Inheritance Advice: The ‘Times’ Got It Wrong
The New York Times is wrong. In a recent “Social Q’s” column, a reader asked for inheritance advice. The response was off the mark. (For the purposes of this article, we’ll call the questioner “Reader.” And though the column didn’t reveal Reader’s gender, for easy identification, we’ll assume Reader is female.) Reader describes the circumstances: […]
Beneficiary Deed Can Be Challenged For Undue Influence
Can a beneficiary deed challenge be based on alleged undue influence? Yes, in the same way that a will, a trust, or another writing could be challenged. A recent Arizona appellate decision spelled out some of the rules and details. But what is a beneficiary deed? First, a little introduction. Arizona is one of the […]
May Review: Aging, Taxes, and Betty White
It’s almost June, so it’s time to survey elder law news and commentary and share interesting developments. For the May review, we have news about Arizona’s elders, taxes, and Betty White’s estate sale: Challenges of Aging Arizona’s Auditor General issued a scathing report that suggests the Department of Health Services is doing little to protect […]
What About Planning for Your Crypto?
In our recent article about digital assets, we skipped over planning for your crypto. We encouraged getting your digital affairs in order by doing an inventory of all digital accounts so your estate administrators can manage your affairs without additional stress. Crypto requires even more care. The Crypto Basics Cryptocurrency and other “blockchain” assets such […]
The Corporate Transparency Act Is, Well, Opaque
You might not have read much about the Corporate Transparency Act (usually referred to as the CTA). The law, adopted by Congress on January 1, 2021, was part of a much bigger legislative package. Actually, its history is even more interesting than that, and worth mentioning before we describe the CTA and how it might […]
Summer Project: Get Your Digital Life In Order
Need a summer project? We have one for you: Get your digital life in order. An increasingly large part of our everyday lives happens the digital space. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated our use of digital tools across the board. We use e-mail, apps, social media, and more every day. Plus, more people and institutions are […]
Charitable Gifts and Your Estate Plan
Charitable gifts are important to many of our clients. We encourage charitable inclinations, of course. But how can you make a gift to your favorite charity most efficiently? Lifetime charitable gifts Of course, one way to make a gift is to write a check. It’s direct, it’s immediate — and it’s very much appreciated. Making […]
April Review: Surveys Show We Could Plan Better
That’s May just around the corner, which means it’s when we like to survey elder law news and commentary and share interesting developments. For the April review, we learn (again) that a lot of people don’t have estate plans, that a lot of people want to “age in place,” and that the George Harrison estate […]
Electronic Wills Still a New Idea Three Years Later
Electronic wills were all the rage in estate planning discussions in 2018 and 2019. In that two-year period, four states adopted new statutes allowing for digital or electronic signing of wills. In order, Nevada, Indiana, Arizona and Florida pushed technology and law forward. After that first rush of interest, two important things happened to push […]
Things Change: Your Estate Plan Should Change, Too
Clients know things change. And one common question in an estate planning meeting is: “Can I change my mind?” Quickly followed by, “Will you charge me for that?” Yes, probably. And yes. As we all know, life goes on. Every person should, from time to time and after a major life event, review their estate […]