When a loved one dies, it is an emotional time accompanied by confusion on what happens next. If you are named as the successor trustee, you likely haven’t had any experience dealing with the steps you need to take in settling your loved one’s…

  THE LIVING TRUST For most of my clients, at the center of their estate plan sits a document known as a “living trust.” Sometimes, attorneys will create separate living trusts for spouses, and sometimes joint trusts, depending…

You probably aren’t surprised to learn that all attorneys are not created equal, which makes trying to find the right one an important, yet hard, decision. There are two kinds of lawyers in this country: general purpose and special purpose.…

Understanding Long-Term Care Addressing the potential threat of long-term care expenses may be one of the biggest financial challenges for individuals who are developing a retirement strategy.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services…

 Your Children with Disabilities Will Become Ineligible for Benefits... Unless You Act! Parents of children with mental or physical disabilities face a variety of challenges in ensuring their children can successfully navigate life with…

Is the AB Trust Still Part of Your Estate Plan? Should It Be? An AB trust is a joint trust commonly created by a married couple to minimize estate taxes prior to the considerable increase in federal estate tax exemption. This trust is funded…

Proposition 13: How Not to Lose it Proposition 13 has saved many homeowners from losing their homes by keeping property taxes low. Passed by voters in 1978, Proposition 13 lowered property taxes to 1% (from 2.67%) of the full value of the…

An estate plan is important for people of all ages and wealth levels. Yet many people avoid estate planning because they do not want to think about the end of life, the possibility of failing health, or potential for an unfortunate disability.…

The Benefits of a 529 Education Savings Plan Named after a section of the tax code enacted two decades ago, 529 education savings plans are a tax-advantaged plan that encourages parents to save money for their children’s education. Although…