A relatively new player is gaining popularity in estate planning: trust protectors. Naming one can add an additional layer of assurance that a trust’s primary objectives will be carried out long term. A trust normally has three categories of players: The trustors, or creators The trustees, who hold the property for the benefit of the…
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Most people have at least a general understanding of Roth IRAs, but may not really understand how they might affect estate planning. Let’s see if we can clear up some of the questions and the most common confusion we see. First, what are Roth IRAs? William “Bill” Roth was a Republican U.S. Senator from Delaware…
At the end of the month, we like to survey the elder law landscape and share news and notable developments, and sometimes something that’s just interesting to read. For the March review, we have taxes and Britney and a good read. March Review of Estate Tax News The liberal Democrats have put a tax plan…
Let’s talk about a special trust for your child. Not necessarily a “special needs” trust, but a trust for a beneficiary who can not manage their own finances. What’s in a name? Search for information about special needs trusts, and you’ll find plenty of entries. But you’ll also find plenty of confusion. What’s the difference…
Last week we received an estate planning solicitation in the regular (snail) mail at home. It made us very angry. It’s not just that it attempted to solicit our clients for non-lawyer estate planning. The solicitation contained numerous outright lies and wild misrepresentations. In case you received one, too, we’re here to debunk the false…
Actress Rosamund Pike is having a lot of fun promoting her movie I Care a Lot. But her career bright spot has a dark side. In her speech after winning a Golden Globe for her performance, she half-joked: “Maybe I just have to thank America’s broken legal system for making it possible to make stories…
Toward the end of each month, we like to share elder law law developments we’ve noticed over the previous couple of weeks. The February review is star-studded, which doesn’t happen very often. We also have some celeb-free tidbits for tax and estate planning and just plain getting old: The February Review of Celeb Estates Larry…
Last week, my partners Robert Fleming and Elizabeth Friman, in their weekly podcast, talked about the late great broadcaster Larry King and his hand-written will. At the time, most people thought the simple document, which gave King’s estate to his five children (and not his wife), was his entire estate plan. That was surprising, given…
Dividing retirement savings in an Arizona divorce proceeding can result in confusion and inequity. Sometimes the problems don’t appear for years — or even decades. A recent Arizona appellate decision illustrates the importance of paying attention to retirement savings plan details. Sandra Brown’s (brief) marriage In 1992, Sandra S. Brown married John M. Brown. That…
Across the country, millions of Americans are getting the Covid vaccine. For many, deciding whether to get one is no big deal. (“It’s best for everyone, right?”) For those who are unable to weigh the risks and benefits, someone else has to step in and give consent. That might be a guardian or a health…