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
For many individuals new to estate planning, particularly younger couples, there is something almost taboo when you start to discuss a revocable trust: does that mean our children will be trust fund babies?...more
Creating a last will and testament is the first step in creating an estate plan – a critical planning tool to ensure that your wishes are honored and that your loved ones are cared for after your death....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 the first 10 minutes of Netflix’s The Gentleman, the grieving heirs of Archibald Horniman are shocked when it is revealed that he has left his sizeable estate almost entirely to his second-born son, to the exclusion of his...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
Sharing is caring - How much should you tell your loved ones about your estate plan? After you’ve created your estate plan, it’s important to consider how much information you should disclose to your loved ones about...more
When someone passes away, their family members are often left responsible for handling the decedent’s property – both real and intangible. Many difficulties come with handling the decedent’s intangible property, such as bank...more
Once upon a time, I was a young newlywed. My spouse and I always assumed that because we had no money, no kids, and were married, we were each other’s heirs. We had numerous conversations about how neither of us needed a will...more
The changing landscape of American families has resulted in new laws that expand who may be considered your child or grandchild. A recent Connecticut law, known as The Connecticut Parentage Act (the “Act”), may impact your...more
In a unanimous decision filed Monday, November 20, 2023, the Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed a district court opinion that limits medical assistance claims against estates to only the amount of long-term-care services...more
Axios published an article this week about what it terms the “growing acceptance” of prenuptial agreements. The sum of the article is based on a Harris poll reporting that 50% of those interviewed support the idea of couples...more
If you had to say where your will is located right now, could you? Despite the importance of that document, many clients are not sure where the original is located. In this episode, Steve discusses the case of Aretha...more
Mary Goodblood grew up believing that she was the only daughter of Cash Goodblood. One day, 25 years after Cash died, and to no one’s surprise after the lucrative sale of the Goodblood family business was plastered on the...more
Funding long-term care expenses: What are your options? Few things can derail your estate plan as quickly as unanticipated long-term care (LTC) expenses. Most people will need some form of LTC — such as a nursing home or...more
Your will is designed to provide for the disposition of your possessions and tie up any loose ends in your estate. To accomplish these goals, you may include specific bequests to named beneficiaries. For example, you might...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
It is a common misconception that if a person has a will, there will be no need for court proceedings upon their death. In Massachusetts, however, a will must always be admitted to probate, a process requiring various forms...more
For so many of us, pets are part of the family. Everywhere you go, people bring their dogs along these days; and many pets, such as birds and tortoises, have long life spans. ...more
As an Estate, Wealth & Succession attorney, I often assist individuals with a variety of matters ranging from basic estate plans to more complex business succession arrangements. Frequently, when assisting families with...more
Occasionally, you may receive conflicting advice from two people – both people you trust, both skilled in their fields. How do you decide what to do?...more
WHAT IS CRYPTOCURRENCY? Cryptocurrency is a digital asset that is created and traded online. Miners (computer operators) establish new units of digital currency and record them on a blockchain, a string of verified public...more
When you're planning a wedding, discussing a prenuptial agreement with your soon-to-be spouse may not seem exciting or may even feel uncomfortable. Yet, no one knows what the future holds, and a prenuptial agreement can...more
It is very difficult for many of us to acknowledge that death is, eventually, a certainty for all of us. It’s a topic we’d like to avoid altogether, and it’s something we often avoid planning for because to plan for death is...more
Like many of you, in 2020 we turned to a range of media to soothe our moods and pass the time while in quarantine. The lawyers in our Wealth Planning, Administration, and Disputes Group went so far as to build our annual CLE...more
November 2020 Interest Rates for GRATs, Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts, Intra-Family Loans and Split Interest Charitable Trusts AFRs - Certain federal interest rates increased slightly for November of 2020, while...more