The estate tax, enacted 100 years ago on September 8, 1915, when revenue was needed to fight a war, is a polarizing tax with enemies and friends on both sides of a big divide. One would think that any tax or law that makes it to the hundred year mark must be a good tax […]

We love to plan happy events – vacations, weddings, backyard parties. Planning for your eventual demise doesn’t have the same appeal. Yet if you want to at least try to have some hand in your last years, months, days or even hours of life, planning is the way to go. Experts who deal with end-of-life […]

It’s been nearly ten years since litigation over the James Brown estate. Funding from his “I Feel Good” trust, has yet to make its way to needy students in North Carolina and Georgia because of several will contests. One last issue – the value of the estate, which is the $95 million dollar question. The […]

It makes sense to have family members at the helm of charitable family foundations. After all, who knows better what the family members intended? The IRS doesn’t see it that way. To avoid IRS scrutiny, here are some common pitfalls to keep in mind. Ensuring that the goals of the family foundation are met is […]

The IRS is typically delighted to accept immediate payment for monies owed, in any form of U.S. currency. But for those who owe the IRS vast sums of money (maybe because of poor estate planning?), a new policy is likely to make this already painful transaction more challenging. In the modern grocery store, scanners are […]

Estate planning attorneys were told that several new reporting requirements would go into effect in August, but the IRS was not quite ready to actually implement their own new rules. These new requirements have now been officially postponed, giving estate planning attorneys and their clients more time to prepare for the changes. In an unusual […]

The stories of family relationships destroyed by the lack of wills or unfair distribution of assets are heartbreaking. Despite all evidence to the contrary, people somehow think that their adult children will be special and manage to work things out. This is rarely the case. A recent article in Marketwatch’s Moneyologist column, “What to do […]

In the past, one would have to go to local court offices to research old wills, using microfiche machines dating back a few decades themselves. But today, millions of wills, from regular people and historic figures, are now searchable online. Wills offer a treasure trove of information about individuals and a window into the past. […]

The estate sale has moved from a do-it-yourself enterprise into a big business. Seniors eager to empty their nests before their kids do it, as well as heirs who just don’t want to deal with the accumulations of a lifetime, are turning to estate sale professionals. But don’t forget that your estate plan is as […]

The growing popularity of Pet Trusts in the United States is further proof that as a nation we love our pets and consider them members of our families, even if they have fur, whiskers, or in this case, feathers. It’s one thing to love your pets. And owning 32 of any animal larger than a […]