The Importance of Beneficiary Designations
The Secret Child
Estate Planning 101: The Five Most Important Clauses for Wills and Trusts
Ruder Ware's Elder Law Team Recognizes National Special Needs Law Month - Part 2
Everything You Need to Know About Beneficiary Designations
The Wonder Years - Rediscovering the Magic of Split Dollar Life Insurance
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
Perhaps you drafted your will years ago and it references many of your existing assets, including retirement plan accounts and life insurance policies. But you also have paperwork on file with the applicable financial...more
Conversations with loved ones who are declining in health and perhaps advancing in age are difficult. Such difficulty is only exacerbated when that loved one is losing their ability to make healthcare decisions on their own...more
Quick quiz – What do Michael Jackson, Prince, Heath Ledger, Amy Winehouse, Chadwick Boseman and Avicii have in common? Yes, they are all famous people who died unexpectedly at a fairly young age, but they have something else...more
Our attorneys field questions every day about the nuanced estate planning issues that arise due to a client's unique circumstances, but there also are many fundamental estate planning considerations that apply "across the...more
When you’re in the throes of a separation or divorce, it is easy to forget the importance of updating your will and your estate plan. With so much happening in the here and now, things like beneficiary designations and...more
This newsletter is intended to keep readers informed about developments in probate and fiduciary litigation in Massachusetts and New York. Intentional Interference and Unjust Enrichment Claims in Connection with a Trust...more
If you are single, you may not think you need to plan your estate, but single people are in as much need of a plan as anyone else. Estate planning not only involves determining where your assets will go when you die -- it...more
Estate planning is a team effort and the lineup of individuals and professionals that you choose for your team roster will determine the integrity of your plan for years to come. An all-star lineup for your estate plan should...more
My name is Attorney Jessica Merkel. As we shared earlier this month, October is Special Needs Law Month. Since this is part two of our two-part series, we wanted to recap that in our first part we shared with you some...more
In a youth-focused society, it is difficult to contemplate aging, let alone dying. Many young people assume, incorrectly, that estate planning is just for the elderly or the very wealthy. There are four reasons why everyone -...more
Divorce attorneys saw a wave of divorces last year due to the changes in the tax laws that took effect on January 1, 2019. If you were one of the masses whose divorce was finalized in 2018, now is the time to revise your...more
An estate planning rule of thumb is to review (and, if necessary, revise) one’s estate plan in light of major life events. Such events include a marriage, birth of a child and a divorce. A second marriage also calls for an...more
A power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents, but when one sibling is named in a power of attorney, there is the potential for disputes with other siblings. No matter which side you are on, it is...more
“Thinking too long about doing something is often the reason it never gets done.” –Everyday Life Lessons - In recent years, a growing number of Americans are deciding to cohabitate instead of getting married or...more