build Your Nest Egg Take advantage of these tips to grow your retirement nest egg this year. Are you saving for retirement? Whether you are or ... IRA -
A Simple Strategy For Wealth Building Seriously, if you just do this one thing right for an entire lifetime you will end up wealthy. It is literally that simple. ... Investing -
Estate Planning For All Of Life’s Chapters When you really think of it, who is better equipped to serve your interests under such dire circumstances than you yourself? ... Estate Planning -
Going Back To Basis Recent tax law changes are turning traditional estate planning on its head. Indeed, moves long considered savvy-for example, ... Estate Planning -
The Boomer Inheritance Boomerang For heirs, the emotions that come with sudden wealth can be a mix of guilt, loss, anger, regret, relief and hurt, perhaps ... Estate Planning -
A Medicaid Primer 101 If you have elderly parents, don't wait to learn about Medicaid - sometimes referred to by a litany of other state names, ... Elder Law -
Unequal Inheritances – Handle With Care Advisors say it doesn't happen often, but parents who divide their assets unevenly are playing with fire. That said, there ... Estate Planning -
Planning Your Family Business Legacy These two experiences taught me a lesson about family businesses. Making a family business a family legacy takes planning and ... Business -
When Children Are Responsible For The Nursing Home Bill If your parents live in one of 29 states or Puerto Rico that has filial responsibility laws on the books, you could ... Elder Law -
Family Wealth And Financial Entropy The numbers also show that roughly one in three businesses pass to the next generation. Just about 10% of family businesses ... Estate Planning -
Long-Term Care Lapse Logistics In the meantime, cases like this demonstrate anew how vigilant families need to be. If your older relative has a long-term ... Elder Law -
Medicare Rehab Requirements Relaxed? What does this mean? Imagine you have a severe stroke. Before Jimmo, most people thought Medicare would pay for physical ... Elder Law -
Home Sweet Home – Downsize Or Keep In Retirement? For most people, their house is their biggest asset. It's also their biggest expense. But when it comes to retirement ... Estate Planning -
Lifetime Gift Exclusion – A Wealth Transfer Bonanza Congress voted in December 2010 to let wealthy Americans make tax-free gifts of as much as $5 million -- and the money ... Estate Planning -
Essential End-Of-Life (Legal Documents) You will need legal authority to take charge of Mom or Dad's affairs. Not all planning is about how you leave your estate to ... Elder Law -
Medicaid – It Gives … And Now Takes Back Add this to the scary but improbable things people are hearing could happen because of the new federal health-care law: After ... Estate Planning -
So, Are You Ready To Prepare Your Last Will? Let's face it; nobody relishes the task of making out a will. Squarely addressing the prospect of your own mortality can be ... Estate Planning -
Understanding Estate Tax “Portability” Protocol Just when is the [amount of a deceased spouse's portable exclusion] available to a surviving spouse or the estate of a ... Estate Planning -
Understanding Medicare’s “Nursing Home” Coverage Every year, thousands of Medicare patients who spend time in the hospital for observation but are not officially admitted ... Elder Law -
Should You Establish Your “Dynasty” Trust In South Dakota? In the past four years, the amount of money administered by South Dakota trust companies has tripled to $121 billion, almost ... Estate Planning -
Challenges When Selling The Inherited Family Home There's the emotional aspect of getting a loved one's home ready for sale - which likely includes clearing out his or her ... Estate Planning -
Of Family Gifts And Medicaid Lookback Rules My mother gave me money in 2009. Now (2013) she is in a nursing home and needs to get Medicaid. Does that money need to go ... Elder Law -
For Want Of A Beneficiary Will The IRA Be Lost? An IRA account owner or beneficiary died and there was no named beneficiary for the account. The obvious question comes, ... Elder Law -
10 Steps To Giving On Purpose Affluent Americans are committed to building a legacy both by using their wealth in positive ways and by passing their values ... Charitable Gifting -
Six Trusts You May Never Have Considered Trusts for burials, Bentleys, blunderbusses, Basset Hounds, Beaujolais and blowhards: Not all trusts fit into the traditional ... Estate Planning -
IRA Conversions To Roth Have Been Popular Congress dangled an incentive for high-income Americans to convert their tax-deferred individual retirement accounts into ... Estate Planning -
Watch Out! Some States Have Death Taxes! State estate taxes? That's another story. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia impose an estate tax, and some kick in ... Estate Planning -
Are Your Charities Good Stewards Of Your Philanthropy? Want to better understand the mistakes charities make, so you can do a better job in your own philanthropic endeavors? ... Charitable Gifting -
Win-Win: Selling Your Company Stock To Employees For [some business owners], let's call them the "able but not quite ready to retire" business owners, the thought ... Business -
Appealing Medicare Matters Can You Appeal If Medicare Refuses to Cover Care You Received? Absolutely. Medicare can be a tricky thing. It comes with a ... Elder Law -
Jump-Starting Your Estate Plan Like so many things in life, taking care of your estate planning now is the right step, even if you don't have any ... Estate Planning -
Mental Health And Medicare Coverage On Jan. 1 ... for the first time since Medicare's creation seniors who seek psychological therapy will be responsible for 20 ... Elder Law -
Does Your Trust Need A Tune-Up? All trusts should be reviewed every few years to make sure that they are up-to-date with the law and meet your goals today. ... Estate Planning -
Life, Death, Medical Ethics And The Law Two young females, both brain dead without warning, remain on ventilators while their devastated families challenge the ... Elder Law -
Wealth Transfer Tips For Parents (And Grandparents) People who take good care of their children take good care of their money, and people who take good care of their money take ... Estate Planning -
Are Your Beneficiary Designations Up-To-Date? You may have made a giant estate planning mistake without even knowing it - forgetting to update the names of your ... Estate Planning -
Your Legacy Is Worth More Than Money The economic downturn, steep health-care costs and longer lives may mean less money being left to boomers by their ... Estate Planning -
Protecting Your IRA From Your Kids What if you like the idea of leaving your IRA to your kids-but worry that they'll blow the tax advantages involved? Enter a ... Estate Planning -
Great Expectations – Inheritance Planning Is A Two-Way Street "These findings show that many Americans expect to leave an inheritance," said Andy Ireland, head of premier ... Estate Planning -
Survivorship Insurance – Making A Comeback Some wealthy people are taking another look at survivorship insurance. The relatively obscure product, also known as ... Estate Planning -
“Super-Funding” College Savings With college costs already astronomical and rising, saving for them isn't just a year-end thing. But if those prices - ... - ... Estate Planning -
Charitable Giving By Purpose For those looking to put their philanthropic urges into action, the challenge lies not in finding a worthy cause, but rather ... Charitable Gifting -
Estate Planning “To-Do” List For many Americans, the task of putting together an estate plan is one of those "to-do's" that never gets done. ... Estate Planning -
Yes, You Need To Initiate “The Talk” With Your Parents Did your mother teach you it's not polite to talk about money? That may be true when you're with strangers or acquaintances, ... Elder Law -
Charitable Challenges – Making A Difference With the holiday giving season in full swing, you may be re-evaluating just how much to give to charitable causes and where ... Charitable Gifting -
Successful Family Business Succession Tips Successful Family Business Succession Tips A family succession is often the most logical and practical way for a small ... Business -
Inheritance Planning – What Should Your Tell Your Kids While having [estate planning] conversations takes a lot of courage, families that speak freely about these delicate issues ... Estate Planning -
Do Not Fumble The Inheritance Passing along assets after death is a tricky business - and subject to error. Aside from the complexity, making a will and ... Estate Planning -
Interpreting The Uninterpretable Families often think a "do not hospitalize" means "do not treat," but that is not accurate. "What it ... Elder Law -
Dealing With The Holiday “Skunks” No one wants to talk about death, illness or divorce. Unfortunately, you may have to raise some unpleasant issues when you ... Estate Planning -
Planning A Special Inheritance For A Special Beneficiary If you are planning to leave assets to a child or other beneficiary with special needs, one of the first things you should ... Estate Planning -
Insurance – Financial Planning Foundation The easiest and most cost-effective way for most people to mitigate these risks is through insurance products, such as ... Estate Planning -
Eleventh Hour Will Pivots When death grows near, the issue of a legacy can come into much sharper focus. As their end of life becomes less abstract, ... Estate Planning -
Of Wealth And Responsibility There is a responsibility that comes with wealth, and it does not end at death. It starts with proper planning. Hence, here ... Estate Planning -
Blending Families, Blending Finances All couples should have [a] talk [about] finances before they get married. But it's especially important to cover all the ... Blended Family -
When Wills Don’t Work (And Sometimes Why) Most people assume that their wills are the ultimate guide on who gets their bank or brokerage accounts after they die. But a ... Estate Planning -
Giving The Illiquid With the holidays and year-end quickly approaching, now would be a good time to discuss an alternative to a cash charitable ... Charitable Gifting -
Growing Old – Sissies Need Not Apply Sorry, kids, but I was never gracious, and it just gets harder and harder. I want the right, at 86, to play kick-the-can, to ... Elder Law -
“Estate Planning” Described Estate planning is the process of legally structuring the future disposition of current and projected assets. What is estate ... Estate Planning -
MOPM – Managing Other People’s Money If you're handling the finances for an older family member or are about to do so, some sticky challenges can pop up quicker ... Estate Planning -
Family Meetings – More Than Just Fun You don't have to be a blended family with a bunch of teenagers under one roof to need a family meeting (though it could ... Estate Planning -
Giving And Deducting Making a charitable donation is not only a chance to make a difference: it's also an excellent way to reduce your tax burden ... Charitable Gifting -
Sharing Your Personal Financial Information – All In The Family To ensure that your heirs have easy access to your financial life, leave them a road map. The best laid plans of mice and men ... Estate Planning -
State Death Tax Gotchas The federal government giveth-and state governments taketh away. That's increasingly the case with estate and gift taxes. The ... Estate Tax -
Cohabitation Financial Complexities pouses and couples who live together without getting married often keep separate bank or brokerage accounts, and they might ... Asset Protection -
Interesting Indexing – The Estate And Gift Tax Exemption As many estate planners anticipated, the Internal Revenue Service has raised the limit on tax-free transfers during life or ... Estate Tax -
Trust Funds – Not Just For The Well-To-Do When most people think about trust funds, they envision spoiled rich kids and wealthy families trying to dodge taxes on their ... Estate Planning -
Medicaid Dilemma – Sell Or Keep Your Home? My mother went from private pay to Medicaid pay in her nursing home January 1, 2013. She now has zero money and all of her ... Elder Law -
Donor-Advised Funds – Convenient Giving Tool Selecting a charity that will use your money wisely and effectively isn't easy, particularly during this hectic time of year. ... Charitable Gifting -
Caregiving Challenges Of Blended Families Every year, nearly a half-million adults over age 65 remarry, and a growing proportion of these spouses - usually the wives - ... Elder Law -
Medicare Enrollment Clock Is Ticking If you are covered by Medicare Part D and are not on an employer or group plan, this is critical information. Open enrollment ... Elder Law -
Planning In Advance For Your Advance Health Directive Nancy Wagner, a social worker at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, N.J., encounters this frustration at least once a ... Elder Law -
Talking To Your Adult Children About Your Finances Talking to your adult kids about your finances and how you plan to divvy up your money after your death may be one of the ... Estate Planning -
Blended Family Estate Planning Challenges Americans are increasingly cobbling together new families out of earlier broken marriages ... Effective estate planning for ... Estate Planning -
Wisdom To Protect Your Windfall If you have substantial assets or are coming into a windfall from a sudden wealth event such as an inheritance, lawsuit, ... Estate Planning -
Medicaid Eligibility When The “Community Spouse” Dies First When one member of a couple moves to a nursing home, we expect that spouse will be the first to die, but this isn't always ... Elder Law -
Alzheimer’s And Dementia – No Time Like The Present To Plan Most people want to talk about these issues, advisors admit. But because so many people with Alzheimer's cannot communicate ... Estate Planning -
Family Reunion Inheritance Incentive Specifically, Albert's trust stipulates that every two years, in August or September, his nieces and nephews must meet for a ... Estate Planning -
Open Season On Medicare Enrollment Medicare's open enrollment season begins Tuesday October 15. That's when the nation's 50 million Medicare beneficiaries who ... Elder Law -
Legacies, Like Gardens, Take Time And Planning Cultivating a family legacy is not that different from tending a garden: land with poor prospects, at first glance, has to be ... Estate Planning -
Art Advisory Panel – IRS Valuation Vanguard Officially, they are merely volunteers, members of the obscure-sounding Art Advisory Panel of the Commissioner of Internal ... Estate Planning -
Appraisals – There Must Be A Method To Your Madness Sloppiness of an appraisal doesn't matter. Reliability of an appraisal doesn't matter. Even proper application of facts ... Estate Planning -
What To Do When You No Longer Want Your Trust Setting up a trust can be complicated. Now investors are discovering it can be even trickier to unwind one. Trusts are ... Estate Planning -
Roth IRA Inheritance Planning For Grandchildren I have a Roth IRA that I would like used for my great-grandchildren's education. Can it be inherited by minors or a trust ... Estate Planning -
Prospective Inheritors Not Hopeful Three-quarters of people responding to a new survey said they don't expect to inherit money, but financial experts say they ... Estate Planning -
Easing The Tax Bite When Selling Your Business A lot of small business owners accelerated sales of their companies into 2012 in anticipation of the new higher tax rates ... Business -
Charitable Giving According To The Oracle Of Omaha We're big fans of legendary investor Warren Buffett, so when he announces that he wants to teach us something-for free, no ... Charitable Gifting -
Vacation Home (Inheritance) Headaches Worth Avoiding It sounds like a nice problem to have: handing down a family vacation home from one generation to the next. But the process - ... Estate Planning -
Avoiding The 2013 Capital Gains Gotcha Last year's historically low capital gains tax rate of 15% is, well, history, but there are still ways around the new higher ... Estate Planning -
Avoiding Medicare “Marketplace Plans” Confusion After reassuring seniors that Medicare is not part of the new health insurance marketplaces, administration officials have a ... Elder Law -
Successful Successions Require Planning He chose two people he wanted to sell to who were already working in the company. They were young, they were paid well, and ... Business -
Testing The Inheritance Of Test Tube Babies Born Post-Mortem The number of children conceived through in vitro fertilization has doubled over the last decade. The technology that has ... Estate Planning -
Foreign Retirements Attract FATCA Scrutiny A U.S. tax crackdown is coming for foreign retirement plans. The U.S. has been pushing banks and individuals to report ... Elder Law -
Planning To Avoid Inheritance Failures in Torrance California Planning for an inheritance can be thorny. You can be consumed by unrealistic ideas and make a number of missteps that could ... Estate Planning -
The Cost Of Caring For Elderly Loved Ones in Orange County California Faced with the high cost of in-home care, many Americans end up providing care themselves for an aging parent or relative ... Elder Law -
Divorce After 50 in Torrance California etting divorced after 50 can have an enormous affect on your retirement. Marriage and divorce can be messy topics from a ... Asset Protection -
The State Of State Retirement Taxation in Torrance California No matter where you retire, you'll owe the same to Uncle Sam in federal taxes. But your choice of retirement destination ... Elder Law -
Artwork Valuations: In The Eye Of The Beholder? Charitable gifts of artworks almost always present valuation issues. An appraisal by a respected, unbiased expert is key to ... Charitable Gifting -
Charitable Options For “Unnecessary” Life Insurance Here's the situation: You have a whole or universal life-insurance policy that you or your heirs don't really need. What do ... Estate Planning -
Essential Estate Planning Is … Well … Essential in Torrance, CA Contrary to popular belief, estate planning is not just about money or taxes. Far from it. Today, it's more about protecting ... Estate Planning -
Roth IRA Power Like the kitchen gadgets advertised on late-night TV that can slice, dice and turn radishes into roses, the Roth individual ... Estate Planning -
State Death Taxes Hinge On Political Winds in Orange County, CA Washington finally declared a truce on the death tax this year, with estates now [federally] taxed at 40% with an exemption ... Estate Planning -
“Fair Or Equal” Inheritance – It’s in the Eye of the Beholder As much as we like to think our relationships can't be defined by money, it happens. If you are planning your estate, or have ... Estate Planning -
Capital Gains Hikes Boost Charitable Trust Appeal in Torrance, CA The higher federal tax rates that kicked in this year have given all these variants of the four-decade-old charitable ... Estate Planning -
Entrepreneurs Asking For An Early Inheritance in Torrance, CA Asking a parent for money to start a business is always a complicated conversation ... asking for an early inheritance can ... Business -
Planning For Retirement Funds In A Post-Nuptial Agreement A recent court case highlights how risky it is when a married couple attempts to use a post-nuptial agreement when trying to ... Asset Protection -
Our Summer Place – Estate Planning For The Family Vacation Home In an ideal world, [the vacation home], whether a modest cabin or an elaborate villa, is a symbol of a family's history, ... Estate Planning -
Estate Planning For Your (Adult) Children Once people hit midlife, they typically start focusing on estate-planning issues for themselves and, often, for their elderly ... Estate Planning -
Preventing Inheritance Fights Over Sentimental “Stuff” While fights over cash and stocks after a relative dies are common, families feud just as often over memorabilia and personal ... Estate Planning -
The Joy Of Inheriting Appreciated Property When you inherit property, such as a house or stocks, the property is usually worth more than it was when the original owner ... Estate Planning -
When PODs Go BAD Are payable on death accounts a simple way to pass assets to heirs or are they a mistake? It sure sounds simple. With a ... Estate Planning -
QPRT Considerations Among those with wealth primarily concentrated in their home or investment portfolio, there are two types of trusts designed ... Estate Planning -
GRATs Can Be Great In a low interest rate environment, a grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT) can serve as a powerful estate planning tool to ... Estate Planning -
Structured Charity Flexibility It is indeed possible for a charitable gift annuity, a charitable remainder unitrust, a charitable remainder annuity trust, a ... Charitable Gifting -
So, What Will Be Your Legacy? Your legacy is putting your stamp on the future. It's a way to make some meaning of your existence: "Yes, world of the ... Estate Planning -
Beware Of State Estate And Inheritance Taxes, Too Although most people's estates aren't large enough to be affected by the federal estate tax, residents in many states have to ... Elder Law -
Estate Planning For Your “Family” Just as the courts are juggling with multiple definitions of family, so too are families today finding that there's no single ... Estate Planning -
Thinking Beyond Your Last Will If you also have an IRA, you probably named a beneficiary of that account on the custodian's beneficiary form. The IRA ... Estate Planning -
Is Your Business Your Retirement Nest Egg, Too? Many businesses simply cannot be sold, and others end up being sold for far less than expected, said Randy Gerber, founder of ... Business -
Easing Into The Subject Of Conservation Easements An easement is the legal removal of a right of use. Conservation easements generally protect wildlife habitat and ... Charitable Gifting -
The Power Of Portability One of the key provisions of ATRA is to make permanent the so-called portability of the applicable exclusion amount between ... Estate Planning -
At Death, Cash is Still King "While my father had considerable assets, they are illiquid, and the family needs immediate financial assistance for a ... Estate Planning -
Teaching Points From The Estate Of A Soprano Tony Soprano may have been an expert at hiding his money from the feds, but actor James Gandolfini, the recently deceased ... Estate Planning -
When Baby Boomer Retirees Inherit For those retirees who had not planned on receiving an inheritance or are happily surprised at the amount they receive, it's ... Elder Law -
Charitable Intent Key To Easement Success I think that conservation and façade easements are a great idea, but only if you have a sincere desire to help protect your ... Charitable Gifting -
Summer Vacation – Perfect Time For “The Conversation” Chances are good you will be spending some vacation time this summer with older family members. If so, take the opportunity ... Elder Law -
Long-Term Care Insurance – Protection From Living Too Long The biggest mistake often made with long-term care planning is putting it off until health issues can make LTC planning much ... Elder Law -
Life Insurance – Incidents Of Ownership (May) Trigger Estate Taxability When are the proceeds of life insurance policies includible in a taxpayer's gross estate? Fact: the estate tax is set to some ... Estate Planning -
Home Is Where The Estate Is Except in the case of the superrich, [real estate] is most likely the parents' major asset, and their children understandably ... Estate Planning -
College Funding Considerations The Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) and the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) are sometimes called the ... Estate Planning -
Trust But Verify The Status Of Your Charities Charitable giving should be encouraged. Before giving to a charity, however, it is important to ascertain that the charity is ... Charitable Gifting -
Employee Skin In The Game – Family Business Stock Owners want non-family business leaders to behave like owners, and so they give them shares. Trying to align incentives is ... Business -
Dementia – Plan Now To Avoid Problems Later Mara has bravely faced what millions of Baby Boomers are facing: their aging parents aren't going to stay financially ... Business -
Why Are Charitable Donors Charitable? Many philanthropic advisers stress that giving is not always this black and white: people need to get the emotional reward of ... Charitable Gifting -
Protecting The Inheritance From And For Your Heirs According to a recent WealthCounsel survey, 35 percent of people are crafting their estate plans to avoid mismanagement by ... Estate Planning -
Annual Gift Exclusion Opportunities Abound Here is some background on what is known as the "annual gift-tax exclusion." You can give away as much as $14,000 ... Estate Planning -
Business Succession – Don’t Shoot Your Own Feet What can you do to prevent self-sabotage and improve your company's odds of successful succession? A family is strongest when ... Business -
Giving While You Are Living Increasingly, we've been asked to help them find ways to assist their kids now, rather than waiting to leave them money and ... Estate Planning -
Same-Sex Marriage And The Supreme Court Gay couples have long had second-tier status when it came to their finances... Now that the Supreme Court has struck down the ... Estate Planning -
Incentive Trusts: A Business Succession Formula for Success For many of our affluent clients, their single largest investment is the family business. Unfortunately, the likelihood that ... Estate Planning -
Investment Properties in Your IRA With taxes going up for most people, you might be paying more attention to your tax-deferred retirement investing options, ... Estate Planning -
Revoking the Irrevocable (Trust) Here's a dirty little secret: It's often possible to terminate a supposedly "irrevocable" trust. What can you do ... Estate Planning -
Warning – Your Ex-Spouse May Inherit Your Life Insurance! When Warren Hillman died in 2008 at the age of 66, his assets included a life insurance policy worth $124,558.03. For the ... Estate Planning -
Make Informed Decisions About Your & Your Loved Ones' Futures Based On Experienced Advice BOB GINSBERG, a retired production manager for an educational publisher, is worried that he does not know any of the logins ... Estate Planning -
Costly Conversations Never Had "Finances tend to be one of the trickiest topics because people do have traditional ideas about what you should and ... Elder Law -
International Love Has Its (Legal) Challenges Love has no borders, of course, which may help explain why it's not just the economy that's gone global. To hear estate and ... Estate Planning -
When is Charitable Giving Elder Abuse? For the last 20 years of her life, Huguette Clark, a wealthy and reclusive copper heiress, lived in a Manhattan hospital ... Elder Law -
Selling Your Company to Your Employees As more entrepreneurs like Cabot approach retirement-about 30% of the nation's business owners are 55 or older, according to ... Business -
Watch Your Language – End-Of-Life Health Care "It's a very vulnerable time," said Amber Barnato... "A turn of phrase by a doctor can make a lot of ... Estate Planning -
Pointers for Avoiding Family Estate Feuds Family litigation occurs not from a lack of trying to solve the issue, but from a lack of planning. When you begin planning ... Estate Planning -
Asset Protection Shell Game Rejected One cannot call the planning here anything like valid asset protection planning. To the contrary, this was just ... Trusts -
Estate Planning for the Family Farm "With the aging of the farm population, and particularly with the rapid appreciation of land values and the assets, ... Estate Planning -
IRS Getting Greedy Over Old “Gifts”? In 1972 ... Sumner Redstone, who wasn't yet a global media mogul, made a taxable gift to his children and failed to file a ... Gifting -
Giving Your IRA For Good The IRA-to-charity strategy is particularly helpful for people who have accumulated a lot of money in their IRAs but don't ... Charitable Gifting -
Separate Marital Estate Planning Goals, Separate Attorneys? n 1990, in Lawrence Brody's estate planning seminar in the LL.M. program at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, ... Estate Planning -
Your Estate Plan – Time for Some Spring Cleaning WITH the federal tax on estates now kicking in at $5.25 million - or $10.5 million for a couple - it may seem that only the ... Estate Tax -
President’s Budget Proposal Targets Estate Planning Tools A couple weeks ago on April 10, President Obama released his budget proposal for 2014. Although the proposal largely focused ... Estate Planning -
The ESOP Way to Business Succession Win-Win As more entrepreneurs, like Ms. Cabot, approach retirement-about 30% of the nation's business owners are 55 or older, ... Business -
529 Education Savings Plans Proliferate Families saving for college poured billions of dollars into U.S. 529 education savings plans over the past five years, even ... Estate Planning -
Credit Shelter Trusts – The Tried and True Tool Credit shelter trusts are a way to take full advantage of state and federal estate tax exemptions. Although such trusts may ... Estate Planning -
Have “The Talk” with Your Children Now Telling heirs how much they stand to inherit can be a subject fraught with emotional land mines for parents ... But waiting ... Estate Planning -
IRS Estate Audits Increase The IRS scrutinized estate tax returns more than any category of individual tax returns in tax year 2011, at close to a 30 ... Estate Tax -
The “Permanence” of Portability The "Permanence" of Portability It certainly is possible that a future Congress could modify today's laws or even ... Estate Planning -
IRAs Targeted in Obama Budget President Obama's budget, just sent to Congress, proposes to cap tax-advantaged savings across all accounts at $3 million in ... Estate Planning -
When HIPAA Happens Privacy deserves to be respected and preserved. But HIPAA [the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 1997] ... Elder Law -
Do You Really Have Enough Life Insurance? Ownership of life insurance policies has been declining over the last couple of decades, leaving 50 million Americans without ... Estate Planning -
The Power of a Power of Attorney If you are elderly, or your parents are elderly and you help them with their finances, you should consider getting a Power or ... Estate Planning -
To Prenup, or Not to Prenup? I see just as many women seeking prenuptial agreements these days as men. I suggest a prenup for those who have sizeable ... asset protection -
Artful Estate Planning Critical for Family Art Collections f a family wants to hold on to artwork that has been collected over a lifetime, there can be a significant liquidity problem ... Liquid Assets -
The Gift that Keeps on Giving? In the countdown to April 15, many people rushing to prepare their individual income tax returns will overlook another key ... Estate Tax -
Estate Mediation – Can’t We All Get Along? Mediation-a way of settling disputes before they escalate into litigation-has grown increasingly popular in the trusts and ... Estate Planning -
Power of Attorney – Power to Steal? It's a standard part of estate planning. It's also, according to experts on elder fraud, a license to steal. It's the power ... Elder Law -
Inherited IRA Gotchas ...You have to be really careful when moving inherited IRA money. If it's not done correctly, the entire IRA will be deemed ... Estate Planning -
The “Conversation”: Have You Discussed Your End-Of-Life Wishes? If you are old enough to be reading this, you should discuss end-of-life issues with family members and prepare your own ... -
Decanting Isn’t Just for Wine, but Irrevocable Trusts Too In the past, if a trustee wanted to alter an irrevocable trust, a costly legal process was the only way. Now, ... Estate Planning -
Later-In-Life Marriage Challenge While love may have felt simple for the two 54-year-olds, the financial part of their relationship was less cut and dried. ... Estate Planning -
The Basis for the Basis of Inherited Stock I just inherited some stock from my uncle, and I know that he bought the stock for more than the present cost. Should I find ... Inheritance -
Same-Sex Adoption Snags Adopting a child can be complicated. It can be even more complicated and fraught with financial and legal risks for same-sex ... Estate Planning -
Trust Your NFA Guns to a Gun Trust In addition to facilitating NFA weapon transfers, an NFA Gun Trust is also an estate planning tool that allows an individual ... Estate Planning -
Will Your Estate be a Blessing or a Curse? Though many wealthy families attend to tax, financial and legal planning, with expert advice and well-developed strategies, ... Estate Planning -
Blended Family Estate Planning – Practical Pointers "Blended" families - which include children from earlier unions - have become the norm. The diplomatic challenges ... Blended Family -
Elderly Loved Ones – Memory Issues & Money If your loved ones are getting up there in years, it makes sense to plan ahead for the possibility that one of them could ... Elder Law -
Mind the Details – Property Insurance Coverage and Estate Planning When it comes to wealth management, the devil is in the details-the minutiae in plans and strategies that may be overlooked ... Business -
Roth IRA – An Estate Planning Tool? When it comes to saving for retirement, many investors already know how well the Roth IRA fends off Uncle Sam. But what ... Estate Planning -
Are Will and Beneficiary Designations In Conflict? Show your beneficiaries that you love them. Do a beneficiary review and ensure that they get the assets you want them to ... Estate Planning -
The Gender Gap Widens for LTCi The gender gap is about to get a little wider as the formerly egalitarian long-term care insurance market starts charging ... Estate Planning -
When to Retire from a Career-For-Life? Pope Benedict XVI's announcement of his resignation ... surprised the world. But while there's only one pope, there are ... Estate Planning -
Are You a Tax-Time Procrastinator? For all you procrastinators, there are now some ready-made excuses not to file your 2012 income taxes as soon as possible. ... Estate Tax -
Asset Protection Planning – Plan Now, or Lose Later Asset Protection is pre-claim planning for those who are concerned that someday they might become liable to creditors ... Asset Protection -
Valuations Matter – Making Your Gifts Count Make no mistake: the IRS has been cracking down on charitable contributions. It's not that they don't want you out there ... Charitable Gifting -
Elderly Parents – Blended Family Challenges "It gets really blurry. Who's going to do what?" Grown children [of parents who remarry late in life] don't have ... Blended Family -
How to Pass On the Family Home Before the days of estate taxes, children simply moved into the family home and took over the master bedroom after their ... Estate Planning -
The Beauty and the Beast of the Estate Tax Rules With the passage of the American Tax Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA), Congress finally made the estate tax rules permanent. We ... Estate Planning -
When Charitable Giving Goes Global Increasingly, global-minded philanthropists want to support causes overseas, triggering unique legal and tax challenges. ... Business -
Health Care Costs – Location, Location, Location It's no secret that the tab for health care in America is soaring. But did you know that what you pay for health care ... Estate Planning -
Fiscal Cliff Falls on the Charitable “Rich” There is much confusion and misinformation about the impact of the "fiscal cliff" tax law on charitable giving. ... Charitable Gifting -
Charitable Giving Slows for Uberwealthy America's billionaires gave less in 2012 than in 2011, a new Chronicle tally shows. Well in the wake of confetti and ... Fiscal Cliff -
Joint Tenancy Travails Elderly parents regularly set up bank accounts - checking, savings, certificates of deposit - in joint tenancy with a child. ... Estate Planning -
IRA Charitable Rollover – A Powerful Win-Win in Los Angeles California As part of the "fiscal cliff" deal, Congress has resurrected a popular tax-law provision, known as the "IRA ... Charitable Gifting -
Search for a Long-Term Care Solution The New Year's Day budget agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff includes two key measures that could be critical to people ... Estate Tax -
Fiscal Cliff Deal Revives the Ever Popular Energy Tax Credit If your home needs sprucing up, there's a catch-all $500 tax credit in the fiscal cliff deal that could help blunt the cost ... Estate Planning -
Some Surprising “Winners” in Fiscal Cliff Deal ... On the whole, small businesses fared pretty well in this fiscal cliff deal. They say a true compromise is when everyone ... Fiscal Cliff -
Fiscal Cliff Deal Expands Roth 401(k) Conversion Eligibility "This is a big deal," says Alison Borland, vice president of retirement solutions and strategies for Aon Hewitt. ... Estate Planning -
Fiscal Cliff Deal Opens Door to Last-Minute Charitable Contributions Act fast: the fiscal cliff deal has a special tax break for cash donated by seniors to charity in Jan. 2013. If you are past ... Charitable Gifting -
Federal Estate and Gift Taxes Finally Settled with Fiscal Cliff Deal in Los Angeles California Mostly what Congress did in this arena was to make permanent the (estate tax) system that has been in effect for the past ... Estate Planning -
Does Anyone Know How the Affordable Care Act Will Affect Medicare? As pundits and politicians continue to discuss the deficit, misinformation and confusion about Medicare and the Affordable ... Medicare -
The IRS’s Untimely Vacation From Issuing Tax Identification Numbers Estate planners scurrying to set up trusts on behalf of wealthy clients and fund them with tax-free gifts before the end of ... Estate Planning -
Keeping Up With The Joneses …By Comparing Retirement Savings?? Study results showed that nearly two-out-of-ten people already in retirement still want to "keep up with the ... Retirement Planning -
Estate Planning: Not Just For the Rich in Los Angeles and Orange County If you are like many other American families, the current upheaval in Washington regarding the fiscal cliff (and the estate ... Estate Planning -
Los Angeles California To Give or Not to Give Discussions of the looming fiscal cliff have paid scant attention to estate and gift taxes. But wealthy people might do well ... Fiscal Cliff -
A New Game to Help with Charitable Giving in Torrance California Each year at this time, out of some combination of generosity and procrastination, millions of Americans rush to make ... Charitable Gifting -
Retirement Planning: Five Mistakes to Avoid in Los Angeles County There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to saving the right amount for your golden years -- which is part of what makes ... Retirement Planning -
A New Way to Face Retirement in Torrance California "People who see an age-progressed rendering of themselves are more likely to allocate resources to the future." As ... Retirement Planning -
Changes on the Horizon for Reverse Mortgage Loans in Los Angeles California Change is needed. Reverse mortgages can serve as financial lifelines by helping seniors leverage their equity without selling ... Loans -
Torrance California Older Workers Improve Their Resumes to Maximize Hiring Potential ... Many colleges and universities have begun offering classes for older workers to help them improve their resumes, learn ... Employment -
Torrance California Extreme Home Makeover: Retirement Style Richard Hayman, 67, and his wife Carolyn are shelling out $110,000 to complete a strategic part of their retirement plan. ... Retirement Planning -
Los Angeles The Fiscal Cliff: A Slippery Slope for Your Health If President Barack Obama and Congress cannot reach an agreement on the fiscal cliff, economic experts agree it would be ... Fiscal Cliff
