“Estate planning is the process of transferring the management of your assets, if and when you are unable to manage them yourself due to disability or death. Whether you have $100 or $100 million you should have an estate plan.” Continue reading

“The probate process refers to court proceedings that you have to go through when a loved one passes on and have left an asset in their name.” Continue reading

“Retiring ahead of schedule may seem like a dream, but it is doable with the proper planning. Depending on when you were born, the normal retirement age is currently 66 or 67. If you’re planning to retire five, 10, or even 15 years early, one of the most important things to consider is how to make your savings last for the long haul.” Continue reading

“Received an inheritance of cash, investments, or property? Here are four ways that can help you keep it from being swallowed up by taxes.” Continue reading

“September is the most common birth month of the year. It's also a good time for new parents to think about the financial side of their parental responsibilities.” Continue reading

“When Pablo Picasso died in 1973 at the age of 91, he left behind about 45,000 works of art – so many that it would take the entire Empire State Building to display them all at the same time – and yet he didn't leave a will.” Continue reading

“Unfortunately, due to hidden resentments, siblings still tend to end up in court suing each other and losing great chunks of their inheritance in the process all too frequently.” Continue reading

“A will itself is a legal document that describes the process of splitting up one’s personal property and possessions among family and loved ones.” Continue reading

“Tenancy by the entirety, commonly abbreviated as TBE, is an ownership structure for real estate that's used when the owners are a married couple. Under a TBE arrangement, each spouse owns an equal interest in the property, and the property will transfer seamlessly to the surviving spouse, in the event of one spouse's death.” Continue reading

“When creating an estate plan, it may be necessary to name a trustee to handle your assets.” Continue reading

“A will is just one of several legal documents that help your loved ones know your end-of-life wishes.” Continue reading

“A fiduciary is someone who manages property or money on behalf of someone else. When you become a fiduciary, the law requires you to manage the person’s assets for their benefit—and not your own.” Continue reading

“I am a resident of Florida. I would like to leave my condo in Florida to my friend’s daughter, who I consider my stepdaughter, after my death. She is a resident of New Jersey and they would use the condo as a vacation home. Will she be considered my daughter for tax purposes, and which state’s tax laws will count?” Continue reading

“Can you imagine a millennial with a china hutch?” Continue reading

“Small businesses are often caught up in growth cycles, profits, and ensuring that products arrive to consumers on time. The life of a small business owner is a hectic one with many owners failing to follow basic estate planning and business law practices.” Continue reading

“If you are like many moderately successful Americans, chances are you are worth more dead than alive. In many cases a lot more.” Continue reading

“It is also important to realize that it isn’t merely “why” you are updating your will, but “when” you are updating that can make all the difference. Acting too late (or too early) may mean your changes are no longer appropriate or even immediately invalidated.” Continue reading

“If you have updated your estate plan during the COVID-19 crisis and even found a way to sign your documents while maintaining social distance, do not overlook the last step of trust funding.” Continue reading

“Talking about death makes most of us uncomfortable, so we don't plan for it. That's a big mistake because if you don't have an end-of-life plan, your state's laws decide who gets everything you own. A doctor you've never met could decide how you spend your last moments, and your loved ones could be saddled with untangling an expensive legal mess after you die.” Continue reading

“We found that COVID-19 had a significant impact on Americans' sense of personal readiness, with 65% saying that coronavirus made them realize the importance of sharing important information with family. Around the same amount of people (64%) noted that planning for the future was more important than ever, and half (50%) said the pandemic made them realize how unprepared they were for a serious emergency.” Continue reading

“While some celebrities have mustered up a fortune of their own - whether it be through their acting careers or foray into creating signature perfumes - some of Hollywood's biggest names are actually the heiresses to even bigger players in the entertainment world and beyond.” Continue reading

“All real estate investors need to consider what to do with all of their real estate assets when estate planning. After all, the last thing you want is to have your will end up in probate court where it could be years before your estate settles. With that in mind, here are some options on how to include real estate investments in your will.” Continue reading

“James Brown died on Christmas Day 2006. However, almost 15 years later, litigation over his estate rages on. The Godfather of Soul had bequeathed the majority of his assets to underprivileged students in South Carolina and Georgia, but not a single scholarship has been given, pointed out Donald W. Beatty, Chief Justice of South Carolina’s Supreme Court.” Continue reading

“Death is not a favorite conversation topic. However, we all know it is something we must at some point discuss. The loss of a close friend or family member, or an event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, seems to bring the topic to the forefront.” Continue reading

“Even in our topsy-turvy world of coronavirus chaos, one thing stands firm: thou shall not sell old Emmy awards on the open market.” Continue reading