We’re living in a truly digital age. As the world attempts to move to paperless transactions, having paper copies of your planning documents—wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives— can feel incredibly archaic. And while estate planning attorneys will be the first to chuckle and admit that, yes, the stack of papers representing your estate […]
A home is often one of the most important assets that people own. Therefore, most people want to stay in their home until they die and then have a loved one receive it. One common way to pass a home to loved ones is through a will. However, transferring real property with a will requires probate. […]
Many people believe the trust protection myth, i.e. they believe that once they create a revocable living trust and change the ownership of their accounts and property from themselves as individuals to their trust, those accounts and property are protected from lawsuits. This is not true. While trusts commonly protect a beneficiary’s inheritance, few trusts protect […]
Money and property may be the most discussed types of wealth that a person owns, but the riches of their experience and wisdom can mean even more to loved ones down the line. Reinforcement of legacy and family traditions can be built into your estate plan alongside your wishes regarding the distribution of your money, property, […]
Rising housing costs, the desire for companionship, and the need to share resources are increasingly leading buyers to consider co-ownership of a home with someone other than a spouse, such as a friend, relative, or significant other. Although this arrangement can be beneficial on several levels, it should be approached with open communication, careful planning, and […]
If you have a revocable living trust, you probably named yourself as the initial trustee so that you can continue to manage your financial affairs. However, someone else will eventually need to step in to administer your trust when you are no longer able to act due to incapacity (the inability to manage your affairs) or […]
Many believe that once they set up and fund a revocable living trust, property held in the trust will completely avoid federal estate taxes after they die. In reality, a Revocable Living Trust (RLT) does not exactly provide any unique estate tax avoidance strategies. The primary mechanisms for reducing estate taxes—the unlimited marital deduction and the […]
Americans often prefer to stay busy. When we are not working, many of us turn to hobbies to keep us engaged and productive. We spend hours each day on our hobbies and leisure activities. Over the course of a lifetime, this time adds up to a significant investment. Our hobbies, passion projects, and pursuits may also […]
