As a result of the tax relief measure that passed through the legislature at the end of last year we currently have an estate tax exclusion of $5 million and a maximum rate of 35%. What this means to you is that right now, the portion of your estate that exceeds the $5 million exclusion … [Read More]
Ethical Will Can Punctuate Estate Plan
There are some estate planning documents that everyone is aware of, and one of them is the last will. This document is of course used to state your wishes with regard to how you would like your assets distributed after your death. There is another type of will that is also recommended called a living … [Read More]
Are You Prepared For Your Twilight Years?
It is perhaps human nature to avoid subjects that are not particularly pleasant to consider, but when it comes to making sure you’re prepared for the latter stages of your life you really have to face the facts head-on. Many would suggest that it is best to take a holistic approach and recognize that retirement … [Read More]
Estate Planning: Probate Lawyer Is Key
There is generally no incremental learning curve involved in estate planning and everything is new to most individuals when they first start to engage in the process. Before they begin to look into it a lot of people don’t realize that a last will is not something that is just passed around among your loved … [Read More]
Estate Tax Relief May Be Brief
The average layperson may not fully understand just how much the legislative processes going on in Washington impact the field of estate planning. We’ve recently gone through crises of sorts regarding approving a budget for this year and raising the debt ceiling so that the federal government can meet its obligations. Some say that the … [Read More]
Grandchildren & Inheritance Planning
We are all aware of the fact that grandparents and grandchildren often share a very special relationship. When you are planning your estate, making provisions for your grandchildren may well be a priority. Of course you are going to want to do as much as possible for them, so the last thing that you would … [Read More]
A Look At The Special Needs Trust
There are many of us who have friends, relatives or colleagues who have some type of incapacitating mental, physical or developmental disability. In older times, the families of disabled people used to keep their circumstances a secret; the disability of a family member was a forbidden subject and was not discussed very openly. To make … [Read More]
Two Valuable Ways To Use Life Insurance
Life insurance is the quintessential income replacement vehicle, and it is a very important component to most estate plans. Making sure that you have adequate life insurance coverage is a way to protect family members that are relying on your income to maintain their standard of living. This is something for people of all ages … [Read More]
Estate Tax Exposure: Wild Fluctuations Possible
The majority of Americans would tell you that they’re not chomping at the bit to pay taxes, but they are cognizant of the needs that exist so they don’t mind carrying their share of the load. The problem people have is when they feel as though they are being taxed unfairly, and this sentiment is … [Read More]
Estate Planning & Your Social Network Accounts
Just about everyone is online at this point, and conducting business and socializing over the Internet has become a routine matter of course. Given this reality it is important to recognize the fact that you are going to have to make your estate administrator aware of your online accounts and leave instructions with regard to … [Read More]
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