How to Handle Savings Bonds in Estate Planning and at Death A savings bond is defined as “debt security issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to help pay for the U.S. government’s borrowing needs.” In effect, when you buy a savings bond, you are loaning the U.S. government money which is repaid with [...]
Assisted Reproductive Technology And The Real Impact On Estate Planning According to data provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 2 percent of all infants born in the United States (83,946 in 2019) were conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART).. ART is defined by the CDC as all fertility treatments in which both [...]
Special Estate Planning Considerations for Art and Other Collections Many people have collections about which they are quite passionate: The collections may be very valuable, for example, art collections, coins, stamps, or designer handbags, or they may have more sentimental than monetary value, such as political bumper stickers, postcards, or rocks. Regardless of its dollar [...]
Caught in the Undertow: How No Estate Plan (or a Bad One) Could Leave Your Family Overwhelmed Many people love to spend part of their summer vacation at the beach, enjoying the ocean and sunshine. But there may be unseen dangers that are crucial for beach goers to keep in mind: For example, the undertow [...]
Things to Be Aware of When Administering a Hoarder's Estate Hoarding is more than just being a bit messy (or buying a six-month supply of toilet paper): It is actually a mental disorder causing some people to have difficulty discarding items, regardless of their value, and to experience severe distress even at the thought of [...]
State Estate and Inheritance Taxes: Does Your State Have Them, What Are They, and How Should You Plan for Them The federal gift and estate tax exclusion is currently very high—$11.58 million for an individual and $23.16 million for a married couple in 2020. As a result, only very wealthy people currently need to be [...]
Four Reasons Your Will May Be Contested in Court Having an updated last will and testament is more important than ever, especially now. However, a will that is poorly created or not frequently updated can be vulnerable to contestation. What is contestation? It is the formal objection to a will’s (or trust’s) validity because it [...]
How To Create a Valid Will in Arizona In light of the current pandemic, many Americans are becoming aware of the importance of creating or updating their estate planning documents. With the extension of some states’ stay in place orders, it may be tempting to create your own documents all on your own. Whether you [...]
Don’t Risk it: Protect Your Finances From Coronavirus Complications Many Americans spend a lot of time and effort in managing their finances. While most are worried about how the coronavirus (COVID-19) will impact their income—whether that’s because they are temporarily furloughed, find themselves suddenly without a job, or watching their investment and retirement accounts dwindle—there [...]
Preparing for Coronavirus: The #1 Legal Document Every Adult Needs to Have As the coronavirus continues to disrupt daily life and leave Americans uncertain of the future, you don’t have to feel helpless during this pandemic. In fact, now is a great time to be proactive and plan ahead should you or a loved one [...]
