In its most basic form, estate planning is organizing your assets and making sure that your property goes to the people you want it to go to after you die. But here at Esser, Bradley & Khalsa, PLLC, we take estate planning well beyond the basics. One of the things we always want our clients [...]
As the old saying goes, nothing is certain except death and taxes. Since we so often talk about death here on our trusts and estates blog, we thought that today we would spice things up a bit and talk about taxes—estate taxes as a matter of fact. The Joy of Giving Gifts While Reducing Estate [...]
It can take a long time to get your life back in order after the stress and trauma of a divorce. One of the things you will need to think about when the dust settles a little bit, is what changes you need to make to your estate plan. Here are 3 steps you [...]
Many people wonder why they should consider having a “Living Trust” (sometimes called an “inter vivos trust” or “revocable trust”) if they have a will. Isn’t just having a Last Will and Testament (“will”) good enough? Well, not necessarily. It depends. That is not to say that you don’t need a will—you do. Even if [...]
Just when you think you have it all under control…life happens. When life’s big changes come along, it is time to think about re-visiting and updating your Legacy Estate Plan. Here are just a few key times in your life when it is important to review and update your estate planning documents (will, trust, powers [...]
February 14 was Valentine’s Day! Just think of it: romance, roses, candlelight dinners… and, of course, chocolate! What in the world could be better than that? Only one thing that we can think of… a Revocable Living trust. What is a Revocable Living Trust? More commonly called a “Living Trust” (or, sometimes, “inter vivos [...]
Without question, divorce is a painful and overwhelming process. Paperwork, custody battles, attorney’s fees; the list of tasks and emotional rollercoaster can seem to be never-ending. But just as important as signing the divorce papers and working out custody, after a divorce, you must make changes to your estate planning documents. “X” Your Ex Out [...]
No one can say what tomorrow will bring. But one thing is for sure: one day, for all of us, life comes to an end. So ask yourself, when death comes to you, what will happen to those you leave behind? Will they be left to scramble, argue among themselves and guess at what [...]
In estate planning, you may often hear these titles being kicked around: Personal Representative, Beneficiary, or Trustee. But who are these people and what do they have to do with your Legacy Estate Plan? Let’s find out. Trusts, Beneficiaries and Trustees. Before we can have a beneficiary or trustee, we first need to have a [...]
Can you guess what any successful business, large or small, has in common with the seamless and efficient administration of someone’s estate? Give up? The answer is that they both have a capable, responsible, trustworthy person at the helm. The Importance of a Personal Representative to Your Estate Plan. When you pass away, someone [...]
