The family-owned business is often thought of as an American staple, the thing that forms the backbone of the economy. That said, there are many different businesses that people choose to start. They all operate much differently and those planning to pass their businesses on to their children need to plan accordingly. Some of the common businesses that families own include: Retail…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Business Succession | No Comments »

It’s important for everyone to know all that they can about estate planning. That means men, women, married couples, single people and anyone else. Far too many people enter old age without an estate plan or pass away without even a will. However, there is a special amount of focus on women when it comes to estate planning, and the…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Estate Planning | No Comments »

Financial experts note that one of the main mistakes people make with their estate planning is simply that they let the plan become outdated. This often means that they do not update it through major life changes, like starting a business or starting retirement. However, you can also let your beneficiary designations become outdated, and that’s equally troubling. Even if the…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Estate Planning | No Comments »

For most people who start a family business, the dream is to have it stay in the family for generations to come. The founder may think of that as a gift to the family, giving them meaningful employment and an easy income. They may think of it as a stepping-stone, assuming that their children can build on what they started.…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Business Succession | No Comments »

It has become common knowledge that disability rates have steadily risen among children, which makes the need to understand the importance of a Special Needs Trust (SNT) even more significant. Defined, a SNT Protects the rights of the disabled individual to maintain their eligibility for public assistance benefits. If you left your disabled beneficiary money or property via your outright…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Trusts | No Comments »

We established this blog to share stories and information about topics relevant to our practice. Our intent is to regularly provide posts highlighting legal issues of local, state and national interest that we think you will find interesting. Check back later for updates.[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Blogs | No Comments »

For a lot of people, the end goal of estate planning is relatively simple. They don’t want to do anything extravagant. They’re not looking for some out-of-the-box solutions. They just want to give their children a better life. In one study, for instance, a full 67 percent of people who were at least 51 years old said that their goal…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Estate Planning | No Comments »

It is important for both men and women to do their estate planning. However, that does not mean that the process is exactly the same for both genders. Women often face some unique challenges that may not impact men — or, at least, may not impact them as often. For instance, take a look at life expectancy. It’s nearly five…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Estate Planning | No Comments »

Your spouse files for divorce. As the process moves forward, you start adjusting your estate plan. You want to cut your spouse — soon to be your ex — out of it entirely. Can you do that? You can, but it is important to note that there are cases where your ex may have a legal right to some assets that are…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Estate Planning, Wills | No Comments »

Does your child essentially think that your business has to go to them when you’re done running it? Are they not just waiting in line but expecting that this is part of their birthright? Now, wanting to leave your business to your children is understandable. You want to give them a source of income. You want to create a legacy.…[...]

Continue Reading

Posted in Business Succession | No Comments »