Blog
Posted on Oct 15, 2018
If you are recently married or have been married and are acquiring additional assets, know that you have options when it comes to how the property will be titled. And, although joint tenancy seems ...
Continue reading "Why Joint Tenancy Should Not Be the Go-To Plan for Newlyweds" »
Posted on Oct 8, 2018
Considering the myriad of trusts available, creating an estate plan that works can seem daunting. However, that’s what we, as estate planning attorneys, do every day. We know the laws and will ...
Continue reading "10 Types of Trusts: A Quick Look" »
Posted on Oct 3, 2018
With the fall season approaching, it’s an excellent time to review your affairs. Below is a checklist to ensure your planning meets your needs and is up to date: 1. When was your power of ...
Continue reading "Your Fall "Legal Affairs" Checklist" »
Posted on Jul 13, 2015
Tip #1 – Insurance is the First Line of Defense Against Liability Liability insurance is the first line of defense against a claim. Liability insurance provides a source of funds to pay legal ...
Continue reading "Three Liability Planning Tips for Physicians Anyone Can Use" »
Posted on Jul 6, 2015
What Documents Do You Need to Find After a Loved One Dies? After a loved one dies, you need to gather the important documents that are necessary to settle their final affairs. While the documents ...
Continue reading "What Documents Do You Need to Find After a Loved One Dies?" »
Posted on Jun 29, 2015
Three Estate Planning Mistakes Farmers and Ranchers Make and How to Avoid Them Farming or ranching is more than a means of livelihood – it is about preserving a legacy and unique way of life. ...
Continue reading "Three Estate Planning Mistakes Farmers and Ranchers Make and How to Avoid Them" »
Posted on Jun 26, 2015
On June 26, 2015 the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, the name assigned to a series of consolidated cases on same-sex marriage rights. The Court ruled 5-4, ...
Continue reading "Supreme Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriages" »
Posted on Nov 24, 2014
Learning from Your Mistakes Can Become Your Teaching Moment Everyone makes financial mistakes. The key is to learn from them, try not to repeat them and then pass on this hard-earned wisdom to your ...
Continue reading "Learning from Your Mistakes Can Become Your Teaching Moment" »
Posted on Oct 10, 2014
If you're reading this, you need an estate plan. Why? The short answer is "Everyone, age 18 and older needs an estate plan." It doesn't matter if you are old or young, if you have ...
Continue reading "Who Needs an Estate Plan?" »
Posted on Sep 26, 2014
When planning their estate, most parents express the desire to treat their children equally out of a sense of fairness. However, sometimes being fair or doing what's right by your children may not ...
Continue reading "What if Treating Your Children Fairly Means Unequal Inheritances?" »
Posted on Sep 12, 2014
What you don't know about Social Security benefits can hurt you and your spouse for the rest of your lives. Here are three traps to avoid when taking your benefits. The Key Takeaways The longer ...
Continue reading "Three Social Security Traps" »
Posted on Aug 29, 2014
It's that time of year – the time for beautiful weddings, fun receptions, delicious cakes, special gifts, and romantic honeymoons. While this is a joyous time for everyone, it's also ...
Continue reading "Estate Planning Basics for Newlyweds - How to Get Prepared for the Unexpected" »
Posted on Aug 15, 2014
After Robert died, Joan owned their vacation home outright. She remarried a few years later, and she added her new spouse's name to the title. When Joan died, her children were shocked to learn ...
Continue reading "Parental Warning: If You Own Your Property this Way, You May Accidentally Disinherit Your Own Children" »
Posted on Aug 1, 2014
On June 12, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court—in a unanimous decision—ruled that Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) inherited by anyone other than a spouse are not retirement funds and ...
Continue reading "U.S. Supreme Court Rules Inherited IRAs are Not Protected from Creditors" »
Posted on Mar 26, 2014
Americans are very generous when it comes to charitable giving. In addition, lower earners give more proportionately than higher earners. Perhaps this is because lower earners understand how easily a ...
Continue reading "Protecting Against Financial Fraud in Charitable Giving" »
Posted on Mar 14, 2014
Your Funding Options The first part of planning for long-term care is realizing that, a) most of us will need this kind of care for at least some time before we die and b) the cost of this care can be ...
Continue reading "Long-Term Care Planning, Part 2" »
Posted on Mar 4, 2014
A Central Requirement Health care has been the topic of discussion lately, but the greatest threat to your financial health is long-term care. This is the kind of care you need if you are not able to ...
Continue reading "Long-Term Care Planning, Part 1" »
Posted on Oct 30, 2013
Think for a few moments about what would happen if you suddenly became incapacitated or died. Would your spouse or family know what to do? Would they know where to find important records, assets and ...
Continue reading "Organize Information for Your Family" »
Posted on Oct 25, 2013
There may be people close to you (spouse, parents, children) who are practicing financial behaviors that are unproductive or destructive. You want to help them get back on track, but you don't ...
Continue reading "Strategies for Those Awkward Financial Discussions" »
Posted on Oct 21, 2013
If you are part of the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964), you may also find that you are a member of the sandwich generation, with responsibilities to both your parents (now or in ...
Continue reading "Providing for Your Parents in Your Estate Plan" »
Posted on Oct 18, 2013
While it is always a good idea for taxpayers to meet with their tax professionals prior to year-end, this year it is more important than ever that our business owner and higher income clients meet ...
Continue reading "Higher Income Earners Need To Meet With Income Tax Professionals Now" »
Posted on Oct 17, 2013
It will probably cost more initially to set up a well-drafted living trust than to have a will prepared. A true cost comparison should include not only the expense to establish the will or trust, but ...
Continue reading "Why Does a Living Trust Cost More Than a Will?" »
Posted on Oct 9, 2013
You've made the hard decisions, your documents are signed, your trust is funded, a business succession plan is in place. Congratulations, you've finished your estate planning. But have you, ...
Continue reading "How to Make a Family Meeting A Successful Part of the Estate Planning Process" »
Posted on Sep 3, 2013
If you have a revocable living trust, you probably named yourself as trustee so you can continue to manage your own financial affairs, but eventually someone will need to step in for you when you are ...
Continue reading "Who Should Be Your Successor Trustee?" »
Posted on Aug 27, 2013
IRAs are among the largest assets inherited by heirs and beneficiaries. These accounts have been able to grow to such large amounts because income taxes are deferred until the owner begins to take ...
Continue reading "What to Do with an Inherited IRA" »