Mamma Mia!: Common Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families
Once Removed Episode 38: The Legacy Mindset: What It Is and How to Build It
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
Estate planning is a crucial process for anyone looking to protect their family and assets, but for families with a loved one who has special needs, it requires additional considerations. Without proper planning, a...more
The Purple Reign… in Chaos: Netflix, Secrets, and the Fight Over Prince's Legacy...more
Especially in the beginning stages of building a family, legal documentation is not often top of mind. However, for young families, establishing a comprehensive estate plan is an important and proactive step toward...more
Careful planning for a loved one with disabilities is one of the most important and compassionate acts you can take as a parent or caregiver. It’s not just about securing their financial future, it’s about preserving their...more
On April 30, 2025, Katten hosted Loyola University Chicago's Family Business Center for the "Family Business Through a Legal Lens" program. Private Wealth Partner Adam Damerow and Loyola University Chicago School of Law...more
In Hooten v. Collins, a dispute arose between the trustee of a Texas trust and a beneficiary who resided overseas regarding the distribution of trust assets, which primarily consisted of real estate in Texas. No....more
The Restatement (Third) of Trusts, specifically §104, lists four general areas in which the beneficiary’s actions may lead to an assumption of internal liability to the trust estate: (1) A loan or advance to the beneficiary...more
In California, trustees have a fiduciary duty to act impartially and in the interest of all beneficiaries. But what happens when a trustee uses trust funds to finance litigation that benefits only certain beneficiaries—or...more
On May 21, 2025, David Johnson gave his presentation “Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow: Issues Arising From Trust Termination and Trustee Succession In Texas,” to the North Texas Estate Planning Council. This presentation...more
Have you been asked to be a trustee or executor? A trustee or executor has substantial financial and legal liability, and the trust or estate will pay an attorney to guide them through the process....more
In a recent decision, the Court of Appeals of Virginia upheld a lower court’s ruling that Kositzka, Wicks and Company (KWC) breached its fiduciary duty to Edward Joseph Ryan, awarding his estate $999,050 in damages, attorney...more
For parents of children with special needs, planning for the future goes far beyond drafting a will. One of the most complex — and important — pieces of the puzzle is ensuring that your retirement assets are distributed in a...more
Careful planning for the future of a loved one with disabilities is crucial. Consider using legal entities such as a special needs trust to protect their ability to qualify for government benefits while meeting their...more
As the landscape of HNW disputes remains increasingly complex — with cross-border disputes, challenges with tracing and valuating digital assets, contentious trusts, and privacy concerns playing larger roles — ACI's Inaugural...more
Under the SECURE Act, disabled beneficiaries can stretch out inherited retirement account distributions beyond 10 years, provided their life expectancy is longer than the default 10-year rule. Generally, an Applicable...more
May is mental health month, the perfect time to address this important topic. Mental health and substance abuse disorders affect many families. These issues need to be considered in estate planning. Mental health and...more
Your will is meant to ensure that your final wishes are honored. However, it can sometimes be contested, potentially leading to lengthy legal battles and financial disputes among your heirs. Understanding when and why a will...more
Liam Payne’s sudden and tragic death shocked the world—but what followed should concern anyone without an estate plan. Despite a $32 million fortune, the former One Direction star left no will, leaving behind a young son, an...more
The recent volatility in the stock market, ongoing trade wars, and talks of further increases to the federal debt ceiling have intensified concerns in recent months around economic uncertainty and the risk of recession. ...more
Some administered charitable gifts may qualify as “charitable trusts” under the Uniform Trust Code (UTC) and as “institutional funds” under the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA). An “institutional...more
On May 1, 2025, David F. Johnson presented his paper, “Trust Distributions in Texas,” to the Tarrant County Probate Bar Association. His presentation covered the construction of trusts, various distribution standards...more
In our estate planning practice, whether we are helping high-net worth individuals, family-owned business owners or young families, we urge all our clients to avoid these common pitfalls. If you carefully discuss the below...more
The May 2025 Section 7520 rate for use with estate planning techniques such as CRTs, CLTs, QPRTs and GRATs is 5.00%, which is the same as the April 2025 Section 7520 rate...more
In Estate of Richards, a probate court entered an order appointing a receiver of estate property. No. 11-23-00031-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 8626 (Tex. App.—Eastland December 12, 2024, no pet. history)....more
Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) offers business owners significant federal tax benefits of exclusion of up to $10 million or ten times the stock’s basis in capital gains, whichever is greater. The stock must be held for...more