Blog

Have you ever wondered what will happen to your furry family members after you’re gone? A pet trust could be the answer! Discover how including a pet trust in your estate plan provides peace of mind and ensures your pets are well-cared for when you’re no longer around. Read this article to learn more.

Including your pets in your estate plan is crucial for their well-being and care, but it is also important to create a plan with an experienced attorney to ensure it is realistic and achievable. Here are five mistakes an estate planning attorney can help you avoid when leaving an inheritance to a pet.

Establishing a pet trust will help ensure your family pet is cared for after you pass on, but what sort of requests can be made in this legal document? Here are some famous cases involving pet trusts you can learn from to avoid making unreasonable or unenforceable requests.

Pet trusts are not just for celebrities with excess funds—they are a helpful tool to protect all beloved family animals! But important lessons can still be learned from famous pet trust cases. These three stories illustrate the significance of thoughtful estate planning and can help guide your decisions when planning for your pet’s future.

Estate planning is important for millennials because it allows them to have control over who will inherit their assets and make decisions on their behalf if they become incapacitated. Without a proper estate plan, their assets may be distributed according to state law, which may not align with their wishes. Ultimately, estate planning provides peace of mind and ensures that millennials have a say in their financial and healthcare decisions.

This blog emphasizes the importance of estate planning as you move away from home and enter adulthood. It highlights the need to plan for the future, even at a young age, and provides information on different aspects of estate planning, such as powers of attorney and living wills. The blog encourages young adults to include estate planning on their checklist before moving out to take control of their future.

This blog uses the story of Snow White to highlight the importance of estate planning to protect inheritances, appoint guardians, and ensure loved ones are taken care of after death. It emphasizes the need for legal tools like a last will and testament or a revocable living trust to avoid probate and achieve a happy ending for family members.

This blog emphasizes the importance of knowing your priorities when creating an estate plan. It discusses common priorities such as avoiding probate, providing for loved ones, and reducing tax liabilities. Ultimately, creating an estate plan is seen as a valuable gift to your loved ones and a way to ensure your wishes are carried out.

This blog provides tips for estate planning to help a loved one struggling with addiction. It emphasizes the importance of creating a trust to protect their inheritance and support their recovery needs. It also discusses the importance of carefully selecting a trustee and proactive estate planning to ensure their well-being even after you pass away.

This blog emphasizes the importance of estate planning for millennials. It covers key steps such as appointing decision-makers, choosing beneficiaries for employment benefits, creating a plan if unmarried, and providing for pets. The goal is to help millennials protect their future and loved ones by taking proactive steps now.

This blog emphasizes the importance of keeping your estate plan up-to-date to avoid potential consequences. It discusses reasons for the decline in estate planning, common mistakes that can lead to plan failure, and signs that indicate your plan may be outdated. The blog advises regular reviews and updates to ensure your plan reflects current circumstances and recommends seeking guidance from an estate planning attorney for a comprehensive and accurate plan.

This blog provides an in-depth look at what you need to know about DBAs (Doing Business As) for your business. It covers why companies use a DBA name, the benefits of registering a DBA, how to name or rename your company with a DBA, and legal considerations related to DBAs. It also emphasizes the importance of consulting a business attorney for legal advice on setting up and running your business.

An estate plan is a great way to ensure that you and your loved ones are protected in the event of your incapacity or death. However, it is important to know that your estate plan may need to be updated over the course of your life. Read this article to learn about common life changes that may require you to reevaluate your existing plan.

This blog discusses the intersection of wrongful death lawsuits and probate proceedings. It provides information on what constitutes a wrongful death, who can file a wrongful death lawsuit, how wrongful death and estates intersect, and how the proceeds of a wrongful death lawsuit are distributed to survivors. The blog also covers the different ways states approach the distribution of damages awarded in a wrongful death lawsuit and provides information on seeking legal help in navigating these complex legal matters.

The blog discusses the key trust and estate tax proposals outlined in the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Fiscal Year 2025 Greenbook. The proposals aim to generate additional revenue by closing estate and gift tax loopholes, modifying grantor trust rules, reclassifying appreciated asset transfers, and minimizing valuation discounts for intrafamily asset transfers. The blog highlights the potential impact of these proposals on wealthy families' estate planning strategies and emphasizes the need to stay ahead of potential tax changes.

The Corporate Transparency Act, which took effect in 2024, requires business entities to disclose important information to FinCEN. Recent litigation has questioned the constitutionality of these requirements, with some cases ruling the act unconstitutional. Despite these developments, businesses must still comply with the CTA requirements until further decisions are made. It is important for business owners to stay informed and up to date with the evolving legal landscape.

The Leno Conservatorship Proceedings shed light on the complexities and challenges of navigating legal guardianship for a loved one. The case serves as a valuable learning opportunity for individuals seeking to understand the importance of proper estate planning, communication, and proactive decision-making to protect the interests and well-being of their family members. It highlights the significance of careful consideration and preparation in managing one's affairs to avoid potential legal battles and uncertainty in the future.

Myths and Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Incapacity Planning

This blog discusses the implications for adult children living at home when their parents pass away. It emphasizes the importance of updating estate plans to address potential legal issues, such as adding an adult child to the home title or gifting a family home. The blog highlights the need for careful planning to ensure the well-being of loved ones and minimize potential conflicts among siblings.

This blog provides information on self-canceling installment notes (SCINs) and how they can be used as a tool in estate planning to transfer valuable assets with minimal gift and estate tax consequences. The blog explains how SCINs work, including the self-cancellation clause and the implications for estate tax purposes. It also discusses key considerations such as determining the term of the SCIN, selecting the right interest rate, accounting for the risk of the seller's death, and when it might be appropriate to use a SCIN. The blog emphasizes the importance of consulting with a professional to ensure that SCINs are used effectively in estate planning.

The SECURE 2.0 Act allows for unused funds from a 529 educational savings plan to be rolled over into a beneficiary's Roth IRA, tax-free and penalty-free. This presents a unique opportunity for young adults to save for retirement. This blog explains what 529 plans and Roth IRAs are, the limitations to the rollover, and why this move could be beneficial for you or your child. It also emphasizes the importance of working with a professional to understand any state tax consequences.

Myths and FAQ: Planning for Noncitizen Spouses

This blog delves into the intricacies of managing a revocable living trust, highlighting its flexibility and functionality, particularly in incapacity planning. It distinguishes between the roles of trustmaker, trustee, and beneficiary, emphasizing the dual responsibilities often held by an individual. The post outlines what you can and cannot do in these roles, including the need for retitling assets and managing them as trustee, while also noting limitations such as not being able to protect assets from creditors or avoid taxes. It further explains the transition of trustee duties upon the trustmaker's death or incapacity, stressing the need for a successor trustee. The blog concludes by encouraging individuals to consult with an estate planning attorney to create a comprehensive estate plan tailored to their needs.

One of the many benefits of marriage in the United States is the marital deduction. It allows a married person to transfer unlimited money and property to their spouse during their lifetime and at their death with no estate or gift tax. However, if your spouse is not a US citizen, these taxes may be owed. Read this article to learn more about the crucial estate planning tools you need to protect your noncitizen spouse.

This blog discusses the importance of including pensions and retirement accounts in an estate plan. It explains the differences between defined benefit and defined contribution plans, as well as the rules and options for designating beneficiaries for these accounts. The blog also highlights the impact of the SECURE Act on inherited retirement accounts, and offers guidance on how to best provide for your family's future through estate planning. Contacting an estate planning attorney is recommended for assistance with retirement account beneficiaries.