Clear, practical articles to help you better understand estate planning, trusts, and related topics. Our goal is to provide helpful information so you can make informed decisions for yourself and your family.
Recent wildfires have highlighted the importance of making sure you are properly covered by your homeowner’s insurance. If you have placed your home in a trust, you’ve taken a significant step toward protecting your assets from court involvement and ensuring
The results from the 2024 election are in and we now have just weeks remaining before the 119th Congress takes office and the new president is inaugurated. Each election brings about the possibility of change. Indeed, it is no exaggeration
Many of us labor a lifetime to build up our assets and fight for causes that matter to us. Few things are more fulfilling than the thought of sharing wealth and legacy with our family. Of course, it’s impossible to plan
When you set up a living trust, choosing your trustee is a key decision. The trustee is the “executor” of a living trust. They manage trust assets if you become unable to do so, and after you pass away, they
You may have planned for your loved ones to eventually inherit your house, the Steinway grand piano, your dad’s 88-year-old Swiss watch, or other family heirlooms, but with life increasingly being lived online, you may be overlooking an increasingly important
A donor-advised fund, or DAF, lets the donor reap tax benefits while also being able to direct how the money is distributed and invested. Many individuals are interested in including charitable giving in their estate plans. This giving can take
As many of you know, the Secure Act of 2019 drastically changed how non-spousal beneficiaries could inherit an IRA. Since the change, it has been unclear whether beneficiaries have to take out minimum distributions during the 10 year “stretch” period.
Recent headlines have been dominated by discourse surrounding Biden’s proposed $3.5 Trillion “Build Back Better” plan, and the recent negotiations looking to trim it. Here’s a quick update on where those negotiations stand, and how the bill may affect you.
If a loved one asks you to act as a trustee of their trust, it is because they trust you to be able to handle their affairs in their place. They believe you can exercise strong, fair, and independent judgement
Of all the states, Oregon has (rightfully) earned a reputation for having one of the most complex and far reaching estate tax structures. Any individual who owns property in Oregon, (even if they have never been a resident of the
In recent weeks, music icon Britney Spears has been dominating headlines as more and more details about her legal conservatorship have come to light. In her emotional court hearing a few weeks ago, Britney spoke out about the abusive nature
When The Brady Bunch aired in the 70s, it showed a fairly idyllic representation of a blended family, with only the first season discussing the awkward adjustments and possible rivalries of bringing together two already-existent families. Even when such problems
