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Feb
May You Live In Interesting Times
2020 Year-End Newsletter Brad Henry You might be aware that the above adage is thought to be a Chinese curse referring to times full of instability and uncertainty, and not as a type of blessing. Regardless of its origin, and regardless of whether it is a curse or a blessing, we ...
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Feb
Preparing for Falling Federal Estate Tax Exemptions
At the end of the year, please watch this space for our 2021 outlook letter, which will report on adjustments and changes in federal estate tax exemptions, among other estate and tax planning strategies. However, as a lead up to that, we would be remiss in not addressing and prep...
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Feb
A Coda to the Trilogy: The Role of the Living Will
In the last two posts, we looked at the Durable Power of Attorney and the Health Care Power of Attorney. In this last of the trilogy, we will look at the Living Will. Together, these three documents are often referred to as the client’s “ancillary documents,” in the sense that th...
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Feb
Future-Proofing: The Role of Health Care Power of Attorney
In our last post, we looked at the Durable Power of Attorney. We looked at its purpose, when it is effective and when it stops being effective. As we noted, the Durable Power of Attorney is a document where the client appoints someone else to help the client with his or her asse...
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Feb
Planning for the Unexpected: The Role of the Power of Attorney
We hear it quite often. “After I die, my power of attorney can keep paying my bills, right? ” The answer is, “No”, but the confusion is understandable. Our clients hear (or, read about) so many different roles when they visit us or attend our seminars. What is a fiduciary, a trust...
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Feb
Don’t Lose the Family Home Due to Medicaid Estate Recovery.
Ever since the COVID-19 virus hit our state this spring, I have heard many instances of families facing the loss of the family home after a parent or grandparent has died while receiving Medicaid benefits to help pay the cost of a long term nursing home stay. This is especially ...
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Feb
Digital Estate Planning – How to Prepare your Online Assets for After Death
We live in a digital society. We present and store an ever-growing amount of our lives (social, financial, work) in digital form. The average person has over 200 accounts per email, up from 150 just three years ago. Family treasures like photos, home movies, and messages now pred...
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Feb
Coronavirus and Your IRA
On March 27, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) became law. Among the most impactful tax changes found in the $2 trillion stimulus bill are the provisions affecting retirement accounts. Retirees do not need to take Required Minimum Distributions (...
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Feb
When the Unimaginable Happens, Are You Prepared?
As the public health situation continues to evolve around coronavirus (COVID-19), we draw our attention to our own wellbeing and that of our loved ones. Given the current health concerns, the volatility of the financial markets, and social distancing, the once-unimaginable scena...
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Feb
The Importance of Income Tax Planning
Income Tax planning is an integral part of Estate Planning. This blog examines what happens to the income tax basis of an asset when it is gifted or bequeathed. There are different rules for the basis of an asset that is gifted to you that one you are given by the death of someo...
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Feb
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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Feb
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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