Trusts, Wills & Probate

Everyone needs an estate plan—not just the wealthy. Married. Divorced. Single. Blended Family. You name it. You need it. An estate plan does more than just pass on wealth in the form of dollars. It helps your surviving family members know what you want done with you, your stuff, your money and your property. Even if you don’t have a…Read More

Estate planning may seem complicated, boring, daunting, or any combination of the three. But there’s one adjective you may not be thinking of: easy. For all the fancy terminology and complex legalities, there are really only three elements to your estate plan, and they aren’t hard to get sorted out. But once you do, you can save your surviving family…Read More

This year, 2014, is the first year the federal government will recognize same-sex marriages for tax purposes. With state laws changing, being challenged and being initiated all over the country, it can be hard to keep up with the best advice. Here are the top suggested tips for LGBT couples, no matter where you live. Now that the rules have…Read More

The right trustee can make a big difference in the way your estate is handled. So how do you choose one, and more importantly, how do you make sure they are living up to their responsibilities when you won’t be around to check up on them? There is also the common concern of "hurting someone's feelings" by not selecting a…Read More

No doubt you’ve started getting W9s from your employers in the mail, reminding you that the trip to the tax guy is right around the corner. It’s also a reminder that you survived another year—which is good news if you don’t have a will and estate plan in place. You can brighten your financial future if you take care of…Read More

Most people do not want to be a "bother" to their spouse, children, family and friends. Most people want to protect their assets and have things handled efficiently and in a cost effective manner. I believe in my [sum_y start_year='27/11/1991'] years of law practice that I have never had a client say "I want this to be complicated, take a…Read More

It’s important to plan carefully if you are planning to file for bankruptcy and you know you have a large inheritance or gift coming your way. In many cases, the Chapter 7 process takes between 90 and 120 days depending on when initial hearings are set. In bankruptcy, an inheritance up until 180 days after filing can be used to pay back…Read More

Below is an excerpt from an interesting article discussing Estate Planning In A Blended Marriage. For the full article, you can click the link below: From the Aiken Standard: The best definition of a blended family is one in which one or both spouses enter the marriage with children from a previous marriage. Believe it or not, these relationships now…Read More

It’s a tale that’s so old, it’s documented in ancients stories and religion: Child wants money against Dad’s better judgment. Dad gives child his inheritance. Child spends the money on foolish things and comes home broke. No parent wants to see an inheritance, their legacy left for their child, wasted. So what do you do when an heir comes asking…Read More

One of the hallmarks of being young is feeling that you’re invincible and nothing can happen to you. But no matter how young you are, if you’re married, own property or other valuable assets, or have a life insurance policy, you need a plan for what happens to those things if you were to die. At the very least, every…Read More