Category Archives: Estate Planning
States are Looking at The Big Picture When It Comes to Taxes
In addition to a federal estate tax, most people can plan to pay an estate tax for their state of residence as well upon the distribution of a deceased loved one’s estate. These gift and estate taxes generate a significant amount of revenue for most states; but according to this recent article in Forbes,… Read More »
Some Inheritances are Best Bestowed in Different but Equal Ways
Every parent wants to love and treat all their children the same, but when it comes to estate planning, not every child should be treated the same. In fact, insisting on treating all children exactly the same in an estate plan can often lead to disastrous consequences. However, as this article from The Street… Read More »
Talking to Your Parents About Retirement
Most people consider financial matters a private affair, and only talk about it with their spouse or their financial advisor; but when it comes to retirement and long-term care Americans just can’t afford to be silent any longer. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “Nearly two in five adult children… Read More »
Facebook Founders Use GRATs to Avoid Excessive Taxation; You Can Too
News sources recently revealed that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg—as well as other Facebook top brass—use Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts to protect their assets and investments from excessive taxation. Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (more commonly called GRATs) are a perfectly legal—and very efficient—way to protect and pass significant assets from one person to another without… Read More »
An Estate Plan Can Highlight Religious Values… Within Limits
All parents hope to pass their values onto their children; and of the many values they hope to pass on religion and spirituality often tops the list. In some cases, religious values are so important to a parent that they will even include mention of these values in their estate plan. Our firm strongly… Read More »
Avoid the Most Common Estate Planning Mistakes
In a world where bureaucracy and taxation become more present and complex every year, it has become absolutely necessary for every family to have an estate plan. Not all estate plans are created equal, however, and it takes a little bit of research—or a conversation with the right advisors—to determine which plan will be… Read More »
The Good News and The Bad News About Retirement
The good news is that Americans are living longer, the bad news is that it costs a whole lot more to retire than it used to. But the rising cost of retirement has more to do with just longer life expectancy. As this recent article in the New York Times points out, “Social Security… Read More »
Transfer of Home Ownership Does Not Replace an Estate Plan
Imagine this: You’re retired, your only significant asset is your home, you’re very close to your child or children, and you don’t want the cost of creating an estate plan. In such cases, what’s the harm of simply putting your home in the name of your child to avoid probate and then be done… Read More »
How Do You Know If You Need An Estate Plan?
Most people know that they should execute some kind of estate plan eventually, but don’t think that they actually need one right now. On our blog we spend a lot of time telling people that they do need an estate plan, and that they need one right now—or as soon as possible! But it’s… Read More »
Estate Plan Forgery: How to Tell and What to Do
The question of will forgery or undue influence of a testator is not a common question, but one that does come up periodically in an estate planner’s office. The movies have given people certain expectations when it comes to a death in the family and probating a will: a book-lined office, the entire family… Read More »