Estate planning is a must when you have a life partner but no marriage, domestic partnership, or civil union. Without the certificate, none of you can inherit from each other, and both of you won’t have a say in each other’s end-of-life medical care. If you don’t write a will, the state laws will be […]

Your parents have always been there, guiding you from your first steps to choosing a university and beyond. This can make it difficult for adult children to recognize that it is time to begin assuming more significant involvement in the needs of their parents. Though it might be a touchy subject for them, you and

We have known since 2001 that the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer tax (GSTT) was scheduled for a one-year repeal beginning January 1, 2010, but few of us thought we would see that repeal actually take effect. Although most experts were confident that Congress would act to prevent the law from playing out, they

While most people look forward to retirement, not everyone has their estate plans in proper order. Even if you have created a will and related documents in the past, it is essential that you have them updated as you enter the retirement years. The most basic document in your estate plan is your will. Though

The first client I ever met with as a licensed attorney forever changed the way I thought about estate planning. The young lady had walked into my office with bowed head, shuffling feet, and closed lip. I thought she seemed a bit morose for one who was simply organizing her estate. I had purposely chosen

With or without a will, estates may have to go through a probate process. Typically, the probate process is used for one of two things. It might certify the validity of a will and the executor’s authority to carry out the wishes in the will. Without a will, the probate process must name an administrator

Several years ago, while administering a deceased client’s trust, I was closing out what I thought was her last account. As the financial representative and I concluded our telephone call, the conversation went something like this: Rep: “Now wait, what about this account?” Me: “Uh, what account?” Rep: “I see here that she has another

It is quite comforting to know that medical professionals today are ready to use various treatments and tools at their disposal to save our lives. It is also important to have the assurance that those caring for us at a time of crisis do so according to your desires and wishes. Life-sustaining procedures such as

Whether you have minimal investments and an apparent heir or have accumulated a significant amount of wealth that you would like to distribute to your family or others, it is vital that you establish an estate plan. While singles and those without a lot of assets might think this unnecessary, doing so is an important

As many financial advisors may know, the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act raises the estate tax exemption to $11.2 million for singles and $22.4 million for married couples, both figures being about double what they previously were. For many Americans who previously were right on the cusp of being affected by the estate tax,