Dying intestate can have unintended consequences for pretty much every family type. However, it is especially painful if there are unmarried partners or stepchildren, who are left out under the law in almost every scenario.
To protect assets effectively, you have to store them in the right legal entity. However, that can depend on whether you’re looking to protect business assets, avoid estate taxes, or protect personal assets from legal liability while running a business.
Different people have different needs, and for most people, starting with basic legal documents, such as a will and power of attorney, are a great place to start and can make a big difference.
First, debts in a person’s estate are payable from the decedent’s assets in the course of administering their probate estate or administering their living trust estate.
There are many different configurations of blended families. However, they are generally made up of married couples who have children from previous marriages or relationships.
Getting ready to embark on your next great adventure? Before you zip up the last suitcase, here are five issues you need to address to protect yourself and your loved ones. Do you have a foundational estate plan? Has it been reviewed? An estate plan is a set of instructions memorialized in legal documents that […]
It’s easy to overlook an important task after a spouse or other loved one passes away – like retitling assets. It’s a little thing with big ramifications. Follow this checklist to help make a challenging time less confusing.
Federal estate taxes were created in 1916, taxing estates valued at over $5 million. This amount changed to $50 million in 1932. In 1940, it dropped to $10 million, then $5, then $3. In 2002-2007 estates worth more than $2 million paid the tax.
A primary benefit of using TOD/POD designations is that assets held in the account will pass automatically to the beneficiary without having to go through probate.
