Do Not Leave Your Loved Ones with a Sticky Mess
There is nothing quite like ice cream on a warm summer day served just the way you like it. You are outside, maybe on a shaded bench or strolling down […]
Adding Toppings to Your Estate Plan
As much as Americans love ice cream, our tastes run pretty plain. Vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry consistently dominate “Top 5” flavor lists.[1] When we add toppings, we usually reach for […]
Different Flavors of Transferring Your Money and Property Outside of Probate
It is summertime, and the living is easy. Maybe you spent the day out on the boat, at the beach, or at home relaxing in your most comfortable lounge chair. […]
Your Divorce Decree: The First Step in Estate Planning
You and your spouse have recently divorced, and the judge has signed the divorce decree. Now what? Although you may feel that you have spent enough time and money on lawyers, there is one last attorney you need to talk to: an estate planning attorney.
Want to Disinherit Someone? This Is What You Need to Know
It is easier than you might think to disinherit a loved one, with a couple of notable exceptions. However, it is not as simple as omitting someone’s name from your estate plan.
The Deaths of Gene Hackman and His Wife
Simultaneous death laws, such as the Uniform Simultaneous Death Act (USDA), enacted in 1940 and updated in 1993, were created to resolve legal uncertainties when two or more people die at the same time or close in time to each other and the order of death is unclear.
Do You Go By Different Names? Ensure That Your Estate Planning Attorney Knows
What is in a name? Your name is a seemingly simple detail that may not receive much attention in your daily life, but it can have major ramifications for your estate plan and what happens after you pass.
5 Easy Tips to Simplify Your Charitable Giving
Will you be donating to charities this year? The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reminds us that you must itemize deductions on Schedule A of your tax return to claim a deduction for charitable gifts. We have some tips to ensure your charitable gifts count!
How to Protect Your Family When You and Your Spouse Work in the Same Business
You and your spouse live together, work together, and likely spend a great deal of your free time together. Having a successful marriage and business takes hard work and dedication, but it can also be among the most rewarding things in life. To help keep you on the right track, we have a few tips.
The Lifetime QTIP Trust
Estate planning for couples in a second or subsequent marriage can be tricky, especially if their estates are disproportionate. One solution that allows the more affluent spouse to maintain control of their property and wealth and minimize potential estate taxes—while keeping their spouse happy—is the lifetime qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust.