Many people associate spring with cleaning out the old, brushing off the dirt accumulated from the long winter, and starting projects around the house that have been neglected for far too long. Perhaps, however, your home is fine as is and you need a remodeling project for something other than your home. Estate planning is one […]
According to a 2019 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 7 percent of surveyed adults were living with an unmarried partner, up from 3 percent in 1995.[1] More people such as yourself are entering long-term committed relationships without getting married. Unfortunately, many state and federal laws do not protect unmarried couples as they do married […]
With couples of similar ages, planning for the future is naturally a joint effort. However, if your marriage has a sizeable age gap, meaning you are married to someone who is significantly older or younger than you, the future can look different and mean different things to each of you. To protect yourself, your spouse, and […]
OK, great! The first step is always the hardest, but you’ve finally decided it’s time to meet with an estate planning attorney and get your affairs in order. It’s time to make sure your family is protected. Now that you’ve scheduled your initial meeting, what’s the next step? You can do one of two things: (1) Simply […]
If you’re reading this, you’re one of the millions of Americans who need an estate plan. Why? The short answer is “Everyone, age 18 and older needs an estate plan.” It doesn’t matter if you are old or young, Bezos-rich or just starting adulthood, the fact is, you need a written plan to keep you in control […]
A popular estate planning tool that has long been used effectively may be facing new challenges under the ever shifting currents of tax law and politics. The family limited partnership (FLP) is an estate planning tool that allows families not only to transfer significant amounts of their wealth to succeeding generations while reducing estate, gift, and […]
Fellow Americans, every year we gather to cheer on teams as they battle on the gridiron. But now that the haze of Superbowl fever has lifted, let’s turn out attention to an interesting intersection of America’s favorite sport and estate law. In June 2019, Paw Bowlen, the owner of the Denver Bronco’s died. With no named […]
The reasons you, as a trustmaker (in Texas referred to as a grantor), create a trust are certainly special and important to you, but your intent or purpose for creating a trust can also have significant legal ramifications. For this reason, it is often critical that a grantor express in writing a statement of intent, which […]
Deferring, minimizing, or avoiding estate taxes altogether is often an important estate planning goal for married couples. However, uncertainty surrounding what the estate tax laws and the value of their accounts and property will be at the first spouse’s death can leave a couple feeling that they need a crystal ball to make the right decisions. […]
If you have an Apple account, did you know that you can now name a Legacy Contact? This is an important step to take to ensure your family will be able to access your digital legacy once you are no longer here. Apple, in iOS 15.2, has made it easier for your loved ones to access […]
