One thing I have seen that is a very uncomfortable situation is where a parent leaves all of their assets to the Stepparent of their Adult Children. That Stepparent then has an estate liquidation sale selling all of the personal effects of their spouse. The adult children had to go to a public auction to... [Read More]
Category: Trusts
Steve Teaches CE Class – “More on Mental Incapacity in Estate Planning”
Steve will teach a Continuing Education Class – “More on Mental Incapacity in Estate Planning” on Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 8 a.m. at The Biltmore Building to Financial & Insurance Professionals, Accountants, and Elder Care Professionals. We will look at legal options regarding Mental Incapacity and what can be done to provide the least... [Read More]
Estate Planning With A Volatile Market
Volatile swings in the Stock Market have a tendency to freeze many of us. There is a sense of a lack of control, concern for the future, and for some – outright fear. We know historically that the Stock Market moves up and down and that when it is down it is a good time... [Read More]
It Moves by Title
While trying to advise a woman who is the only child and heir of her unmarried father who will not meet with an Estate Attorney, a number of issues have come up. He keeps telling her “I put a note with the item which says you get it. That means it automatically goes to you”.... [Read More]
Estate Planning for Blended Families
“Yours, Mine and Ours” was the title of a cute movie regarding parents who marry with children from a previous marriage. However, in real life, it can be a complicated issue when it comes to Estate Planning. Studies show that in 2013, 40% of the marriages included at least one spouse who had already been... [Read More]
Super Charge Your Inheritance, part 2
Life Insurance can be a way to “Super Charge” your inheritance. For example, you may spend some thousands of dollars in life insurance premiums, but that may provide hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in death benefits when you pass on. If you have a good income stream, or you have a good... [Read More]
Super Charging an Inheritance
One can protect an inheritance they leave to a loved one by leaving that share of the inheritance in a Protective Trust. That gives the adult who inherits the money more protection to keep them from losing that inheritance by squandering it, losing it in a divorce, or losing it in a car wreck lawsuit.... [Read More]
What We Really Fear in Our Estate Plan
Many clients come into the office concerned more about the delay, costs and publicity of Probate Court, or potential tax issues. But as they start to open up about their real concerns about leaving inheritance, the concerns are about what if they become mentally disabled? What if their spouse remarries – will their assets go... [Read More]
Remarriage & Estate Planning
Sixty-six year old musician Billy Joel married his 34-year-old girlfriend on July 4th. When someone who has been married before, has children from a previous marriage, and their own assets, they will have to account for the remarriage in their Estate Plan. They may do a new Living Trust aka Revocable Living Trust. They also... [Read More]
Independence Day – Where We Come From
Independence Day celebrated on the 4th of July commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from England. One has to remember that this country was founded when ordinary men like you and I took their hunting rifles and fought the powerful professional soldiers of the British Army. America... [Read More]