DECEMBER 28, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 48 When our clients establish revocable living trusts, we help them transfer assets to the trust’s name. That’s not unique — most law firms help clients through the process. This is often referred to as “funding” the trust, and it can be more complicated than it seems like it…
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DECEMBER 21, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 47 We’ve written before about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act and the possibility that Arizona might get its own version adopted in the next legislative session. Now comes a pleasant surprise from Washington: Arizonans with disabilities won’t have to wait for our legislature to act. Last…
DECEMBER 14, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 46 Imagine: you have just been named as guardian for your aging father. You are responsible for his medical care and decisions, his comfort and his placement. You were appointed, in part, because of your concern about his safety at home — you are thinking perhaps he needs to…
DECEMBER 7, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 45 ‘Tis the season — the season of uncertainty about what gift to get for your grandparents, older parents or Aunt Myrtle. You want to be festive, you want to be thoughtful, and you know that another two-pound box of chocolates might not be the best idea. But what…
NOVEMBER 30, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 44 When Mary Lansing (not her real name) gave birth to a daughter in August, 2013, her boyfriend (and the father of her daughter) was already in prison. Four months later, she filed a paternity action naming her boyfriend, and sought a court order granting her sole legal decision…
NOVEMBER 23, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 43 The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act initially looked like it would provide important opportunities to people with disabilities. Although much work was left to the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration and individual states, advocates hoped that it might open up a simple choice for…
NOVEMBER 16, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 42 This week we’re going to ask you to be the judge. We’re going to tell you a story, then give you a moment to decide what you think should be the outcome of a lawsuit. Once you’ve decided, we’ll tell you what actually happened in the courts. Ready?…
NOVEMBER 9, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 41 [Note: this article was originally written in 2015. Since then, the estate tax numbers have significantly increased. The structure we explain may still be valid, but not necessarily the numbers.] Here’s a challenging problem for lawyers who focus on estate planning: how can we explain federal estate tax…
NOVEMBER 2, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 40 When a family member dies, you will need to address a number of items. One that might come up: handling the revocable living trust they created. If you are named as successor trustee you will have a number of obligations you need to discharge. You might need help…
OCTOBER 26, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 39 We’ve made the key points before: don’t sign your home over to your children while you’re still alive, and be very careful about doing your own estate planning without an attorney’s help. This week we’re going to add a couple of other points: do not rely on non-lawyer…