“Holiday season is often a time when out-of-town children visit their parents for the first time in a while and notice that one of their parents has declined since they last saw them.” Covid-19 has made travelling more difficult, so holiday visits this year may not be the same triggering event they were in the […]

“A comfortable, secure retirement is one of the biggest financial goals you can strive for. Therefore, as you’re saving and investing in pursuit of it, it’s crucial to separate fact from fiction—otherwise, your plan could go off track.” While you’re busy planning to retire, chances are good you’ll run into more than a few retirement […]

“Every family has one–or maybe more–black sheep. They’re people who march to their own drum and handing them an inheritance could be problematic.” Every family has unique challenges when planning for the future, and every family needs to consider its individual beneficiaries in an honest light, even when the view isn’t pretty. Concerns may range […]

“The tragic recent death of Tony Hsieh, the 46-year-old former CEO of Zappos, reminds us of the importance of estate planning.” Hsieh, former CEO of Zappos, left behind an estate worth an estimated $840 million and no estate plan, reports Forbes in a recent article titled “Lessons From The Rich And Famous: Why Estate Planning […]

“My friend prepared his will and specified that his house would go to his girlfriend. She had contributed money to the upkeep, while they were together.” The friend and the girlfriend agreed when they split that she would quitclaim her interest in the house to the friend, in exchange for the amount she contributed to […]

“If you pass away without a will, a state court generally decides who gets your assets and, if you have children, who will care for them.” Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, who built the giant online retailer Zappos based on “delivering happiness,” died at age 46 from complications of smoke inhalation from a house fire. […]

“We need to make sure your legal toolbox has the right tools for the job and that you understand how each of them work, just like an owner’s manual.” A will is a very important part of your estate plan, but it’s not the only tool in your estate planning toolbox, explains the article “Protecting […]

“Done right by a lawyer, your heirs can avoid the expense and time of probating your will and may save on estate taxes, while easing the administration of your affairs while alive and after you have gone.” Trusts are used to solve problems in estate planning, giving great flexibility in how assets are divided after […]

“You must now make sure that your loved ones have access to your digital assets should you die.” Did you ever wonder what happens to old emails, videos, or photos when people die? Some family stories become headlines when families battle with big tech firms to get their loved one’s photos or business records. Today, […]

“Low interest rates and looming potential tax changes make this a good time for high-net-worth clients to use a special tool to transfer wealth: the grantor-retained annuity trust (GRAT), a strategy to reduce future estate taxes, by transferring assets to beneficiaries without using the lifetime gift tax exclusion.” A Grantor-Retained Annuity Trust, or GRAT, is […]