Mixed-Nativity Marriages in the U.S. American has long been referred to as a melting pot, and with good reason. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 11.4 million married-couple households, or 21 percent of all married-couple households in America in 2011, had at least one spouse born in another country. About 13 percent (7.3 million) of households had two foreign-born spouses, and 7 percent (4.1 million) had one native-born and one foreign-born spouse. Of the couples with one native-born … [Read more...] about How Can a QDOT Trust Protect My Spouse?
Estate Planning
Actors Receive Bequests From “Friend”
Exactly what the definition of a "friend" is may vary from person to person. Most individuals would say that you can't be friends with someone that you have never met (Manti Te'o and Lennay Kekua notwithstanding). Whatever your opinions on the matter may be, a man who passed away in Illinois last summer left behind everything that he owned to a pair of individuals that he considered to be his friends though he had never met them in person. He did see them frequently on the television … [Read more...] about Actors Receive Bequests From “Friend”
Preparing for Your Consultation with an Estate Planning Lawyer
If you have finally decided to sit down with an experienced estate planning attorney to get started on your estate plan, you have made a wise choice. As you undoubtedly realize, a well thought out estate plan can protect you, your assets, and your loved ones throughout the course of your lifetime and beyond. If you have never worked on an estate plan before, however, it can be a little intimidating to think about doing so. You may not be sure what to expect from your initial consultation with … [Read more...] about Preparing for Your Consultation with an Estate Planning Lawyer
Alzheimer’s Induced Dementia Quite Common Among Seniors
A well constructed, comprehensive estate plan should take all the eventualities of aging into consideration. Unfortunately, one of these is the possibility of becoming incapacitated at some point in time. There are a number of different ways that an individual can become incapacitated as we all know, but there is one culprit that is extremely attention-getting when you look at the statistics. Alzheimer's disease strikes at a surprisingly high rate. One of the best resources online for … [Read more...] about Alzheimer’s Induced Dementia Quite Common Among Seniors
Is Your DIY will a Recipe for Disaster?
Despite the fact that everyone should have a Last Will and Testament, fewer than half of us actually do. Of those, many have wills that they put together on their own – either from scratch or by using various inexpensive toolkits or cheap downloadable forms from the internet. On the surface, it might seem that those wills would be as valid and effective as any other, and eminently more affordable than hiring an attorney to create the document. In reality, however, self-created wills often … [Read more...] about Is Your DIY will a Recipe for Disaster?
Challenging a Last Will
There are two sides to consider when you think about the subject of last will challenges. The first thought that may come to mind is that some disgruntled party is unwilling to accept the final wishes of a deceased individual. To prevent successful challenges when you know that there could be those who are not happy with your decisions you should explain your concerns to your estate planning attorney. He or she will gain an understanding of the situation and take this into consideration when … [Read more...] about Challenging a Last Will
Comprehensive Latter Life Planning
Many people look forward anxiously to their retirement years and they plan ahead accordingly so that they have the financial resources that they need to make the most of all their free time. And of course we are all aware of the need for estate planning, and those who have retired or are going to be retiring in the near future are generally going to have an estate plan in place. This having been stated it is important to remember the fact that there is more to your post-work years than the … [Read more...] about Comprehensive Latter Life Planning
Preparing for Coronavirus
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is spreading in the United States and across the globe. Learn what steps you can take to prepare yourself and help prevent its spread. Read on to learn more. … [Read more...] about Preparing for Coronavirus
Effective Asset Protection and Your Trust Attorney
While nearly everyone understands the important of accumulating assets over the course of a lifetime of work, fewer grasp the importance of protecting those hard-won assets. However, the protection of assets is every bit as important as earning them and managing them over time. Without that protection, your assets could fall prey to future unanticipated creditors, lawsuits, or even bankruptcy. The good news is that there are strategies and tools that can help you to secure those assets. To … [Read more...] about Effective Asset Protection and Your Trust Attorney
Will My Heirs Receive Their Inheritances Shortly After I Pass?
You would do well to take every angle into consideration when you are putting your estate plan together. If you act in an informed manner, your heirs will receive their bequests shortly after you pass away. Conversely, if you do not take the right steps, a waiting game may ensue after you are gone Estate Administration Process You may be under the impression that the legal device called a last will is the simplest and most efficient estate planning tool. Trusts may seem like something that … [Read more...] about Will My Heirs Receive Their Inheritances Shortly After I Pass?
