Undue Influence and Estate Planning – What You Need to Know

When we think of “Undue Influence”, we think of contested wills, families divided and older, vulnerable people exploited by self-interested relatives. Declaring undue influence is often used as a reason to contest a will or estate plan, but there are two ways to consider undue influence in estate planning. If you’re the one drafting a…

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Lessons in Estate Planning and Privacy from Harper Lee

Harper Lee, legendary and reclusive author of the literary classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” passed away in February 2016 at the age of 89. Though Lee fiercely maintained her privacy, she did publish another novel before the end of her life entitled “Go Set a Watchman.” As a result of her literary success, Lee reportedly…

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Estate Planning and Second Marriages

Maintaining an updated estate plan is an important aspect of financial care. It is especially important to update following a divorce and/or the start of a second marriage. Blended families and new marriages create an interesting problem for will-makers, as they must find a way to honor the new spouse and children without disregarding children…

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An Introduction to High-Net Worth Estate Planning

Estate planning is an important concern for anyone who desires their affairs be handled according to their wishes after their death.  Planning for high-net worth individuals and families is complex and dependent upon the particular desires of the family. High-net worth estate planning should be handled carefully, so that your estate, which you’ve worked hard…

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Bitcoins and Estate Planning: Bequeathing Cryptocurrency

With the prevalence of Bitcoin as a form of digital currency, new considerations must be made when it comes to a variety of legal concerns. We recently looked at the repercussions of Bitcoin on divorce, but that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ways that Bitcoin is influencing how…

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5 Must-Have Estate Planning Documents

As the New Year progresses, there is no better time to start thinking about estate planning. To start your year off right, here is a checklist of the five must-have pieces to every solid estate plan. 1.  Will This is the most obvious starting point of every estate plan – and, in fact, most people who have done some form of estate planning probably…

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Fireside Reading with a Side of Estate Planning

After creating a will, circumstances may emerge that prompt a desire to change various aspects of the document. Divorces, new marriages, additional children, familial disagreements and shifting allegiances to charities can each impact a will. Adding a codicil is a way to amend the document without creating an entirely new document.  A codicil is a…

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Estate Planning Lessons from Tony Soprano

The tragic and untimely death of James Gandolfini shocked and saddened fans of the talented actor. And, since his will became public last month, there has been much commentary on the state of his affairs prior to his passing. The actor’s will exposes common estate planning problems that can easily occur with blended families. Gandolfini…

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World's Richest Cat Can't be "Trusted"

According to an article in The Guardian, “Tommaso, a four-year-old, one-time stray from Rome, is thought to have become the world’s richest cat.”  We’ve seen cases like this before, but unlike Massachusetts, which allows residents to establish trusts for their pets before and after death, Italy does not. So in the case of Tommaso, the…

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"Inheriting a Home, and a Loan"

We’ve discussed estate taxes quite a bit on this blog, because it can be a contentious and politicized topic; but while the word “inheritance” has a wealthy ring to it, most bequests come with strings attached. Estate taxes and  the ways to “avoid” them are applicable to the minority. According to the Census Bureau, for…

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