A Gift to a Married Couple is a Gift to Both of Them
It’s not uncommon for family members to make a gift to a married couple. Usually, when a generous family member contemplates the couple, they assume that the marriage will continue. It also allows for a doubling of the annual gift tax exclusion amount (the well-known $15,000 figure). But sometimes the gift was really intended to […]
How to Handle Loans in Your Estate Plan
We hear a similar story from clients all the time. Maybe you have done this: you advanced some money to one of your children, and they are (or are not) making payments on the loan. How do you want to handle loans in estate plan? There are no universal rules First off, let’s get one […]
Want to Help Loved Ones? Know the Rules
We’ve seen the headlines: hundreds of thousands of jobs lost, millions have filed for unemployment, the economy is getting slammed. Chances are, someone you know and love is suffering, too. Considering the wide-spread coronavirus damage, you may want to help ease the pain. If you find that you want to help, there are rules around […]
Gift Some of Your Success, But Do It Thoughtfully
Say you’ve had a really good year financially and want to share it with loved ones for the holidays. How wonderful! Many people don’t realize that gifting can affect them long after the property has been given away or that they can have some say in how that gift is used by the recipient. So […]
UTMA Accounts: An Easy Way to Make Gifts to Minors
The holidays are upon us, as is end-of-the-year tax planning. You’re thinking about making a gift to your granddaughter, who is 14. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a simple way to make a gift to a minor? We have good news for you: let us explain UTMA accounts. You say UGMA, we say […]
Lawyers Continue Battle After Guardianship Dismissal
MAY 23, 2016 VOLUME 23 NUMBER 20 It will come as no surprise to anyone who has been involved in guardianship and conservatorship proceedings: the legal fees and related costs can often spiral out of control. Though most guardianship proceedings do not cost tens of thousands of dollars, some do. In fact, the battle can […]
“Decanting” of Trust for Medicaid Patient Challenged
JANUARY 11, 2016 VOLUME 23 NUMBER 2 Jane Murray (not her real name) died in 2003. She had created a number of trusts, including two for the benefit of her daughter Dana. Jane was very worried about Dana’s future, partly because of a long history of drug and alcohol abuse. She included some strong language […]
Holiday Gifts for Older Family Members and Friends
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 […]
Mother’s Gifts to Children Create Dispute Over Special Needs Daughter
SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 34 What plans should you make when you have a child receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid benefits? Should you create a special needs trust? Disinherit that child so their benefits won’t be affected? Leave their “share” of your estate to another child or children instead? We get […]
Why You Aren’t Really Limited to $14,000 in Gifts Each Year
APRIL 27, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 16 There is so much misinformation (and misunderstanding) around gift taxes, that we thought we would take a few moments and try to straighten out the confusion. Let’s start at the end: if you live in Arizona, and are not fabulously wealthy, you probably don’t actually care very much […]
