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...
by Christine | Jun 4, 2012 | Asset Protection, Entity Structure, Liability |
It is better to never be a general partner if one can avoid it. But if a person is going to be a general partner of a limited partnership that is either conducting any substantial business or taking investors, they had better do their own asset protection first....
by Christine | Jun 1, 2012 | Asset Protection, Insurance |
"The Wealthy" are more likely to be sued, but excess personal liability insurance doesn't have to cost a fortune. It’s safe to say that, if there’s a risk out there, there’s also an insurance underwriter somewhere dying to write a policy for it. However,...
by Christine | May 31, 2012 | Asset Protection, Community Property |
Despite [some] admitted shortcomings of Community Property Divisions, they can be a fantastic asset protection tool for those who currently have no significant debts or creditors, and have a strong and lasting relationship. In any marriage, and in any relationship,...
by Christine | May 30, 2012 | Elder Law, Filial Responsibility, Nursing Homes |
Some 30 states (including California) currently have laws making adult children responsible for their parents if their parents can't afford to take care of themselves. These “filial responsibility” laws have rarely been enforced, but six years ago when federal...
