When a loved one dies, family members are not only in mourning — they may be in a state of uncertainty about what to do next. While everyone is respectful to the loss of the loved one, tension can arise over who must take responsibility for arrangements and costs. Confusion often arises. In the weeks […]
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One of the most popular estate planning tools is a Revocable Living Trust. The main reason for its popularity is that it allows you to pass most assets to your heirs without going through probate — a court process that is expensive, time consuming and open to public scrutiny. A living trust also provides for the management and […]
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by Brittiny B. Razzano Originally published in the Saratoga Business Journal. Excuse Number 1: Too Busy As a successful business owner, you may have your hand in the day-to-day operations and management of your business. It seems like there is never enough time to sit down and formulate a plan for your business when you […]
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by Debra A. Verni On December 19, 2014, President Obama signed the Disabled Military Child Protection Act. This law allows a military parent to provide a survivor benefit for a disabled child and have it paid to a special needs trust for the child’s benefit. Until recently, service members were reluctant to name children with […]
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The following table provides some important federal tax information for 2016, as compared with 2015. Many of the dollar amounts are unchanged or have changed only slightly due to low inflation. Other amounts are changing due to legislation.
The Terri Schiavo case is a landmark case that was on everyone’s minds. The bitter battle between her family and her husband lasted a decade and a half after Terri suddenly collapsed in 1990. However, her story has had an enormous impact on American consciousness, demonstrating the importance of having a living will and health care […]
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A will is an essential part of planning for the future. But don’t think creating a will is a one-time proposition. Even if you have a valid document, it may need to be updated for a variety of reasons. For example: Deaths – If individuals named (as heirs or executors) have died or they become […]
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A trust is often only as good as the person selected to manage it. It may a daunting process, but selecting the right trustee and having fail-safes in place are crucial to ensuring the complexities of a trust are handled appropriately. Here are some of the pros and cons of choosing different trustees. Advantages of […]
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People create trusts for various reasons. The main reasons are to: Avoid probate; or Pay less in federal and/or state estate taxes. This article will discuss the uses of trusts in estate planning and whether they are right for you. Avoiding Probate People who desire to avoid probate usually want to do so because they: […]
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If you don’t have children, you may think it is not that important to engage in estate planning. In fact, it may be more important. There are hidden concerns for couples without children. In many scenarios, your assets may pass to an individual or individuals you would never want to receive them. A typical example of a married […]
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