by Christine | Jun 18, 2012 | Estate Planning, Farms, Succession Planning |
Farmers and ranchers are typically strapped for cash so when one of them dies leaving an estate large enough to be exposed to the federal estate tax the family can expect to have to sell something to cover the tax. That does not have to be the case. The estate tax has...
by Christine | Jun 15, 2012 | Asset Protection, Bankruptcy, Debtor/Creditor |
If property is absolutely and totally exempt from creditors, there is no way that creditors can get at that property, right? Wrong. In re Wilson illustrates how the misconduct of a debtor can allow a creditor to get at exempt assets. The law between creditors and...
by Christine | Jun 14, 2012 | Estate Planning |
Beneficial estate and gift tax provisions are set to expire at the end of this year. Here's what to expect. If you’ve been planning your estate, then you’re no stranger to the ominous feeling of waiting for Congress to act on the tax front. The clock is ticking....
by Christine | Jun 13, 2012 | Estate Planning, Gift, Stock |
If you want to give a high-school or college graduate a gift with a big financial impact, go beyond writing a check. Giving the gift of investing—with individual stocks, bonds or investment accounts and even some financial planning—will help a young adult get started...
by Christine | Jun 12, 2012 | Estate Planning, Inheritance, Trusts |
F. Scott Fitzgerald observed that the rich are different, but that does not mean an heiress can adopt her 65-year-old ex-husband to increase her family's claim to a billion dollar inheritance. You can pick your husband and, if you adopt, you can even pick your...
by Christine | Jun 11, 2012 | Elder Law, Estate Law, Incapacity |
As medical advances extend human life expectancy, the likelihood that an individual will become incapacitated before dying increases. For … wealth planning and conservation purposes, it is important that we recognize when [someone] is incapacitated and thus...
by Christine | Jun 8, 2012 | Estate Planning, Farms, Succession Planning |
So, you are ready to retire. You’ve worked hard for many years and you now look forward to spending time with grandchildren, fishing, golf or taking that long-delayed trip to Hawaii. However, there are just a couple problems that may need to be resolved. First, who...
by Christine | Jun 7, 2012 | Estate Planning, Gift Tax, Interfamily Loans |
With the government's $5.12 million gift-tax exemption set to fall to $1 million at year-end, more families are using the current leeway to do some financial housekeeping, experts say. The clock is winding down on the first half of 2012 – the “Year of...
by Christine | Jun 6, 2012 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Trusts |
Executive-liability insurance is often the first line of financial defense for executives and directors caught up in litigation such as investor lawsuits. For others without such coverage, asset-protection trusts are the way many insulate their wealth from claims....
by Christine | Jun 5, 2012 | Uncategorized |
If you have been appointed the trustee of a trust, this is a strong vote of confidence in your judgment and probity. Unfortunately, it is also a major responsibility. A trustee should be, first and foremost, a “trustworthy” person. A trustworthy trustee acknowledges...
