Anthony Bourdain did something most American's fail to do- he created an estate plan and laid out exactly who he wanted to get what when he died. I think that most of us would have imagined that he would have had a larger estate than he did with his success he had … [Read more...] about Planning for your frequent flyer miles. How Anthony Bourdain did it.
Attorney David Eastman
Phoenix Trust Attorneys Explain Trust Administration
A well thought out estate plan will typically include more than just a Last Will and Testament. Although every estate plan is as unique as the individual who created the plan, a common addition found in many plans is a trust agreement. Trusts are frequently used in estate planning because of … [Read more...] about Phoenix Trust Attorneys Explain Trust Administration
Summary of Potential Tax Law Changes Under President Elect Trump:
We live in uncertain times. There is no certainty in what President Elect Trump will do when it comes to the tax code, but he has stated that he would like do the following: Eliminate the estate tax entirely. Eliminate the gift tax entirely. Presumably, eliminate the Generation Skipping … [Read more...] about Summary of Potential Tax Law Changes Under President Elect Trump:
Tragedy Can Strike at Any Time
We all know the old saying- there are two things in life we can be certain of- death and taxes. We all know we are going to die; we just don’t know when we are going to die. We all hope it is a long way off, but it could happen to any one of us any day. I had a good friend of mine that recently … [Read more...] about Tragedy Can Strike at Any Time
Is It Time to Update my Estate Plan?
There have been some significant changes in the estate planning realm in the last few years. If you have not updated your estate plan in the last 3 years it may be time for a tune up. Often we are asked in our firm how often an estate plan should be updated. The answer to that is - it depends. It … [Read more...] about Is It Time to Update my Estate Plan?
Christmas Present from Our Legislatures:
If you are philanthropically minded and want to make a charitable donation before the end of the year Congress just passed the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015, which now makes it possible for you to contribute to a public charity of your choosing up to $100,000 from your IRA. There … [Read more...] about Christmas Present from Our Legislatures:
Thanksgiving
On October 3, 1789, President George Washington named Thursday, November 26, 1789 an official holiday of “sincere and humble thanks.” In the midst of the Civil War in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation in which he declared the fourth Thursday of every November to be a day of … [Read more...] about Thanksgiving
Penny Wise and Pound Foolish; Doing Your Estate Plan on the Cheap:
Most of us work very hard to accumulate our nest eggs. Sacrifice of time and energy, is often made to acquire the assets that we have. To ensure that these hard earned assets will be distributed where we want, how we want, and be managed by whom we want, it is critical to have the necessary legal … [Read more...] about Penny Wise and Pound Foolish; Doing Your Estate Plan on the Cheap:
Do I need an A/B trust?
I had an interesting conversation today with one of our clients. The sole purpose of them coming in to see me was to discuss whether they needed to have an A/B trust in place, which is what we had created for them. I asked what prompted them to ask that question and the response back to me was … [Read more...] about Do I need an A/B trust?
Tom Brokaw’s Living Will:
The purpose of this blog is to recommend every American to outline directives for doctors to follow if they were ever in a Terry Schiavo situation. If you are unfamiliar with the Terry Schiavo case, a quick summary here will suffice: Terry Schiavo suffered a cardiac arrest in her home in … [Read more...] about Tom Brokaw’s Living Will:
