Stretch IRAs refer to an estate planning strategy that was utilized to extend the tax-deferred status of an inherited IRA when it passed to a non-spouse beneficiary. Stretched IRAs allowed for continued tax-deferred growth. The SECURE Act, which was passed by the Senate on December 19, 2019, however, will end…
If you finally wrote your estate plan in 2019, you likely know just how difficult it can be to sit down and write an estate plan. Even after creating these documents, there are still several obstacles that can occur and prevent you from achieving your estate planning goals. As a…
Creating an estate plan is not easy. That’s just one of the many reasons why people delay planning for the future. One of the common challenges that people must solve is deciding who to appoint as a personal representative/trustee. Pick incorrectly and there is a substantial risk that the goals…
One of the most repeated pieces of estate planning advice is to routinely review and update estate planning documents. It is particularly important to revise estate planning documents following major life changes or if a beneficiary under a will passes away before the testator does. If a person fails to…
Screen legend James Dean passed away 64 years ago, but a new CGI film called is about to feature Dean in a new starring role. To use Dean’s appearance in this way, the filmmakers needed to obtain the permission of Deans’ heirs because Dean passed away as a California resident. …
Based on data compiled by the United States Department of Agriculture’s 2017 Census, there were approximately 33,438 farms in New York in 2017. This includes 6,886,171 acres that are currently in production. As anyone who lives on a farm can tell you, life on a farm is unique in various…
Recently, after a mother in Oregon lost her four-year-old son in an accident, the woman to take the boy’s body back to the family’s ranch home. While the mother wanted a little more time with her child, she was instructed by a medical examiner that this request was not capable…
Not seeing medical providers when necessary. Being financially exploited by others. Not being able to take care of financial situations due to incapacity. These are just some of the common problems that people encounter without a proper guardian. In these situations, it often becomes necessary to petition the court so…
The Internal Revenue Service recently announced that beginning in 2020, the first $11.58 million of a taxable estate is not subject to federal estate taxes. As a result of these changes, a majority of estates will not be subject to federal taxes. Even though estate planning is not as big…
Recent changes are coming for wills. Many states have begun to pass legislation that will result in the introduction of electronic wills, which combine the formality of traditional wills in a digital format. Written using an electronic device, these devices are then electronically signed and validated by the creator. …