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 23: Naming Guardians for Minor Children
Once Removed Episode 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
Once Removed Episode 20: Helping a Beneficiary Purchase a Home
Life After Love Gone Wrong Podcast: Season 3, Episode 6 - Reshaping Your Legacy: Estate Planning After Your Divorce
Charitable Planning With Guest Stephanie Hood: Navigating Complex Rules and Traps for the Unwary
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
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
Taking the Sting Out of Death Taxes with Dylan Metzner, Jones & Keller
Basics of Estate Planning
The Case of the Disappearing Trust
Protecting Your Estate Plan from Challenges: No-Contest Clause Explained
The Secret Child
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
With continuing uncertainty regarding the federal estate tax laws, the Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT) is a popular option that helps high net-worth individuals maintain flexibility while maximizing their financial...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
On June 6, 2024, the Supreme Court held 9-to-0 in Connelly v. United States that company-owned life insurance increases the company’s fair market value for estate tax purposes, and the company’s obligation to redeem a...more
Dying without a valid will in place is never a good idea. In the absence of your testamentary intent your assets are left to the whims of the current intestacy laws of the state in which you reside. In Maryland, those laws...more
The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Thomas A. Connelly et al. v. United States has significant implications for certain closely held business owners. The decision is important especially for those with, or planning to buy,...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
Non-Americans who undertake estate and trust planning for their American citizen or resident family members should be aware of the unique tax issues that face Americans and consider these issues when doing their planning....more
In its recent decision in Connelly v. U.S., the U.S. Supreme Court held that life insurance proceeds received by a corporation to fund an obligation to purchase a deceased stockholder’s shares in the corporation must be...more
As AI increasingly becomes part of our everyday lives, individuals and families are exploring the use of AI programs to prepare estate plans. The answer to whether AI can be used for this purpose is, of course, yes. AI...more
According to some people, the bypass trust (sometimes referred to as a credit shelter trust) has gone the way of the dodo bird in the current estate tax environment. However, this “dinosaur” of a technique for married couples...more
If you are in the process of long-term estate planning or updating an existing estate plan, the process for passing assets and accounts to your heirs is about to become much more difficult and expensive. Presently, each...more
This CLE/CPE webinar will provide estate planners insight on recently issued IRS guidance regarding basis adjustments for irrevocable grantor trusts. The panelist will discuss key items and challenges stemming from Revenue...more
The estate tax is a tax on transferring assets from a deceased person to their heirs or beneficiaries. The federal estate tax in the United States is imposed on the transfer of the taxable estate of every decedent who is a US...more
Traditionally, real estate must pass through a deed signed by all grantees of the last vesting deed, or if one of the grantees has passed away, then a probate proceeding allows a court to transfer title for the deceased...more
A Beneficiary Intentionally Defective Irrevocable Trust (BIDIT) provides a unique planning opportunity because it allows a beneficiary to continue to benefit from his or her own assets while maintaining some level of control...more
Revocable trusts - Don’t forget to fund the trust throughout your lifetime - Many estate plans are built around revocable trusts (sometimes called “living trusts”). These trusts allow you to 1) avoid the time, expense...more
Welcome to EO Radio Show - Your Nonprofit Legal Resource. This week, Stephanie Hood returns as Cynthia Rowland's guest on the EO Radio Show. Stephanie is a key member of Farella's top-notch estate planning practice and...more
A recent Chief Counsel Advice issued by the IRS has been described by one team of estate planning experts as “the most important IRS ruling in a decade,” and it directly contradicts the prior IRS position on the issue. Should...more
You may have heard of Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATS) lately, especially if you have been thinking about using your federal estate and gift tax exemption before the current higher exemption amount of $13.61 million is...more
When we think about making plans to secure our future, generally the discussions revolve around education, career, family, and finances. Creating a comprehensive estate plan, including effective advanced directives, can elude...more
While many think that crafting an estate plan like a will or a trust is a relatively straightforward matter, numerous considerations go into making an effective estate plan to provide for your loved ones....more
Married couples: Joint or separate trusts? Revocable trusts are a key component of many estate plans. Among other things, these trusts allow you to minimize probate expenses, keep your financial affairs private and provide...more
The passing of a loved one is always a challenging time and navigating the financial implications of administering his or her estate can add yet another layer of complexity to an already emotional experience. Estate Taxes, in...more
In my practice, I am fortunate to serve clients in developing tailored estate plans as well as administering the estates of recently deceased loved ones. This dual perspective exposes some common pitfalls that can undermine...more