Posts Tagged ‘estate planning’

With the holiday season in full swing, it’s likely you’ll see your parents, grandparents, siblings, and other family members in the next few weeks. In addition to food, songs, and other merrymaking, this is also the perfect time to speak with your family about more serious topics, such as their estate plan. How To Bring Up The Topic: Let your family member/s know you’d like to discuss their estate plan during a less-hectic part of the holidays. During your conversation, ask how up-to-date their documents are, and if changes or updates need to be made. These could include new additions… read more »

Adults are presumed to have capacity, but does everyone truly have it? Capacity is defined as the “ability to effectively communicate one’s wishes.” Capacity, however, is not a diagnosis. It is well settled in Pennsylvania case law that “…mere weakness of intellect resulting from sickness or old age is not legal grounds to set aside an executed contract if sufficient intelligence remains to comprehend the nature and character of the transaction.” Cardinal v. Kindred Healthcare, Inc., 155 A.3d 46, 50 (Pa. Super. 2017). There are several things that may “tip off” families that an individual would benefit from a capacity… read more »

The recent SECURE 2.0 Act enacted by Congress has introduced a series of new strategies to help reduce burdens on taxpayers. CGA Law Firm has previously reviewed the SECURE 2.0 Act in general and highlighted some of its advantages to taxpayers. Today we will highlight a beneficial move that can help you and your college-bound children or grandchildren benefit more from their dollars.  Utilizing a 529 Plan – a tax-advantaged college savings plan under IRC Section 529 – has long been a solid strategy for tax avoidance. A donor can set up a plan for college-bound family members, usually depositing… read more »

Estate planning offers protection and security for you and your family. Having well-crafted documents can help ensure your loved ones will be equipped to handle your estate matters smoothly without any disagreements or uncertainties. Nevertheless, numerous estate plans contain avoidable errors that only serve to complicate matters or even spark conflicts. Here is a list of common mistakes to avoid. 1. Identify your beneficiaries correctly. Too often, problems arise when a bequest to “John Smith” or “my niece Mary” goes astray. Our world is full of John Smiths and Marys, and problems can arise if bequests are identified too vaguely. Problems also arise if… read more »

Your wedding is a time of bliss and endless possibilities for a bright future together. While planning for your perfect day, don’t forget to protect those you love, as you start your new life together. Marriage is the right time to ensure your estate documents are in order. As you prepare for your future, take the time to meet with your estate attorney. Putting into place your vital documents like Wills, powers-of-attorneys, and health care directives will help provide you with the peace of mind that you will need for your perfect day. A Will is an essential document that… read more »

Accidents are the leading cause of death for young adults, and a quarter of a million Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 are hospitalized with non-lethal injuries each year. Can you imagine being unable to help or to make decisions for your child? It could happen if you fail to plan. When your child turns 18, your child transforms into an adult in the eyes of the law. Overnight, you no longer have direct access to personal information or the right to make decisions for your child, who may still depend on you. The laws that once protected your child… read more »

Happy New Year!  This year brings to us several legal changes which will benefit to taxpayers for 2023 and beyond.  For more details, contact CGA Law Firm’s Estate Planning attorneys.   Increase for Estate Tax Exemption.  This year, the amount that an individual can transfer estate tax-free automatically increases for estates of decedents passing away in 2023 from $12.06MM to $12.92MM, an inflation-index increase of $86,000.  A married couple enjoys a combined exemption of $25,840,000.  Keep in mind, however, that the exemption amount will decrease in the end of 2025 with the sunset of the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act,… read more »

The world of estate planning and trust administration is fraught with a variety of landmines, and only the diligent can detect and avoid them consistently. An estate planning professional’s behavior and performance may be judged unethical or even illegal in a given circumstance even if he or she is exceptionally knowledgeable about the substantive law. In this teleconference, we will delve into the following issues and concerns to which both lawyers and fiduciaries would be well-advised to pay close attention: Duty to File Amended Tax Returns Recognizing and Steering Clear of Tax Return Preparer Penalties Hazards for a Lawyer in… read more »

Asset protection planning is important to an increasingly broad range of clients – both for themselves and for their children. Creditors seem to be more aggressive these days, and more clients are becoming conscious of their potential to wake up one day in a vulnerable financial situation. Estate planners should offer their clients the opportunity to discuss, early in the estate planning process, the advantages of and available techniques by which to secure at least some measure of asset protection. This teleconference will focus on the following: Avoiding Fraudulent or Voidable Transfers Using Tenancy by the Entireties Form of Ownership… read more »

Write your family a “love letter” and give them the gift of time, love and clarity. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, invites you to a seminar event. Learn more about an indispensable planning tool that helps organize the paper trail tied to your life. It gives you a voice, and your family the confidence in knowing “what to do” if faced with your sudden incapacitation or death. During this complimentary session, we’ll discuss planning tools and the importance of working with your family and advisor to document your wishes using: • The Surviving Spouse Checklist • The Family Love Letter •… read more »