You can’t predict what might happen tomorrow, but there is something you can do today to help better prepare for whatever comes your way – you can get your estate plan in order. Putting these documents in place can help ensure that not only are things done according to your…
It’s a nice thing to be able to give someone you love a gift, especially when that gift can help ensure their security, wellbeing, and even happiness. But you have to be careful when giving gifts—either cash or property. The annual gift tax exclusion is $16,000 per recipient in 2022,…
We’ll only be hours into the New Year, and most of us will already be steeling ourselves for the annual guilt trip about abandoned resolutions! It never fails. We start out with the best intentions, but as the world cranks back into gear after the holidays, we find ourselves slipping…
This is the time of year for giving and receiving. As your mailbox fills up with solicitations from nonprofits – everyone from the Salvation Army to the World Wildlife Fund – how do you know which ones are worthy? And even more important, how can you tell which ones you…
It’s understandable that you might assume “estate” planning is only for people of means. The word “estate”—which conjures visions of Jane Austen-like scenery featuring sprawling mansions, rolling hills, and houses full of staff—is right in the name. But the truth is, estate planning is a smart idea for pretty much…
The subject of many a soap opera plot and even some films (like Rian Johnson’s 2019 sleeper hit, Knives Out), undue influence can be a fascinating way to explore family dynamics. But, it’s a little more nuanced than Hollywood makes it out to be – and a little less entertaining…
Once upon a time, having three generations under one roof was common practice. And, in some parts of the world, it’s still a popular way of life. Here in the U.S., Pew Research Center estimates that some 64 million Americans—20% of the overall population—live in households that include two adult…
By Colleen Masse Selecting your trustee is one of the most important estate planning choices you’ll ever have to make. While your executor’s responsibilities are limited to handling the execution of your Will, your trustee’s responsibilities may extend years or even generations into the future. And the choices they make…
As if losing a parent wasn’t hard enough, that loss often comes hand in hand with the very real potential for life-changing sibling rivalry over the inheritance. In fact, disagreement over whether an inheritance has been divided fairly is the number one cause of adult sibling rivalry. At the root…
You know about Wills – hopefully you have one! You probably are also familiar with other estate planning documents such as a power of attorney and an advance health care directive. But do you know what a trust is? Do you know what purpose it serves? And…should you have one?…