When we post on this blog, we usually share information about what you should do when you are planning your estate. On this day, we are going to go in a different direction that is just as useful if not more. We are going to look at five common estate planning mistakes that should definitely be avoided. Intestacy Let’s face it, passing away is not on anyone’s to-do list. For many, death is a taboo subject, and while it may be understandable, this perspective can yield negative … [Read more...]
Is Joint Tenancy a Good Estate Planning Move?
People sometimes hear bits and pieces about estate planning and they make important decisions based on incomplete information. This can be a huge mistake that comes back to yield negative consequences, and these circumstances often stem from misguided probate avoidance notions. Probate is a legal process that enters the picture if you use a last will to state your wishes with regard to the distribution of your directly held personal property. It allows for creditors to seek satisfaction from … [Read more...]
Does Medicaid Count Assets in a Living Trust?
Medicaid and Long-Term Care Planning can be very confusing because of the extensive system of rules in place. To understand the significance of the question that we are focusing on here, some background information in helpful. The majority of people over the age of 65 will need living assistance eventually, and nearly 4 out of every 10 American senior citizens will someday reside in nursing homes. Additionally, the life expectancy for a 67-year-old man is 85 years, and that figure is 87 for a … [Read more...]
Estate Planning: Build a Family Relationship
Estate planning can be approached in a few different ways. You can choose to play your cards close to the vest with regard to the way that you are going to provide for your loved ones. On the other hand, you could be open and communicative about your plans, and this is probably the better way to go if it is at all possible. There is more to the process of estate planning than the simple execution of the appropriate documents. You should definitely consider the events that must take place … [Read more...]
Estate Planning Survey: Americans Are Woefully Unprepared
While it is true that passing away is at the bottom of everyone’s to do list, it is an inevitability that we should all face head on. It is important to take the right steps to make sure that your legacy is passed along in accordance with your wishes after you are gone. Unfortunately, a very surprising majority of Americans have no estate planning documents at all. Eye Opening Survey Results A legal website engaged Harris Interactive to conduct an in-depth survey a while back that was intended … [Read more...]
Assert Your Choices to Prevent a Guardianship
You may think about estate planning as the act of creating a document that will direct the transfer of your assets after you are gone. This is definitely a significant part of the equation, but a well-constructed plan will go a step further. It will also address eventualities that you may face toward the end of your life. Incapacity Is Common Until you have had an experience, it is nearly impossible to truly imagine what it would feel like, and this is understandable. This being stated, when … [Read more...]
Your Estate Plan Should Be Custom Crafted
The ideal estate plan will include documents that are created as a response to the specific circumstances that exist. You have many different options, and you should act in a fully informed manner. An estate planning document that is appropriate for one person may not be necessary for the next. For example, high net worth individuals who are exposed to the federal estate tax would want to implement estate tax efficiency strategies. The tax comes into play if you are transferring more than the … [Read more...]
A Look at Two Useful Inheritance Planning Tools
There is the right tool for the right job in any field of endeavor, and this certainly comes into play when you are talking about inheritance planning. You have many different options when you are planning your estate, and you should carefully explore them so that you can provide for each person that you love in the ideal manner. If you have someone in your family with special needs, you may want to make this individual more comfortable, either through an inheritance or a direct lifetime … [Read more...]
Interesting Turn in Aretha Franklin Estate Case
Aretha Franklin was the undisputed “Queen of Soul” for decades, and she helped to make history on multiple different levels during her 76 years on the planet. She passed away in August of 2018, and from an estate planning perspective, there are some lessons to be learned from her inaction. The Condition of Intestacy Estate planning attorneys will always hammer home the fact that it is very important to have an estate plan in place to avoid intestacy. This is the condition that exists when … [Read more...]
Vermont State Estate Tax: Property Counts
We have an office in Essex Junction, Vermont, and it is important to understand the potential implications of estate taxes when you live in our state. There are a relative handful of states in the union that impose estate taxes on the state level, and Vermont is one of them. Before we get into some of the details, we will look at the federal estate tax parameters. The estate tax exclusion is the amount that can be transferred before the remainder of the estate would be taxed upon transfer. In … [Read more...]
