In this article from CNBC.com, the need for proper estate planning is highlighted by the case of Anna Nicole Smith. Some of the lessons: do some planning; put it in writing; review your documents periodically; appoint a guardian for minor children; plan your funeral in advance; and discuss your plans with your family in advance. [...]
Joseph T. Hahn
All posts in category Living Trusts
Anna Nicole Smith’s Case Proves Need For Estate Planning
Posted by Joseph Hahn on August 12, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/08/12/anna-nicole-smiths-case-proves-need-for-estate-planning-2/
Anna Nicole Smith’s Case Proves Need For Estate Planning
In this article from CNBC.com, the need for proper estate planning is highlighted by the case of Anna Nicole Smith. Some of the lessons: do some planning; put it in writing; review your documents periodically; appoint a guardian for minor children; plan your funeral in advance; and discuss your plans with your family in advance. [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on August 12, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/08/12/anna-nicole-smiths-case-proves-need-for-estate-planning/
Estate Planning For Expatriates Residing Outside The United States
This article from the New York Times touches on some of the estate planning issues that American expatriates living abroad should be considering. While the article certainly can't detail the issues for each particular country, it does have some important points. The first, while self-evident, is that we all have to realize that we are [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on August 10, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/08/10/estate-planning-for-expatriates-residing-outside-the-united-states/
Estate Planning Not Just For The Wealthy
This article from the Dallas Morning News makes many important points about the benefits of estate planning for everyone, not just the wealthy. If you don't do any estate planning, the state already has a default plan for your estate, but its almost certainly not the one you would choose. A court will pick your [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on August 8, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/08/08/estate-planning-not-just-for-the-wealthy/
Estate Tax Situation Set To Become More Complicated
This article from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette details the problems facing ordinary Americans this year because of the temporary estate tax holiday for 2010 and the even more disturbing problems they will face next year if Congress fails to take action to reform estate taxes going forward. The bottom line: most Americans will need to [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on August 6, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/08/06/estate-tax-situation-set-to-become-more-complicated/
How To Talk To Your Parents About Estate Tax
Here's a great article from US News & World Report discussing strategies for discussing the estate tax with aging parents. Many Baby Boomers are now in the position of caring for elderly parents who may not be aware that the estate tax is returning in 2011 at aggressive levels. These Baby Boomers have a vested [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on August 5, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/08/05/how-to-talk-to-your-parents-about-estate-tax/
Plan Today Or Regret It Tomorrow
This article from the Boston Herald discusses how proper estate planning today, while not on the top of everyone's favorite things to do, can save heartache and headaches tomorrow. Even young and healthy people in the prime of their life sometimes face unexpected illnesses that strike without warning and take a life in the blink [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on July 28, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/07/28/plan-today-or-regret-it-tomorrow/
Funding Living Trust With Assets Is Critical
This article from the Monterey County Herald discusses the critical steps involved with funding a living trust. While setting up a trust with an attorney is an important estate planning step, if the trust is not funded with assets, the trust is useless. Title for real estate, financial accounts, businesses, etc. must be transferred to [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on July 26, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/07/26/funding-living-trust-with-assets-is-critical/
2010 Estate Tax Holiday Could Create Serious Problems For Married Couples
This article from Forbes highlights one of the serious issues created by the temporary estate tax repeal in 2010. Many trusts drafted for spouses contain an "A/B Trust" structure designed to split the trust into two at the time of the first death. The formula used for allocating the joint assets between the two trusts [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on July 22, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/07/22/2010-estate-tax-holiday-could-create-serious-problems-for-married-couples/
Estate Planning Lessons From Michael Jackson – One Year Later
This article from Next outlines some of the important lessons that can be learned from the death of Michael Jackson one year after his death. Some of those lessons: write a will (Michael had one); consider a living trust (Michael had one); name guardians for your minor children (Michael did); choose your executors/successor trustees carefully [...]
Posted by Joseph Hahn on July 19, 2010
http://hahnestateplanning.com/2010/07/19/estate-planning-lessons-from-michael-jackson-one-year-later/
