Most of us never look twice at the fine print of the frequent flier rewards program’s terms and conditions. The type is so small and there’s so much of it, but if you read it, you’d probably see language stating that any accumulated points are not transferable on death; however, some heirs have found that […]

An executor of an estate can easily get into trouble for not doing certain things, but an executor can also find themselves in trouble if they do certain things. An experienced estate planning attorney can help with navigating the do’s and don’ts of the executor’s tasks. There are no lack of guidelines to help an […]

Facebook offers a feature that will allow a designated person to have increased access to a Facebook account when its owner passes away. Facebook realizes there is a growing need to support those who are grieving the loss of a loved one and those who want a say in what happens to their account after […]

It is not unusual for wealthy parents to guide their children in their life choices while they are alive, and it’s also not unusual to control how heirs spend their inheritances. But using an inheritance as an incentive to reach specific benchmarks is a new one on us – and perhaps typical of the type […]

A trust that rewards heirs for desired behavior is known as an “incentive trust.” These kinds of trusts are popular among those who fear that their beneficiaries will not treat their inheritances with respect and are likely to waste vast amounts of resources. If you are considering setting up an incentive trust that will succeed, […]

Wealthy mining magnate Harry Magnuson thought that his estate plan was all settled, and it was, while he was alive. But his wife did not follow the plan he had created, and as a result, one of the Magnuson children is now suing his siblings over an inheritance. When Harry Magnuson and his wife Colleen […]

Estate taxes are seen by some as instruments of public policy, an attempt to fight economic inequality by diminishing the ability of wealthy families to aggregate vast amounts of wealth. Others see estate taxes as a “death tax” that penalizes those who are financially successful. Whatever your opinion, estate tax rates are still quite high […]

Owners who are personally and emotionally involved in their businesses, including farming operations, often consider what will happen to their businesses, farms, and business assets when they are no longer involved. Planning for the disposition of a business is different than estate planning. While many think they are the same process, they are really very […]

When a loved one has Alzheimer’s, advanced planning for legal and financial matters becomes even more important than in day-to-day estate planning. Ideally, planning well in advance, before the disease has taken a toll on the person’s cognitive abilities, may give them an opportunity to express their wishes for their care. The debilitating nature of […]

When a man who had remarried passed away, his children were less upset about his leaving everything to their stepmother than they were about her decision to liquidate the family home and furnishings. Rather than give the children an opportunity to enjoy things that had special meaning to them, she took the position that they could […]