Estate Planning, Probate, Power of Attorney Blogs & More

• Posted in: health care

While there has been plenty of attention paid to the Affordable Care Act, another change in the way we deliver and pay for health care is underway without much fanfare. But it too may bring with it a number of concerns. California is among at least 26 states that are introducing mandatory programs that put […]

• Posted in: Long Term Care Insurance

When it comes to shopping for long-term-care insurance, it’s buyer beware. The costs of long-term-care can be astronomical and would quickly wipe out one’s savings.  Many boomers are looking to buy long-term-care insurance to cover that risk. But many are finding out that they didn’t really understand what they had purchased. According to an article […]

• Posted in: Estate Taxes

The top tax bracket for the federal estate tax is currently at 40 percent. This might seem high, but as a recent article points out, very few people actually pay this tax. Most estates are entirely exempt from estate tax. There is a $5,340,000 exemption from federal estate tax, meaning that estates valued at up […]

• Posted in: Beneficiary Designation

Some of your assets cannot be passed on to your heirs through your Last Will and Testament. Instead, some assets are passed on to a beneficiary who you designate under the terms of the agreement with the financial institution. For example, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, retirement plans, annuities and life insurance policies. A recent article […]

• Posted in: Current Affairs

Even though the Federal government is currently shut down, as this country moves toward the changes brought forth by the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, you should beware of the potential for the theft of your personal information. Remember, whenever a natural disaster or tragedy occurs or a new law goes into effect, scammers […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

As estate planning attorneys, we are often asked, “When should I do my estate plan?” The answer is: “Anyone who is over the age of 18.” Estate planning is critical to everyday living for adults over the age of 18, and should be one of the priorities regardless of your age or marital status. If […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

In an ever-increasing paperless world, it is becoming more important to create a plan for your survivors to follow when navigating your online financial accounts. Prior to the digitalization of financial records, when a loved one passed on, organizing financial records was a fairly straight forward process consisting of gathering any bank statements or other […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

When the U.S. Supreme Court handed down their ruling last Wednesday, striking section 3 from the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional, the Court radically changed the estate planning laws for many same-sex married couples. Not only are marriages of same-sex couples is now recognized as legal under federal law, but they can now […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

There are many estate planning considerations that parents need to make. Although grim, parents need to consider and plan for the possibility that one or both parents may suddenly become unable to care for their minor children. A recent article discusses some of the estate planning considerations that parents should make. Parents need to first […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

When planning your estate, it is important to remember that communication with your loved ones and friends is vital to the success of your plan. A recent article discusses how best to can start an estate planning conversation. Schedule the conversation: By scheduling a time to speak about your estate plan with your family and […]