Estate planning can be a significant part of successful financial management, especially for married couples. One key consideration is minimizing estate taxes, which can substantially affect the distribution of money and property to a married couple’s loved ones. What Are Gift and Estate Taxes? In 2024, a $13.61 million federal exemption per person for gifts […]
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Watch Out for Stolen Items in Your Loved One’s Estate
Your family member went through a meticulous estate planning process to organize and distribute money and property for the benefit of their loved ones, including you. But you may suspect that some of the high-value items in their estate originated as stolen property. The possibility of discovering stolen items within an estate is often overlooked, […]
Continue reading…We Are Celebrating International Networking Month
We Can Do Great Things When We Work Together February is known as International Networking Month. During this month, we can celebrate our professional relationships by building and strengthening our networks. When we work together, we can provide unique solutions for our clients, like our hypothetical couple John and Jane. Meet John and Jane […]
Continue reading…Now Is the Time to Cultivate and Build Relationships
Love Is in the Air: Have You Protected Your Loved Ones? Valentine’s Day is approaching, when many people express just how much their loved ones mean to them by giving gifts and cards. But this year, you could try something different to show your love: think about your estate plan and how you can protect […]
Continue reading…Top 3 Questions to Ask Your Clients About Their Estate Plan
As a trusted advisor, you provide expert guidance to your clients regarding many financial planning matters. It makes sense that you will come across clients who ask about estate planning. Even if they do not ask, you can start the conversation by inquiring if they have thought about what would happen to their money and […]
Continue reading…Third-Party Waivers and Why We Sometimes Need Them
As your trusted estate planning attorney, if we do not have an immediate answer or solution for you, we can often get one by contacting another attorney or advisor who works in an area that falls outside of our expertise—a vetted professional that we have developed working relationships with or perhaps your trusted advisor who […]
Continue reading…Rules to Follow When Working With Referral Sources
Attorneys are bound by many different sets of rules regarding how they interact with clients, prospects, and referral sources. To properly represent a client, an attorney may need to refer the client to another attorney or advisor for their specialized expertise, such as a financial professional, tax advisor, or insurance agent. To ensure that all […]
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Testamentary Trusts: The Best of Both Worlds
You have several different options when it comes to creating the right estate plan. Some people believe that a revocable living trust is the best way to go, while others think that a last will and testament (commonly known as a will) is best under certain circumstances. Others may find that a combination of both—through […]
Continue reading…Cultivate and Build New Relationships Through Networking
In addition to being considered the month of love, February is International Networking Month. In today’s world, developing new relationships with people is truly important. Our social and professional interactions contribute to our overall health and mental well-being. Many people work remotely or live far away from their friends and family and often engage with […]
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Decanting: How to Fix a Trust That Is Not Getting Better with Age
While many wines get better with age, the same cannot be said for some irrevocable trusts. Maybe you are the beneficiary of a trust created by your great-grandfather over 70 years ago, and that trust no longer makes sense. Or maybe you created an irrevocable trust over 20 years ago, and it no longer makes […]
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