Unrecorded Deeds hurt Estate Planning

While discussing estate planning with my parents, they told me that an attorney prepared a deed for them but told them not to record it yet.

June 24, 2021

QTIP Trusts Help avoid Estate Taxes

Right now, gifts to trusts can take advantage of high tax exemptions and remove future appreciation of assets from taxable estates. One example available to spouses is making a gift to a trust that allows for a qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) election.

June 22, 2021

Short-Cuts in Planning can have Consequences

Over the years I get all kinds of questions from people. And boy, have I heard some doozies. But one common one I get is called the ‘lazy (or poor) man’s (or woman’s’) estate planning.’ This type of estate planning has some very negative tax consequences.

June 15, 2021

Not Everyone can Contest a Will

The death of a loved one results in an emotional grief that, when combined with large sums of money on the line, can cause the beneficiaries of the will or trust or the heirs of the deceased to challenge the validity, interpretation, or administration of the will or trust.

June 14, 2021

What are the Early Signs of Dementia?

From age 50 on, it’s not unusual to have occasional trouble finding the right word or remembering where you put things. However, persistent difficulty with memory, cognition and ability to perform everyday tasks might be signs that something more serious is happening to a loved one’s brain.

June 8, 2021