You’ve heard all the arguments in favor of estate planning, you know it’s the right thing to do, you want to get your planning done… you just aren’t sure how to get started. This is understandable; estate planning can feel like an overwhelming endeavor when you’re presented with everything at once. The trick to getting …
Continue reading “A Guide for Getting Started on Your Estate Planning”
I see many clients who have created revocable trust, sold to them by someone promising tax and probate savings. However, the proper trust to achieve estate tax advantages is a lifetime Irrevocable Trusts. The assets in a Irrevocable Trust pass upon death free of estate tax. To achieve the estate tax advantages, the client needs …
A week or so ago, I read an obituary that reminded me that although the death of a loved one often brings families closer, it can often bring out animosities among family members that has long simmered. The unusual obituary started, “We are so grateful you have finally escaped the evil clutches of the greedy, …
While watching a law school classmate of mine handle a disputed estate in Fort Bend County, it occurred to me the best way to avoid a Will contest is to have a well written Will prepared by an attorney who can help you avoid potential conflicts. This week I will discuss reasons for contesting a …
You need an estate plan. This is true even if you don’t have a lot of assets. It’s also true if you’re young, or if you don’t have close family members. Estate planning means preparing for the inevitabilities of life. People get sick or hurt, and you need a plan in place to determine what …
Continue reading “Steps to Help Get Started on Estate Planning”
The wisdom of making a Will is well settled as sound legal advice, and rightly so. Less talked about, but equally advisable for many people, is the use of gifts during one’s lifetime as a method for estate planning. Apart from the intangible benefits that flow from the fact that, as the saying goes, it …
The information in this column is not intended as legal advice but to provide a general understanding of the law. Any readers with a legal problem, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult an attorney for advice on their particular circumstances. About a year or so ago, I wrote an article explaining that …
The information in this column is not intended as legal advice but to provide a general understanding of the law. Any readers with a legal problem, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult an attorney for advice on their particular circumstances. I, like many elder law attorneys, spend a large part of my …
Whether or not you already have a family, getting your personal affairs in order is a must. None of us know what life has in store for us. Fortunately, I survived my 20’s, but the losses I have witnessed my friends and clients experience have taught me, the sooner you start planning, the more prepared you will be for life’s unexpected twists and turns.
Both unmarried opposite-sex partners and same-sex partners will want to provide protection for their relationship and for the other partner in the event one partner becomes incapacitated. Legally married or not, due to the controversial nature of these relationships, these partners will need to create legal documents which allow the non-disabled partner to care for and manage the disabled partner’s affairs. Unfortunately, many families are not ready to accept these lifestyles and the potential for conflict exists.
