The estate tax is not only a hot button issue in national politics, it also plays an important role in the politics of many states. One such state is Minnesota where it appears that the estate tax might be cut earlier than previously expected. Currently Minnesota’s estate tax exemption is $1.4 million and is […]
Read More »Estate Planning for Same Sex Couples
The United States Supreme Court is considering the issue of same sex marriage. Regardless of how the case turns out, same sex couples should proceed to create estate plans. In fact, they should not wait for the Court’s decision. Many states have legalized same sex marriage, which gives same sex couples equal inheritance rights […]
Read More »Leaving Your Friends a Few Drinks
Sometimes it is the littlest things that you do in your estate plan that create the most lasting memories. This might be the case in England where one man left his drinking buddies money to have drinks on him. Roger Brown of Swansea, England had visited the same pub for over 40 years and […]
Read More »Heir Alleged to Have Blown $3.5M
Many trusts are designed so that a beneficiary receives trust income during his or her lifetime with the remainder of the trust going to someone else after the heir passes away. These trusts often cause disputes between the beneficiary and the remainderman, illustrated in a high profile New York case. Irving Bender became the beneficiary […]
Read More »Now That’s Awkward!
An awkward part of estate planning is telling your kids how much — or how little — they’ll get. Here’s how a financial planner can help. For clients, one of the most stressful aspects of estate planning — already an emotionally difficult process — is the prospect of telling heirs what they plan to […]
Read More »Rare Books in an Estate: What to Do?
One of the most difficult tasks facing someone taking care of a loved one’s estate is figuring out which items are valuable. We all know that inherited fine art can be very valuable and should be evaluated by a professional and there are endless blogs, magazines, and TV shows that discuss what to do with […]
Read More »Grave Digger Pleads Guilty
You are not allowed to dig up someone’s grave without the permission of a court as one man in New Hampshire recently learned. The interesting thing is what was being looked for in the grave.
Read More »Reopening Jack Kerouac’s Estate
Author Jack Kerouac’s estate has long been settled after much acrimony. However, an important letter that he received from a friend could reopen the case. Jack Kerouac is credited with inventing the free-flowing beat style of writing that was popular in the 1950s and 60s. He did not create the style on his own […]
Read More »Estate Planning and 2014: Looking Back
Every year has new developments in estate planning. 2014 was no different in this regard. Some of the changes to estate planning in 2014 are very important to know about. With 2014 just behind us, now is a good time to look back and see what changed in estate planning during the year. After […]
Read More »Make Estate Planning Your New Year’s Resolution
The holidays are upon us. It’s also a good time to get started with some Old Year end and New Year beginning planning activities, especially if family members are going to be celebrating the holidays with you. Start with reviewing what you have and how you own it (by yourself, with your spouse, with a […]
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