Law Brief: Alexis Gruttadauria and Rich Schoenstein Discuss Why You Need an Estate Plan
Dying without a valid will in place is never a good idea. In the absence of your testamentary intent your assets are left to the whims of the current intestacy laws of the state in which you reside. In Maryland, those laws...more
The period after a spouse passes away is an emotional time of mourning. However, there are a handful of estate planning adjustments that you should make to protect your estate under the new conditions....more
I received a call recently from a colleague looking to refer a client for a divorce. Our firm had done estate planning for the client and spouse, thus we were not eligible to represent either party in a marital break up as...more
Granted, a QTIP trust is an odd sounding name for an estate planning technique. Nevertheless, it can be a valuable strategy, especially if you’re currently in a second marriage. The QTIP moniker is an acronym for the...more
People often ask “Why do I need a trust?” Some folks think they can get by with a simple will. Here is why you probably need more than that...more
The federal estate tax (sometimes called the death tax) is a one-time tax that is imposed at death. If you die with a certain dollar amount of assets, an estate tax return may be required and a tax may be due. If a return is...more
The death of a loved one or close friend is a traumatic experience. In addition to the emotional anguish, those who are charged with dealing with the decedent’s personal and financial affairs following death are often left...more
Even though reforms being debated by Congress could repeal the federal estate tax with certain modifications, state estate taxes might still siphon off hundreds of thousands of dollars regardless of what happens under federal...more
IRAs are meant to be used for retirement saving. However, if a person doesn’t need to tap into an IRA for income during retirement, he or she can preserve the assets as part of his or her estate, above and beyond what was...more
Protect multiple generations with a dynasty trust - Dynasty trusts have nothing to do with the popular soap opera from the 1980s, but everything to do with leaving a lasting legacy. Although this type of trust is often...more
Internal Revenue Service Temporarily Holding Off on Issuing New Regulations - The Internal Revenue Service is temporarily holding off on issuing new rules while evaluating the impact of executive orders from President...more
December Interest Rates for GRATs, Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts, Intra-Family Loans and Split Interest Charitable Trusts - The December § 7520 rate for use with estate planning techniques such as CRTs, CLTs, QPRTs...more
November Interest Rates for GRATs, Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts, Intra-Family Loans and Split Interest Charitable Trusts - The November Section 7520 rate for use with estate planning techniques such as CRTs, CLTs,...more