For living trusts, the person or people who set them up are usually named the initial trustees, but after that, there needs to be a successor trustee. Think carefully about who you would want to take on these responsibilities. When the first spouse dies, the surviving spouse usually becomes the…
If you plan on leaving the family home to your heirs when you die, be aware of the tax liabilities that are associated with inheriting a house. This is the type of estate planning decision that requires a closer look with an estate planning attorney to evaluate the pros and…
Blending a family is not an easy task, but doing so successfully can create a new and strong family unit. Among the challenges are how to blend finances. Blended families are no longer limited to television sitcoms. The Pew Research Center reports that 41% of all Americans have at least…
Unintended consequences can occur when dividing up real property, which is often harder to distribute than investment accounts or savings accounts. Planning for real property division must take into account the different circumstances of your heirs. You may have envisioned a time in the future, when your children and grandchildren…
An estate plan does a lot more than distribute your assets among family members and organizations that share your values. It also protects you and your loved ones. That’s why everyone needs an estate plan, especially if you have minor children. It’s amazing that some people still think they don’t…
Britney Spears five dogs enjoy the same quality of life as she does, but without a pet trust, if anything happened to her, their lavish lifestyle would be at risk. Pet trusts are no longer the exclusive province of the rich and famous, but a recent article in Trust Advisor…
At last, a happy ending for the estate of the late Veronica Shoemaker, a community activist who made service the heart of her life and business. With the conclusion of the estate battle, Mattie Young, the daughter of the late Veronica Shoemaker, will now be able to keep her mother’s…
Some states are cheaper to die in than others, that is, when it comes to death taxes. The average American doesn’t have to worry too much about paying a federal estate tax, as the current federal estate tax exemption is a generous $5.49 million for 2017 and twice that if…
With many tech companies, universities and businesses, North Carolina has become home to many resident aliens who contribute greatly to the state’s growth. Estate planning requires special knowledge of non-citizen tax rules. More than $1 billion in annual foreign direct investment gives North Carolina’s private sector employment a huge boost,…
Legal battles that lasted longer than the marriage, continue to plague the daughter of a real estate investor. A court action brought by a young woman, whose mother devoted nine years to gaining control of her trust fund, is now trying to free herself from her mother’s financial grip. Her…