Do Not Forget the Smaller Digital Accounts

People are gradually beginning to understand that they need to ensure that there is a way for family members to access digital accounts after the owner passes away, at least so far as the biggest accounts are concerned, such as bank and social media accounts. However, it is often equally important to make sure that […]

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Do Not Forget Your Frequent Flier Miles

Most people who travel a lot have accumulated many un-redeemed frequent flier miles or hotel reward points. What many do not know is that it is a good idea to state who should assume ownership of these loyalty reward points in an estate plan.

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Business and Avoiding Probate Problems

Small and family business owners have heard many nightmares about similar businesses that have had problems with probate. Many of the stories are true. However, with careful planning most of the problems associated with probate can be avoided.

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A Message from the SSS Legal team!

  Wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving!   Anonymous May your stuffing be tasty May your turkey plump, May your potatoes and gravy Have nary a lump. May your yams be delicious And your pies take the prize, And may your Thanksgiving dinner Stay off your thighs!  

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Do Not Wait to Say Your Last Words

In a very real sense your estate plan is your last words. After you pass away, it will be the last thing that people hear from you. However, most Americans put off making an estate plan as long as they can if they ever create one at all.

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Plan Ahead!!

AARP says to head off bickering over your personal possessions, consider supplementing your will with a letter of instruction, an informal document that you can draft yourself. Where there’s a will, there’s a way—and sometimes an ugly family feud. Families are consumed with grief when a loved one dies, but unfortunately certain legal and organizational […]

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Estate Planning to Prevent Identity Theft

By now most people are aware of the necessity to exercise diligence to prevent identity theft. People know to check their credit statements and how to look out for irregularities. However, when you pass away, you can no longer do that. Identity thieves are now exploiting this to steal the identities of the recently deceased.

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Want to Give the Kids an Early Inheritance? 4 Things to Consider

If you’re thinking about giving your children their inheritance early, you’re not alone. A recent Merrill Lynch study suggests that these days, nearly two-thirds of people over the age of 50 would rather pass their assets to the children early than make them wait until the will is read. It can be especially satisfying to […]

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A Trust Is Still a Good Idea

Up until a few years ago, a common estate-planning technique included the use of irrevocable trusts to own life insurance intended for the payment of estate taxes. Properly arranged, this method allowed the policy’s benefits to be used to pay the estate taxes of the person who died without the policy being included in the […]

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Need I Be Spoiled to Have a Trust?

Mention a trust, and the first thing most people think of is a spoiled kid living off an inherited fortune without having worked a single day in life. As a result, most people don’t know very much about trusts, and they assume there’s little need to have even a basic understanding of this useful estate-planning […]

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