06

Mar

Last-minute Charitable Ideas and Impending Major IRA/401(k) Legislation

BREAKING NEWS—IMPORTANT IRA LEGISLATIONA new bill called the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, otherwise known as the SECURE Act has passed the Congress and was signed by President Trump on December 20, 2019. The SECURE Act goes into effect January...

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06

Mar

Why can’t lawyers just use simple English in estate planning?

Estate planning documents are often difficult to read because lawyers have their own vocabulary. Ever come across the words “per stirpes”? It is a Latin phrase that has been used by lawyers for more than a century. It means by the bloodline and refers to a manner of distribution...

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Categories: Estate Planning Trusts


06

Mar

End of Year News

We are almost at the end of another year, so it's a good time for us to highlight some estate planning strategies for you, caution against some common pitfalls and give a preview of possible things to come. The Estate Tax—The Sky’s The Limit, Or AlmostMost of u...

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Categories: Firm Taxation


06

Mar

R-E-S-P-E-C-T My Handwritten Will

By Carter B. Webb The legendary Aretha Franklin died August 16, 2018 at her home in Detroit, Michigan. At first, it appeared that she died intestate – meaning that she died without having signed a last will and testament. However, it was recently reported that three holographic...

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Category: Estate Planning


06

Mar

Picking the Lock: Modification of an Irrevocable Trust

A common refrain as I explain to my clients the difference between a revocable trust and an irrevocable trust is the comment, “So, what happens once I die, and my trust becomes irrevocable? You're saying everything just locks in? What if it needs to be changed for s...

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Category: Trusts


06

Mar

Do Not Miss Out on All of the Medicaid Exemptions You are Entitled To

Medicaid rules can be confusing and even Department of Social Services caseworkers get their own rules wrong from time to time. Having an advocate that can work through the maze of rules can pay off for the family. In North Carolina, a Medicaid applicant can have up to a $10,000...

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06

Mar

Planning for Incapacity in Estate Plans

As our population ages, the prevalence of dementia and other cognitive impairments that make it difficult to conduct business affairs is on the rise. An aging, demographics, and memory study conducted by the US government found that individuals over age 71 had a 13. 9% incidence o...

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06

Mar

Tiffany Tyler Resigning Prior to Move

It is with regret that we at Strauss Attorneys, PLLC announce the resignation of Attorney Tiffany Tyler. Tiffany has been offered another position in Minnesota and has chosen to move there with her husband to be closer to family. Since Tiffany joined our firm she has been a va...

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Category: Firm


06

Mar

Business Succession and the Graceful Exit

As trusted advisors, our clients depend on us for timely and well-informed advice. It is inevitable that all business owners will eventually exit their business; it is simply a matter of when, how and under what conditions. Ultimately, the desired result for exiting a business is...

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06

Mar

Using Pet Trusts to Provide for Your Pets After Your Death

There’s a saying that “a dog is man’s best friend”, and with good cause. Many of us treat our pets as part of our family, often as if they were our children. For those of us with pets, we want to make sure they’re taken care of if we can no longer do it ourselves; whether due to...

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Categories: Estate Planning Trusts