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
As a bit of background, there is a distinction between probate assets and non-probate assets. Probate assets are distributed according to your will during a probate administration whereas non-probate assets are distributed...more
Divorce can be a challenging and emotionally draining experience, leaving individuals with numerous legal and personal matters to resolve. Amidst all the turmoil, it is vital for people to understand the significance of...more
Back on July 26 we wrote about how trusts have become a new territory within the divorce landscape. At the time the press was just starting to write about California Senator Diane Feinstein’s troubles with the trust her...more
I received a call recently from a colleague looking to refer a client for a divorce. Our firm had done estate planning for the client and spouse, thus we were not eligible to represent either party in a marital break up as...more
One of the most common questions we receive in our Estate Planning practice is “when do I need a personalized estate plan?” While there are many factors to consider, you will want a personalized estate plan when there is a...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
If you’re preparing to get remarried, your estate plan likely isn’t top of mind. However, depending on the state you live in, your spouse has property rights that apply regardless of the terms of your estate plan. These...more
Marriage has existed since the start of modern history and facilitates our most basic need to love and be loved. It is not surprising then that some of life’s biggest and hardest decisions involve marriage—should I marry and...more
Contrary to popular belief, truly effective estate planning entails all parts of your life, not just the end of it. The process requires reflection on deeply held beliefs about what is important to you, your expectations for...more
The increase in divorce rates in the U.S. has resulted in a greater number of blended families. Blended families tend to give rise to unique estate planning circumstances and opportunities. The following should be considered...more
The Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Newsletter compiles recent Trust & Estate cases. Brother Gets the Cat – and Not Much Else - Where the decedent left his brother his “beloved old cat” and a small sum of money, and...more
For many people, the first time they start thinking about an estate plan is when they start to have family members that depend on them financially – typically, a spouse or a child. Let’s take, for example, a young married...more
What is one of the things that kids from a first marriage worry about when their parent re-marries? The “evil” step-parent getting it all, of course. Many parents struggle with the problem of alleviating the fears of their...more
We all love our in-laws, right? (wink, wink) Shielding your hard-earned assets from a child’s spouse in the event of divorce is a critical component of your estate plan. Perhaps you love your son-in-law, but would prefer to...more
It’s advisable to review and update your estate plan with any change in personal circumstances, financial circumstances, changes in the law, or just the passage of an extended time. But if you’re in the midst of a divorce, or...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
In Naidoo v Discovery Life Limited & others (202/20170) ZASCA 88 (31 May 2018) the Supreme Court of Appeal was faced with the main task of determining whether a risk-only policy with a beneficiary clause constitutes an asset...more
So you have an estate plan? Good for you. You funded it? Even better. But have you updated it and your will in the last year? If you haven’t, your loved ones or favorite charities may be in for an unpleasant surprise. Your...more
On July 1, 2015, the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal held, with a few exceptions, upon entry of a final judgment of dissolution or annulment, any provision of a will that “affects” a former spouse is void under...more