Category Archives: Estate Planning
Surprise! You Cannot Easily Disinherit Your Spouse
Believe it or not, it is not easy to disinherit your spouse in the United States. In many states and the District of Columbia, you cannot intentionally disinherit your spouse unless your spouse agrees to receive nothing from your estate in a prenuptial, postnuptial, or other marital agreement. However, the same is not true for other… Read More »
Is an Income-Tax Time Bomb Lurking in Your Estate Plan?
As the federal estate tax exemption has ballooned from $5 million in 2011 to $13.99 million today, the need for estate tax planning has drastically decreased. However, with a top marginal income tax rate of 37 percent, the focus of estate planning has shifted to a new frontier: income tax basis planning. The Basics… Read More »
Does Treating Your Children Fairly Mean Unequal Inheritances?
When thinking through their estate plan and how they want their assets (money and property) managed after they pass away, most parents wish to treat their children equally, often out of a sense of fairness. However, sometimes being fair or doing what is right by your children may mean giving unequal inheritances. The Key… Read More »
What is Elder Law and How Does It Relate to Estate Planning?
Elder law and estate planning are two separate areas of the law, yet they are closely related to one another. Both elder law and estate planning involve making plans about later in life and after death, including plans concerning a person’s medical care and long-term care when they need it. Often, estate planning lawyers… Read More »
Should I Discuss My Estate Plan with My Family?
When you are going through the estate planning process with a lawyer in Norcross, you may be wondering whether you should keep the details of your estate plan to yourself or discuss those details with your family members. While discussing the details of your estate plan can be complicated, it is almost always a… Read More »
Estate Planning and Gifts: What You Should Consider
When you are beginning to think about estate planning and the people to whom you want to leave your assets, you might be thinking about giving one or more assets to some of your loved ones right now. In other words, there may be certain assets that you want to gift to your adult… Read More »
Understanding Inheritance and Estate Taxes
In the process of estate planning, you should speak with your Norcross estate planning lawyer about potential tax consequences concerning assets that you are planning to leave to your loved ones in a will or by other particular means. It is important to understand the potential application of inheritance and estate taxes, whether your… Read More »
Where Should I Keep My Estate Planning Documents?
Working with an estate planning lawyer in Gwinnett County is important for adults of all ages in Georgia. Whether you only want to create a will and an advance directive for health care, or you want to consider additional important documents and tools such as powers of attorney (POAs), beneficiary designations, trusts, and more,… Read More »
What is the Purpose of a Revocable Living Trust?
In Georgia, creating one or more trusts is something that many people consider in estate planning. There are many different types of trusts that a person can establish in Georgia with different purposes, as well as their own benefits and limitations. All trusts in Georgia are either revocable (meaning the person who makes the… Read More »
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Making a Will
Wills should be part of every estate plan in Georgia, but it is important to know that there are certain things you should do when making a will, as well as certain things you should not do. What are some common mistakes you should avoid when you are creating your will? And how can… Read More »
