Even With the Best Planning – Families Disagree
We have families in our office all of the time who are worried about will or trust contests after their death. Our answer, although harsh but is the truth, there is no way to keep someone from contesting your will or trust. The best we can do is to make it disadvantageous for someone to contest, […]
Is your Estate Plan a Trojan Horse?
On January 31st of 2014, the Chinese celebrated the Year of the Horse. Which got me thinking about famous horses: Black Beauty, Secretariat, Trigger, Sea Biscuit, Silver, the Budweiser Clydesdales, Man O’ War, Pokey, and even the Trojan Horse. That famous tale, expertly depicted in the Brad Pitt film Troy, recounts how the Greeks hid […]
Prevention is the Best Medicine – Why You Should Consider a Corporate Trustee
Revocable living trusts are a powerful and commonly used estate planning tool. Whenever a trust is created, there is also an accompanying position created called the trustee. The trustee is a person or entity appointed within the trust document that is responsible for the administration and management of the trust. The trustmaker usually names himself […]
Protecting the Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch was one of the first famous blended families. Mike had three boys of his own—Greg, Peter, and Bobby—and Carol had three girls—Marsha, Jan, and Cindy. Mike and Carol married and the 6 children came together to make one, big, new family: a blended family. A blended family is a step-family. It is […]
Don’t Take Your Passwords and Assets to the Grave
So you’ve seen a trusted estate planning attorney and created your estate plan. Then you shared your relevant estate planning choices with your family. Now what? Now it is time to get organized. In this digital age, it is not unusual for executors or personal representatives to be forced to hire computer forensic experts to […]
Estate Planning Moves For Your 30s
When in your 30s, the last thing on your mind is dying. But it may be the right time to start planning to protect your family and assets. View image | gettyimages.com An article on dailyfinance.com says your 30s may be the most important time to start planning because you may have the most to […]
Basic Guide To Estate Planning
Since estate planning attorneys are deeply involved in the intricacies of the field, they sometimes forget that many people don’t really understand what is involved. View image | gettyimages.com That’s why it is usually good to review the basics. An article on cheatsheet.com does just that. Estate planning zeroes in on you being able to […]
Be Careful About Estate Plans After Divorce
If you are newly divorced, you’ve likely got a lot on your mind. But don’t forget to update the financial arrangements that take effect upon your death. View image | gettyimages.com If you don’t, some assets could end up going to your former spouse or his or her family. An article on marketwatch.com illustrates what […]
Facebook’s Legacy Contact
by Charles W. Brown Jr. Good news! Thanks to a recent policy change, you can now update your Facebook page after you pass away. Well, to be more accurate, you can select someone to update your page after you pass. In response to a high number of requests, Facebook has created the option to allow […]
Three Keys About Estate Planning
In 2015, you can leave gifts to other individuals upon your death worth up to $5.43 million free of any federal estate taxes. This is the so-called estate-tax exemption. If married, both you and your spouse are entitled to separate $5.43 million exemptions. If one spouse dies and does not use up his or her […]