Are Pensions Treated the Same in Your Estate Plan as Other Retirement Accounts?
Pension and retirement accounts often form a large portion of an individual’s wealth and should be accounted for in an estate plan. The benefit and beneficiary rules applicable to different types of retirement accounts vary and should be discussed with an estate planning attorney, especially with the recent passage of the SECURE Act.
5 Essential Legal Documents You Need for Incapacity Planning
Comprehensive estate planning involves more than just planning for your legacy after your death, avoiding probate, and reducing taxes. Good estate planning also appoints people to make legal, financial, and medical decisions for you if you are alive but unable to make those decisions for yourself (in other words, if you are incapacitated).
Intrafamily Loans and How They Work
An intrafamily loan is a financial arrangement between family members—one who is lending and another who is borrowing. An intrafamily loan may be used to help a family member who needs money for a number of reasons.
Passing the Torch: Smart Business Succession Strategies
For many business owners, their business is one of the most valuable and important things they own. When it is time to sit down and create an estate plan, it is critical that business owners plan for their business. All businesses need a succession plan, but many business owners overlook it.
The Power of Purpose: Unveiling the Impact of Charitable Giving
Giving money to charity can provide personal and financial benefits to donors and be a part of the legacy they leave behind. If you are thinking about making a charitable gift—either now or when you pass away—there are some things to be aware of so you can make the most of your donation.
Who Should Be the Trustee of a Third-Party Special Needs Trust?
Choosing the right trustee to manage a third-party SNT is a crucial decision. The person selected for this role must understand their responsibilities and fulfill them in a way that does not jeopardize the beneficiary’s government benefits.
Demystifying Probate and the Executor’s Role
When creating a last will and testament (commonly known as a will), one of your most important considerations is who to choose to serve as the executor (also called a personal representative) of your estate.
As the name implies, the role of the executor is to execute the instructions that you provide in your will. To avoid any unnecessary complications in the settling of your affairs, take care to avoid ambiguous or unclear language in your will. If there are any doubts about your last wishes, the executor and beneficiaries may wish to consult with an estate planning lawyer to discuss next steps.
Don’t Let This Crucial Question Derail Your Estate Plan
Sitting down to create or update your estate plan can be overwhelming. Crucial to a successful plan is your ability to address two major questions: Who will get your stuff when you die, and how do you want those individuals or charities to receive that stuff?
Inspiring Action: The Guide to Creating or Updating Your Estate Plan
Creating or revising an estate plan can feel overwhelming, causing many people to procrastinate. But the longer you put it off, the more potential there is to be caught unprepared in an emergency. So how can you motivate yourself and your loved ones to begin the process?
What Is the Difference Between a Probate and Trust Administration Attorney and an Estate Planning Attorney?
Estate planning attorneys and probate and trust administration attorneys play crucial but distinct roles in the legal processes involving legacy planning, asset distribution, and wealth preservation.
How Concerned Should You Be about Estate Tax Issues?
If you have significant wealth, you may be exposed to future estate tax burdens that must be acted on before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act reduces the estate tax exemption in 2026.
Developing and implementing the right estate planning and tax strategies takes time. You may need to prepare regardless of whether the estate tax continues at its current level or if it is cut in half. This means strategizing to minimize your estate tax liability now.
What Is a Residuary Clause and Why Is It Important?
When developing your estate plan, it is nearly impossible to address every account or property you own. There are sure to be some things you unintentionally overlook. However, by including a residuary clause, you can intentionally disburse any remaining items inadvertently left over during the estate or trust administration process to a named beneficiary or group of beneficiaries.