When is “living probate” necessary?
Fri 10 Apr, by FritzLaw on Estate Planning, Probate
If you become incapacitated, who is going to take care of you? You will not be able to make medical decisions for yourself and you will not be able to manage your day-today affairs. If you do not have the appropriate estate plan in place, your family may be headed to the probate court long before you are deceased. Conservatorship or Guardianship Proceedings In some states a living probate is referred to as a guardianship …
What to Do When Your Doctor Says to “Get Your Affairs in Order”
Wed 25 Mar, by FritzLaw on Estate Planning
Five words no one ever wants to hear from their doctor: “Get your affairs in order.” Unfortunately, 58 percent of Americans do not have a will or trust, and it often requires a chronic disease or terminal illness diagnosis, or other life-changing events to prompt the estate planning process.¹ Talk to your attorney about completing the documents below and follow these tips to protect your future and make the circumstances easier for your loved ones. …
Which Distribution Method Is Best?
Wed 19 Feb, by FritzLaw on Estate Planning
If you are a parent, you probably love to do good things for your children—and leaving them an inheritance is one of the most tangible ways you can show your love once you are gone. What you may not know is that there are a variety of ways that you can leave money and property to your children, and you can choose the method you think best takes your goals, including their well-being, into account. …
How to Minimize the (Voluntary) Federal Estate Tax with Portability
Mon 10 Feb, by FritzLaw on Estate Planning
Surprising to most people, the federal estate tax is a voluntary tax. Estate planning attorneys used to say, “You only pay if you don’t plan.” Now, portability of the federal estate tax exclusion provides both an alternative and a back up plan to lifetime tax planning. This means you might be able to minimize or even eliminate federal estate taxes even if you didn’t plan. Here’s how. Portability allows married couples to use two estate …
Cryptocurrency and Estate Planning: What You Need to Know
Fri 24 Jan, by FritzLaw on Estate Planning
Cryptocurrencies have been making headlines as of late, with more and more investors wanting in on this digital currency. Cryptocurrencies are attractive because they are unregulated, decentralized, and anonymous. While secrecy is useful in some areas of life, when it comes to estate planning it can lead to disaster. Indeed, your entire cryptocurrency investment can essentially disappear into thin air the moment you pass away or become incapacitated. If you have not taken the proper …