After a close family member or loved one passes away, it’s only natural to feel grief and sadness. In remembrance of a life well lived, someone must also ensure the deceased’s estate is disposed of according to state law and the deceased’s wishes. These people are referred to as executors or personal representatives. A person in this position oversees the estate’s journey through the probate process. Estate planners Read More

Estate planning should be a priority for every adult no matter their personal and financial background. There are so many tools that any individual can use to benefit their loved ones after they pass, or benefit themselves while they’re still alive and no longer able to care for themselves. Although not every family or individual will need each available tool, estate planning for high-net-worth individuals requires a Read More

Keep Perspective: If just thinking about someone else raising your child makes you cry, mentally prepare yourself for the conversation. Remind yourself that fewer than 5% of children lose a parent before they reach age 18, and fewer still lose both parents and need a guardian. Even though it’s important to plan in case it did happen, the fact is that it’s statistically unlikely your children will need a guardian. Read More

Establishing a trust as part of the estate planning process is a great way to save money for you and your beneficiaries. Trusts provide a range of protections including privacy, taxes, and especially protection from the probate process. However, a trust doesn’t just activate automatically without management. When creating an estate plan, include family members, trustees, and beneficiaries, so that they can also be Read More

We have reached the 4th year after the COVID-19 pandemic and we continue to see changes in the way businesses, education, employment, and family planning are conducted. The global lockdown led the way to some much-needed updating in the way estate planning and legal services are provided. Courtrooms and law offices quickly turned into virtual meetups, pushing the boundaries of professionalism and the quality of Read More

Long gone are the days of white picket fences and nuclear families. Today, you can expect a colorful array of blended families with unique personalities and even more unique needs. As the “newer” generations begin to age - that’s right, many millennials are in their 40’s now! – you may have noticed a major shift in family dynamics. The most obvious shift has been the rise of blended families, single parents, and Read More

As the holiday season is in full swing you may be considering what gifts to give your family members. However, there have been many changes this year that could make it possible for you to give the gifts you want without having to worry about some of the tax consequences when tax season approaches.  Here’s more about how you can implement a tax planning strategy so you can gift as you hoped to without harsh Read More

Basic estate planning usually begins with a will. Unfortunately, wills are not usually sufficient by themselves. For people who want the least expensive, fastest, most private way to get things to their loved ones, a will is almost never the correct tool for the job.  Trusts are fiduciary arrangements (like a private contract) that specify how assets will be distributed without involving the court. Depending on the Read More

How much money creates an “estate” so that I need an estate plan? Your estate is the sum total of everything you own. There’s no minimum amount to have an estate so EVERYONE has one. And everyone should have a plan to specify who gets what they’ve worked so hard for. The State already has a plan for you: default rules that might say (for example) that if you’re married it goes to your spouse, but if you have children Read More

There’s a common misconception that estate planning, and especially trusts, are only for the very wealthy. This couldn’t be further from the truth - you don’t have to own a sprawling estate to have an estate plan, and trusts can be used for much more than sheltering money in the Cayman Islands. Today, we’re bringing to light some of the useful tools you can incorporate into your estate plan to maximize its Read More