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Estate Planning Spouses

Estate Planning is a process where individuals prepare or plan for the settlement of their personal affairs in the event of incapacitation or death. Estate plans typically include provisions relating to the... more +
Estate Planning is a process where individuals prepare or plan for the settlement of their personal affairs in the event of incapacitation or death. Estate plans typically include provisions relating to the disposition of assets, guardianship of minor children, and appointment of representatives to make medical and financial decisions. Effective estate planning can decrease tax liability and facilitate the probate process.  less -
Dickinson Wright

Ontario Court of Appeal Clarifies Limitation Periods for Loans, Gifts, and Estate Claims

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The question of when a lawsuit can be commenced in Ontario seems pretty straightforward – in general, a plaintiff has two years from the date when the basis for a claim is (or should have been) discovered. It sounds simple...more

Winstead PC

Court Reversed A Summary Judgment On Whether A Power Of Attorney Agent For A Settlor Had The Authority To Change The Designation...

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In Bass v. Bogle, settlors, husband and wife, created a trust that owned the majority interest in a closely-held business, and they had two children. No. 03-23-00319-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 5034 (Tex. App.—Austin July 18,...more

DarrowEverett LLP

The Effect of Choice of Law Provisions in Prenuptial Agreements

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When wedding bells are ringing, the last thing most couples want to think about is the possibility of death or divorce. However, for those entering long-term relationships or preparing for marriage, prenuptial agreements can...more

Bowditch & Dewey

Beniffer is benefinished…and didn’t have a prenup!

Bowditch & Dewey on

Prenuptial agreements are not just for celebrities, but the messiness that follows a celebrity divorce filing often puts prenuptial agreements in the spotlight. Here are five reasons why Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez (J-Lo)...more

Lerch, Early & Brewer

Why Do Couples Need Prenuptial Agreements?

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The case for couples to get (or at least strongly consider) a prenuptial agreement is simple: it is much easier to get into a marriage than it is to get out of one. ...more

Brooks Pierce

Changing Laws Present Unique Estate Planning Opportunities for Married Couples

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Today’s federal estate and gift tax laws may be remembered as the most generous to wealthy families since the Great Depression. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) doubled the federal estate, gift, and generation skipping...more

Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig PLLC

The Strategy Behind Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATS)

With continuing uncertainty regarding the federal estate tax laws, the Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT) is a popular option that helps high net-worth individuals maintain flexibility while maximizing their financial...more

Bowditch & Dewey

Remember to Adjust Your Estate Plan During or After a Divorce

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Married couples often have wills naming one another as their primary beneficiary. People also often name their spouse as beneficiary of retirement accounts and life insurance policies. Upon commencing a divorce action,...more

Lasher Holzapfel Sperry & Ebberson PLLC

Importance of Beneficiary Designations in Estate Planning

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

Fleurinord Law PLLC

The Importance of Estate Planning for LGBTQ+ Couples in Texas and Florida

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The landscape of marriage in the United States has transformed significantly, particularly for same-sex couples, following pivotal legal battles that sought to recognize their right to marry. Understanding the nuances of...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

Managing Das Haus in a Second Marriage Estate Plan

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So, you have remarried. Perhaps it has been 30 months; maybe 30 years. When you got together the guy/girl moved into your crib. It’s always been titled in your name and it’s the house you got in your divorce from No. 1. Now...more

Allen Barron, Inc.

What is Known as the IRS Survivor’s Penalty?

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What is known as the IRS survivor’s penalty, and is there anything that can be done to provide for a surviving spouse as we age? The “survivor’s penalty” is the likelihood that a surviving spouse will face higher federal and...more

Ward and Smith, P.A.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight? Estate Planning for Couples

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Let's be honest.  Legal documents are not written in anyone's love language.  On Valentines Day, we undoubtedly would prefer to exchange thoughtful presents, enjoy an intimate meal with our significant other, or blush at the...more

Winstead PC

Court Reverses Summary Judgments On The Alleged Exercise Of A Power Of Appointment, Disclaimer, And The Statute Of Limitations

Winstead PC on

In In re Estate of Wells, No. 12-23-00066-CV, 2023 Tex. App. LEXIS 8475 (Tex. App.—Tyler November 8, 2023, no pet. history). The testator left a will that created a trust for his wife and descendants, named his wife as the...more

Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP

What You Need to Know About Prenuptial Agreements: Part 2 – Considerations Before Entering into a Prenuptial Agreement

Prenuptial agreements (or “Prenups” as they tend to be referred to colloquially) tend to have an unfair reputation as a societal matter. Indeed, it’s not uncommon for critics of prenuptial agreements to view them as the most...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

Appellate Division Holds that Newly Enacted Statute to Close the Black Hole Applies Retroactively

Fox Rothschild LLP on

Last week, I blogged about the new statute that closed the block hole that existed when a party who held most or all of the assets died during while a divorce was pending. Specifically, the new statute permits the court to...more

DarrowEverett LLP

Time to Step Up? Florida’s Community Property Trust Act Worth A Look

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Unknown to many Floridians, Florida enacted the Community Property Trust Act which went into effect on July 1, 2021, and established the ability to convert non-community property into community property. The community...more

Winstead PC

Colorado Case Holds That A Beneficiary’s Lifestyle Is Judged At The Time That The Settlor Dies Or When The Trust Becomes...

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In Reece Trust v. Reece, a husband created a trust for his wife, and they then began divorce proceedings. No. 22CA1393, 2023 COA 89, 2023 Colo. App. LEXIS 1456 (Colo. App. September 28, 2023)....more

Stark & Stark

The Crucial Importance of Updating Documents After Divorce

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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

Kerr Russell

Recently Married? Consider These Steps To Protect Your Future

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In Michigan, the process for an individual to take their spouse’s last name is fairly simple, but does require taking action with both the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Michigan Secretary of State. The first...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

Divorce Ambivalence Can Come at a Hefty Price

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When I first read the precedential ruling of the Pennsylvania Superior Court in Shell v. Shell, I really didn’t find it noteworthy enough to write about. This is a case where a spouse discovered that her husband was moving...more

Winstead PC

Court Reversed Summary Judgment And Held That There Was A Fact Issue On Whether The Testator Had Mental Capacity To Execute A Will

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In Castello v. Ex’r of the Est. of Castello, the decedent died leaving a will that left his property to his wife “for life” and then to his three children by a prior marriage. No 03-22-00012-CV 2023 Tex. App. LEXIS 4454 (Tex....more

Burns & Levinson LLP

Does My Spouse Have Any Claim to My gifted or Inherited Assets in Our Divorce?

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The answer to this question is: it depends. In general, all assets in either party’s name or in which either party has a beneficial interest at the time of the divorce are subject to division in the overall division of...more

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC

[Webinar] My Will and My Divorce: Protecting Your Assets From Your Ex - September 26th, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET

During the divorce process, one often overlooked area is updating your estate plan. Divorce can impact beneficiary designations on life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and other assets and can also have tax...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

Terms of Estrangement: Should Your Estate Documents Be “Saying More.”

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Beginning in 2020 a new topic entered the estate planning world based on studies done at Cornell University. Cornell started what they call a “Family Reconciliation Project” and in 2021 they published data indicating that in...more

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