by Christine | Nov 16, 2015 | Estate Planning, Estate Tax |
The state estate tax is the one that most Americans must be aware of when working with an attorney on their estate plan, as most states estate taxes have far lower exemptions than the federal estate tax. What if your estate is worth less than $5 million, even when...
by Christine | Nov 13, 2015 | Estate Planning, Estate Tax |
It is said that the rich are different from you and me, and that is true. The assets of wealthy people can be grouped into a few categories, and trust us, they are no different than regular people. There is a lot of media coverage and discussion about the federal...
by Christine | Nov 12, 2015 | Copyright, Estate Planning |
In a complex copyright case, a court in Tennessee has ruled that a lawsuit against the Salinger Literary Trust should be transferred to New Hampshire. This decision has larger implications that may solve other concerns of the heirs. A lawsuit was filed against the...
by Christine | Nov 11, 2015 | Elder Law, Estate Planning, Medi-Cal Long Term Care, Nursing Home |
One of the more difficult topics that elder lawyers and their clients must discuss is the potential need for nursing home care. However, talking about it and knowing the options is actually one of the things that can make things easier. With the help...
by Christine | Nov 10, 2015 | Estate Planning |
Laws change all the time, and this is especially true of estate and tax laws. An estate planning method that may have been at the leading edge at one time can become out of date or even illegal. Federal estate taxes, capital gains taxes and trusts have all changed...
by Christine | Nov 9, 2015 | Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Gift Law |
According to the IRS, there will be increases to tax exemptions for estate and lifetime gift tax exemptions in 2016. By law, every year the IRS must determine exemption limits for federal estate tax and the lifetime gift tax based on inflation. And every year, estate...
by Christine | Nov 6, 2015 | Family Limited Partnership, IRS |
New regulations are coming from the IRS regarding family partnerships and limited liability companies. Perhaps in search of revenue, or trying to overcome a legally-permitted loophole, the IRS will soon make changes to capture some otherwise lost revenue on these...
by Christine | Nov 5, 2015 | Uncategorized |
An elderly man – 85 years old – who travels between two residences, one in Australia and the second in the State of Washington, is suing Wells Fargo Bank for allegedly causing a $13 million loss through mismanagement of his trust. He was an income...
by Christine | Nov 4, 2015 | Estate Planning, Wills |
The California Supreme Court decision may make it more likely that unambiguous wills can be reformed if a mistake is deemed to have been made by the deceased. This is a great example of a failure to think outside of the box. Literally. A California man created a...
by Christine | Nov 3, 2015 | Estate Planning |
"Joint tenancy" is perhaps the most common way for two people to title their assets, particularly when they are married. But when it comes to estate planning, there are sometimes better ways that property owned by married spouses can be titled. Most married...
