John Wick - What You Need To Know about the Corporate Transparency Act
Once Removed Episode 24: Expressing Goals and Intent for the Trust
Once Removed Episode 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
Once Removed Episode 20: Helping a Beneficiary Purchase a Home
Once Removed Episode 19: The Step-Transaction Doctrine and the Case of Smaldino
Next Generation Legacy Management - The Essence of Developing, Managing and Implementing a Plan for Future Generations
A Primer On Trusts - A Podcast with Janathan Allen
Once Removed Episode 13: It’s 5 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Will Is? A Lesson From Aretha Franklin
Charitable Bequests With Guest Stephanie Hood
Once Removed Episode 12: SLATs and the Case of McKim vs. McKim
Once Removed Episode 11: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, or SLATs
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: Family Office Technology Solutions
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: The Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act
What is a self-proving affidavit?
The Importance of Beneficiary Designations
Basics of Estate Planning
The Case of the Disappearing Trust
Protecting Your Estate Plan from Challenges: No-Contest Clause Explained
The Secret Child
Welcome to 'Splitting Heirs'
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
Without advance planning the task of determining an individual’s final wishes and administering a deceased’s estate can be time-consuming and expensive. Set out below is a summary of the various ways in which an individual...more
Taking the step to schedule a meeting with an estate planning attorney can be difficult. Many people procrastinate taking this important first step which can create problems for loved ones who may be unexpectedly left behind....more
When a loved one dies, the last thing you want to deal with is a lawsuit, or have your heirs inherit a lawsuit. After the death of a maternal or paternal figure that keeps the family together, tensions flare between siblings...more
Probate litigation can be a complicated and emotionally taxing process, especially in a state like New York known for its stringent probate laws. When disputes arise over the distribution of assets or the validity of a will,...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
Death is never an easy subject to discuss. No matter how many times it touches our lives, it never gets any easier. Every time a loved one is taken from us, the pain is fresh, and it lasts. Coupled with the pain is the stress...more
The estate-planning process can be stressful and unpleasant. Many people put drafting a will off because they don’t want to think about leaving their loved ones behind. In some cases, people think they don’t need an estate...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
With the exciting and long overdue news of the increase in the Massachusetts estate tax exemption from $1 million to $2 million for decedents dying on or after January 1, 2023, many Massachusetts residents have been left...more
In my practice, I am fortunate to serve clients in developing tailored estate plans as well as administering the estates of recently deceased loved ones. This dual perspective exposes some common pitfalls that can undermine...more
This is the time of year when folks are trying to find the perfect gifts for their loved ones and are also thinking about their New Year’s Resolutions. Wouldn’t it be great if these could be combined into one? An old Saturday...more
When thinking of creating an estate plan, here are a few things to consider before finalizing your final wishes: Should you create a Will or a Trust? The essential difference between a will and a trust is that a...more
Many people default to nominating a spouse or a child as personal representative of their estate or trustee of their trust, if they have one. However, when one has neither a spouse nor a child, who should one choose to fill...more
Next week is National Estate Planning Awareness Week. This week was designated by Congress in 2008 as a means to educate, and to remind, U.S. citizens about estate planning. In reality, its purpose is to encourage people to...more
Trusts are valuable tools frequently used to transfer wealth within families, preserve and protect wealth, and reduce taxes. Despite their common use, many people have only a limited understanding of what a trust is or how...more
Any estate planning professional will tell you everyone should have an estate plan. But we also understand that the whole process can feel a bit daunting—finding an estate planning attorney, getting organized, making...more
DURING YOUR LIFE - When preparing your estate plan, it is of utmost importance to ensure that you have documents in place so your spouse or another trusted individual can make medical and financial decisions on your...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
Estate planning involves managing the division and inheritance of an individual’s assets, which comprise their estate. A trusts and estates attorney deals with the protection of a client’s assets during their lifetime and the...more
The days and weeks immediately following the passing of a loved one can be extremely stressful and emotional. Arrangements must be made, and paperwork comes flooding in, all while you are coping with the loss and grief. This...more
Estate planning has a language of its own. While you may be familiar with common terms such as a will, a trust or an executor, you may not be as certain about others. For quick reference, here’s a glossary of terms you’re...more
SECURE 2.0 provides a boost to your retirement and estate plans - The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) expands on the changes made by the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act)....more