Blog
Young children are often the driving force for parents to come to see an estate planner and set up a trust. The concern that the worst possible situation may occur and the children will be raised without their parents is unfortunately something that must be considered. When parents do not plan ahead for their minor […]
A word to the wise: if you cannot find an independent financial report on an investment property, usually that is because it does not exist. A resident of Naperville, Illinois scammed a group of retirees with a convincing story of lucrative Turkish bonds that both he and his family were personally invested in. No one asked […]
Trusts are widely used by estate planning attorneys, with good reason. Trusts are a good way to pass wealth from one generation to the next, protecting assets from the effects of estate taxes, divorce, creditors and scam artists. But trusts are not the only way to transfer wealth. There are times when a simple outright […]
It’s so easy to put off estate planning, when lives are busy and there are more inviting things to think about than death and taxes. Perhaps the most common mistake is thinking that estate planning is a do-it-yourself project. Only if you want your loved ones to inherit a mess! The biggest problem that results […]
Cancer patients from low-income, at-risk populations face an even tougher road to a cure than those who are well-off. Even if they somehow manage to obtain quality health care and survive their illness, massive medical debt can leave their lives in shambles. An estate planning attorney can be a valuable ally, as can not-for-profit organizations […]
Getting to a successful estate plan can be a tricky road to follow. Laws create a path that has many steep inclines and sharp curves. The biggest roadblocks to a successful estate plan, however, are not written in statute books or government regulations. They exist in the mind. Collaboration between an estate planning attorney and […]
Families in the United States and the United Kingdom who think they can save a few pence by downloading wills from online services are learning the hard way that cheap wills usually become very expensive when the person dies. The only person who gets the bargain is the person who is paying for the will […]
A lawsuit has been filed by 16 of the victim’s families from the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings against the shooter’s mother. There are many other lawsuits, but this one may be settled soon, pending a judge’s approval of a proposed settlement. Before going to the Sandy Hook Elementary School, where he would senselessly slaughter […]
For most people, turning down a million dollar inheritance seems crazy – but if you are already wealthy, turning down certain inheritances makes sense. When done correctly, turning down an inherited IRA can avoid increased tax liabilities. You’ll need expert guidance to handle this properly. Large IRAs present certain challenges to heirs. Currently, the beneficiary’s […]
Declaring individuals dead has been made a digital, online task, like so many other time consuming yet important tasks. But hackers declaring a person officially deceased can wreak havoc on those who are not dead – and their estate plans. When 200 live patients in an Australian hospital were suddenly and mysteriously declared dead last […]
