New IRS forms—IRS Forms 8971—are due on March 31, 2016 and, while they close an estate tax loophole, they also create confusion. While closing an estate tax loophole is a good idea and should be simple, it is not. The loophole being closed allowed one value of property for estate tax purposes and a different […]

Following a few simple rules can make the choice of naming a trustee an easier decision. People sometimes delay naming a trustee because it is a difficult decision with wide-spread ramifications. Sticking close to some guidelines can get the job done and create peace of mind. Recently, the Daily Press offered some advice in “Trustees […]

UCLA has conducted a study on Medicare and found that prices are often inflated and payments are a problem. Medicare pays a set amount for each procedure despite the amount of the bill from health care providers. But a study conducted by UCLA and reported by Medical News Today in “UCLA study finds inflated charges, […]

The will of terrorist Osama Bin Laden has been released to the public. While much of the focus on the documents released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from the Osama Bin Laden raid has been on the warning against forming a state similar to ISIS, the government confirms CNN’s report that […]

AARP study reveals cost of medications most commonly used by seniors rising faster than inflation. While Presidential candidates don’t agree on most every subject, they are generally in agreement on one: the cost of prescription drugs is too high. Several candidates have suggested that allowing the government to negotiate prescription prices with drug companies would […]

The issue of digital accounts can be resolved in an estate plan. Legislative solutions to digital accounts have been approved by some state legislatures across the U.S. but the problem of access to your digital accounts after you pass away continues to be a challenge. And, if you live in a state that has not […]

Stock can be transferred after you pass away and it can be a simple process. The transfer of stocks after you pass away is not only possible but relatively simple if the rules are known and that is important when preparing an estate plan. Recently, the Motley Fool discussed the possibilities in “What Happens to […]

A report with recommendations has been issued by a group of experts on the long-term care policies in the U.S. A report on the financing of long-term nursing home care has come at a time when the aging population in the U.S. needs even longer stays in nursing homes and the question continues on how […]

The estate of a loved one can create a bitter fight that breaks a family apart for a lifetime. But those battles can often be avoided with careful planning. When someone makes an estate plan, the desire to avoid a family battle is often a top priority because, at the end of the fight, family […]

Estate planning attorneys sometimes turn to a no contest clause to possibly avoid estate plan challenges. An inheritance does not always make a recipient happy and it is especially likely to cause dissatisfaction if a sibling believes they have not been treated fairly. Traditionally, there was not much that could be done to prevent these […]