John Wick - What You Need To Know about the Corporate Transparency Act
Once Removed Episode 24: Expressing Goals and Intent for the Trust
Once Removed Episode 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
Once Removed Episode 20: Helping a Beneficiary Purchase a Home
Once Removed Episode 19: The Step-Transaction Doctrine and the Case of Smaldino
Next Generation Legacy Management - The Essence of Developing, Managing and Implementing a Plan for Future Generations
A Primer On Trusts - A Podcast with Janathan Allen
Once Removed Episode 13: It’s 5 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Will Is? A Lesson From Aretha Franklin
Charitable Bequests With Guest Stephanie Hood
Once Removed Episode 12: SLATs and the Case of McKim vs. McKim
Once Removed Episode 11: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, or SLATs
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: Family Office Technology Solutions
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: The Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act
What is a self-proving affidavit?
The Importance of Beneficiary Designations
Basics of Estate Planning
The Case of the Disappearing Trust
Protecting Your Estate Plan from Challenges: No-Contest Clause Explained
The Secret Child
Welcome to 'Splitting Heirs'
Welcome to The Verdict: Estate Planning Through Film. In episode two, host Hons Yung is joined by Farella Braun + Martel's Greg LeSaint to discuss the movie John Wick and the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Greg breaks...more
The year 2017, when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law, seems like a long time ago. As you may be aware, many of the tax provisions of that law are set to expire in a relatively short amount of time — on January 1,...more
Maryland’s Supreme Court declined to overturn the strict privity rule in legal malpractice cases. The rule, which generally bars third parties from suing lawyers, was a key issue in the recent Bennett v. Gentile decision. ...more
Today’s federal estate and gift tax laws may be remembered as the most generous to wealthy families since the Great Depression. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) doubled the federal estate, gift, and generation skipping...more
Recently, Michigan added a new section to the trust code, making it possible for trust settlors to create “quiet” or “silent” trusts in Michigan. As the name implies, in a silent trust arrangement, a trustee is not required...more
In Crossley v. Crossley, a plaintiff, who was the beneficiary of, or had the power to designate the beneficiary, in two trusts established by his mother, and he filed suit requesting that the court determine whether he or his...more
Thoughtful planning and careful implementation are essential to a successful estate plan that preserves wealth in the most tax-efficient manner and fulfills a family’s personal objectives....more
The September 2024 Section 7520 rate for use with estate planning techniques such as CRTs, CLTs, QPRTs and GRATs is 4.8%, a decrease from the August 2024 rate of 5.2%. The September applicable federal rate (“AFR”) for use...more
When a loved one dies, the last thing you want to deal with is a lawsuit, or have your heirs inherit a lawsuit. After the death of a maternal or paternal figure that keeps the family together, tensions flare between siblings...more
Recently, much has been written about Rupert Murdoch’s petition to amend his Nevada irrevocable trust to grant his eldest son, Lachlan, voting control over News Corp and Fox Corporation. While the battle between family...more
In In re Trust A & Trust C, a beneficiary sued a trustee for breach of fiduciary duty and sought a constructive trust over assets that were transferred out of the trust. 690 S.W.3d 80 (Tex. 2024)....more
Moving to another state? Revisit your estate plan - If you recently relocated to a new state — or you’re planning such a move — it’s a good idea to review and update your estate plan. You won’t have to throw out your...more
Non-Americans who wish to purchase U.S. real estate should be aware of the tax consequences of owning real estate here. George McCormick discusses these tax issues and steps to minimize their impact....more
For many individuals new to estate planning, particularly younger couples, there is something almost taboo when you start to discuss a revocable trust: does that mean our children will be trust fund babies?...more
Newcomers to probate litigation are frequently surprised by how differently things work in probate court, as opposed to your more straightforward civil courts. (And how do those newcomers know how civil courts work? Law &...more
Married couples often have wills naming one another as their primary beneficiary. People also often name their spouse as beneficiary of retirement accounts and life insurance policies. Upon commencing a divorce action,...more
No matter how much planning you do, you can never be too prepared to face the future of caring for your aging parents. While it may not be the most comfortable topic, having an open and honest discussion allows you to...more
This is the second of a four-part series focusing on estate planning fundamentals for founders. This article will address an important topic for owners of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) as defined in Section 1202 of...more
Section 17.3, comment f, of the Restatement (Third) of Property (Wills and Other Donative Transfers) explains the difference between a collateral power of appointment and a power of appointment in gross: “In traditional...more
The period after a spouse passes away is an emotional time of mourning. However, there are a handful of estate planning adjustments that you should make to protect your estate under the new conditions....more
In In re Kelly, a former executor and the trustee of a testamentary trust initiated a probate proceeding in a county court at law. No. 11-24-00066-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 3735 (Tex. App.—Eastland May 30, 2024, original...more
Planning for mineral rights is a crucial aspect of estate planning, specifically for landowners with valuable mineral assets. Mineral rights can significantly impact the value and management of an estate, and proper planning...more
August is “National Make-a-Will” Month, the perfect opportunity to seriously consider your estate plan. Many delay this crucial task due to common misconceptions about what an estate involves. Here, we delve deeper into what...more
The American housing market is grappling with escalating interest rates and limited inventory, pricing many Americans out of home ownership. Massachusetts’s senior Senator Elizabeth Warren seeks to address this issue in the...more
Most states provide a mechanism by which a beneficiary or other person interested in a trust or an estate may petition a Court asking the Court to order a fiduciary to account for his, her, or its actions and proceedings....more