Est8Planning Counsel LLC

Estate Planning & Administration e-Newsletter

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• March 2010
  • Lifetime Gifting: Part of Your Multi-Generation Estate Planning
    Would you prefer to transfer more wealth to your family instead of the IRS? Our lead article summarizes the relevant lifetime gifting rules and considers two common do-it-yourself transfer methods.
  • Crummey Trusts
    Here, we investigate how lifetime gifting to a Crummey Trust may help reveal the financial maturity level of your loved ones now, so you may make proper plans for them later.
• February 2010
  • Five Common Estate Planning Mistakes
    Proper estate planning is not just for the rich and famous. Surprisingly, however, that is a common misconception. Every adult American has an estate worth planning, regardless of their net worth. In this article we review some critical estate planning concerns.
  • Family Feuds
    This article considers the subject of Family Feuds resulting from an inheritance, or lack thereof. Your family may not resemble the Hatfields and the McCoys, but family disharmony can be avoided through proper estate planning (and communication).
• January 2010
  • Business Owners Beware
    The survival rate of family businesses from generation to generation is rather dismal. To help prevent your business from becoming an unfortunate statistic tomorrow, we review some common challenges for you to address today (before it is too late).
  • Buy-Sell Financing
    One fundamental key to the survival of a family business is a properly funded Buy-Sell Agreement (BSA). In this article we consider three basic BSA flavors and the means available to finance their terms when triggered.
• December 2009
  • Procrastination & Estate Planning
    Why doesn’t everyone have their final affairs in order, especially in light of the likelihood of incapacity and the certainty of death? This article takes aim at the chief culprit: procrastination.
  • Finding Fiduciaries
    In this article we consider the critical process of selecting and appointing appropriate fiduciaries to handle your financial affairs when you cannot. In fact, this is one of the first (and most important) planning decisions you must make.
• November 2009
  • Seasonal Solutions: The Stages of Life & Estate Planning
    To everything there is a season. So it is with your Life & Estate Plan. This article uses a Seasons of Life theme to illustrate how your Life & Estate Plan may change with your personal and financial circumstances over your lifetime.
  • The Three P's of Proper Estate Planning
    Here we review the process of organizing your legal affairs as they pertains to your estate planning documents. As you will see, it is simply a matter of identifying your Three P’s and properly implementing your estate plans.
• October 2009
  • Admirable Estate Administration
    Have you appointed trusted family members, friends or professionals to serve as the fiduciaries of your estate plan upon your death? If so, our lead article is a must-read as we review some of the responsibilities (and liabilities) they will face.
  • Treasure Hunt: Asset Inventory
    Every youngster, at one time or another, dreams of going on a treasure hunt. However, the fiduciaries of your estate will not find inventorying your assets to be nearly as exciting. In this article we provide tips for making the job easier (and less expensive) for your trusted fiduciaries
• September 2009
  • Estate Planning Challenges for Blended Families
    Is your family a blended family? If so, then you face unique inheritance challenges, to include disinheriting your ex-spouse, providing for your new spouse and your own children, and protecting their inheritance.
  • Estate Equalization
    Equalizing an estate among members of blended families is particularly challenging. Among the issues to be considered when doing estate equalization planning are how to avoid disinheriting your new spouse while still providing for any children from a prior marriage. Insurance premiums and legal fees are cheap compared to the costs of disinheritance.

• August 2009
  • Unique Estate & Financial Challenges for Women
    Women face unique Life and Estate Planning Issues, and yet too often their own needs are overlooked. They are too busy taking care of everyone else -- their families, their careers, parents, social causes.
  • Daughter Syndrome
    On page three we examine the Daughter Syndrome. After a woman rears her children and cares for her parents, in-laws and husband … who is there for her? These days it is prudent to have a plan to care for the caregiver, given our mobile society.
• July 2009
  • Elder Law Elements
    Good news, bad news. The good news: Americans are living longer than ever. The bad news: we eventually wear out physically, mentally, or both. In this issue we review two challenges: becoming incapacitated and going broke due to long-term care.
  • Long-Term Caring
    On page three we examine important considerations when selecting a Long-Term Care Insurance policy. In addition to policy benefits, be sure to check the health of the insurance company standing behind the policy itself!