Mamma Mia!: Common Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families
Financial Planning Tips for the Sandwich Generation with Sherry Finkel Murphy
Once Removed Episode 38: The Legacy Mindset: What It Is and How to Build It
Once Removed Episode 13: It’s 5 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Will Is? A Lesson From Aretha Franklin
The Case of the Laughing Heirs
The Secret Child
Welcome to 'Splitting Heirs'
Ruder Ware's Elder Law Team Recognizes National Special Needs Law Month - Part 2
Law Brief: Alexis Gruttadauria and Rich Schoenstein Discuss Why You Need an Estate Plan
Inheritance Data - Digital Planning Podcast
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
Blending families often introduce unique dynamics. In addition to the day-to-day challenges and opportunities that blended families create, there is also careful planning to consider when creating or updating an estate plan....more
Dear Jonathan: Based on my research, I feel like I’m pretty well versed in what I am supposed to do when it comes to creating an estate plan for myself. Everything I have read says that I should have a will, powers of...more
Looking for a way to stop family arguments over politics? Well, who isn’t. A quick way to derail a familial political scuffle: Quietly announce that you want to talk about your will. The silence should be automatic. It’s...more
The North Carolina Court of Appeals’ recent decision on December 3, 2024 in Abitol v. Clark highlights the critical role of clear drafting in estate planning and raises novel legal questions regarding the inheritance rights...more
Estate planning is an essential process which can ensure that your wealth is distributed appropriately after you pass. Every estate planning attorney’s goal is to assist clients to protect their assets, instead of allowing...more
Loan or gift? Handle intrafamily transfers with care - If you’re like most people, an important goal of estate planning is to provide financial assistance to your children or other loved ones, ideally at the lowest...more
National Estate Planning Awareness week was adopted in 2008 by the House of Representatives to help the public understand the importance of estate planning. In honor of National Estate Planning Week, we wanted to highlight a...more
HBO’s The Gilded Age dramatizes the privileged lives of some of America’s wealthiest families in late 19th century New York City. In U.S. history, the Gilded Age covers the 1870s to the late 1890s. Rapid economic growth...more
Today on “Splitting Heirs,” host Warren Racusin speaks with Molefi McIntosh and Mavis Gragg about the “heirs’ property problem--” or what happens to real estate when it is passed down within families without benefit of a...more
Individuals are often interested in ways to transfer their assets at death without having those assets go through a probate proceeding. Those same individuals are also often interested in accomplishing this without having to...more
The aging population is expected to transfer $30 trillion in the coming years, per Forbes. According to the Survey of Consumer Finances, the median inheritance is $69,000; the median for trust fund wealth transfers is...more
When considering an estate plan, clients who own firearms should remember that very often, their firearms require special consideration and planning, particularly given the intricacies of federal, state, and local gun laws...more
There may have been a time in your life when you had a piggy bank for your child – a fun and interactive way for you to teach money management, patience, and basic math. The money went in, but it was often difficult to...more
People often assume that if their estate isn’t taxable, they don’t need to have an estate plan. In 2023, a Massachusetts estate tax return must be filed if the value of the deceased person’s gross estate exceeds $1 million. A...more
Rising rates spark interest in charitable remainder trusts - If you wish to leave a charitable legacy while generating income during your lifetime, a charitable remainder trust (CRT) may be a viable solution. In addition...more
You’ve received an inheritance: Now what? If you’ve received, or will soon receive, a significant inheritance, it may be tempting to view it as “found money” that can be spent freely. But unless your current financial plan...more
Many parents or grandparents with sizable amounts of money to pass on to their heirs are apprehensive about the effect it many have on their children or grandchildren. In some instances, they fear that the recipients will...more
Zachary Young is a private professional fiduciary with CMY Fiduciary Services in Sacramento. His mother, Carolyn M. Young, began work as a fiduciary in 1986. Zach received his bachelor’s degree in business and communications...more
While Disneyland may be the “Happiest Place on Earth,” a California probate court may be the opposite for a Disney heir, mused the U.S. Court of Appeals in Lund v. Cowan (9th Cir. 2021) ___ F.3d ___. Bradford Lund, a 50...more
According to recent statistics, four out of every ten families are blended families. As you might expect, estate planning for blended families is often complicated. Proper planning requires not only careful financial and...more
Generally, estate planning advisors recommend that you be upfront with family members about how you plan to divide your assets. For example, you might hold a family meeting or write a letter to accompany your will. However,...more
As we enter the New Year, it’s a good time to revisit your estate plan. The big question is whether your will, trust, power of attorney, and advance health care directive accomplish your personal objectives. Guidance from an...more
Many California trust and estate disputes involve the allocation of real estate amongst several beneficiaries. Mom and Dad, may they rest in peace, owned an upscale home in the Fab 40s neighborhood of East Sacramento, a sweet...more
After creating and implementing a plan for your estate, it is important to regularly revisit your plan to ensure that it is still reflective of your values and goals for passing along your legacy. Seemingly small changes in...more