Category: Trusts
All sorts of things can change over the course of our lives—and some of those changes may affect existing estate plans. Experts recommend that you review your estate plan every few years to confirm whether it needs updating. Things change over time. New tax laws, more grandchildren, an aging estate executor … the list goes […]
New studies are providing more current cost estimates. “What we found was shocking,” Mandell said. “This is a huge hit on families.” The costs to care for a child with special needs is on the rise, as reported in a new study in the medical journal JAMA Pediatric. The study found that the total lifetime […]
While 19 states recognized same-sex unions, as of the end of May 2014, 31 still didn’t. The rift means that couples must take special precautions to have the right estate and emergency-health care legal documents in place – and often on hand. Whether already married or planning to tie the knot soon, same-sex couples need […]
Sometimes having a plan that isn’t current is worse than not having a plan at all. Have you checked in on your estate plan recently? The wrong executors or trustees can wreak havoc on even the best estate plan. Those whom you designate to act for you under either a financial or medical power of […]
Should you give your heirs gifts now? Or wait? Ultimately, there’s no “right” answer. This is a personal choice. Scenario: You have decided to make gifts to your heirs, but you are stuck on the timeline of it all. Will you give now while you are still here? Or will you plan to leave the […]
In the case of Casey Kasem, no matter what happens, there are no winners here—everyone loses. Don’t let this happen to you. Plan and communicate! Celebrities make the news time and time again, and every so often we can all learn a lesson or two on their mishaps. A recent CNBC.com article, titled “What we […]
Today, families are trying to fight that deadening of talent with incentive trusts that aim to ensure the next generation doesn’t become a pack of trust-fund slackers. A trust with strings attached is referred to as an incentive trust. These types of trusts impose specific, objective conditions for distributions, and leave little room for discretion […]
One surprising area in which scams are becoming more common is estate planning. Each year, more people fall victim to unscrupulous and unqualified sellers of ineffective estate planning documents. Often, these scammers are door-to-door salesmen or telemarketers. Scams are everywhere if you look close enough. And the field of estate planning is no exception. A […]
Knowing these objectives help both the couple and their estate planner determine what might be the best way to structure their estate plan. Planning for one’s estate takes careful thought and consideration. By adding another person to the mix through marriage, your goals or objectives will likely change. A recent Forbes article, titled “Eight Common […]
One way to fulfill your philanthropic goals is to provide for a particular charitable cause or organization in your estate plan. Do you want to leave something to charity when you are no longer here? All it takes is some planning ahead of time. The Charlotte County Florida Weekly recently posted an article titled “GIVING: […]
