Choosing a Trustee: Navigating the Complexities and Key Considerations
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 509: Listen and Learn -- Third-Party Rights in Contracts (Part 2 - Beneficiaries)
Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode 508: Listen and Learn -- Third-Party Rights in Contracts (Part 1 - Rules)
Mamma Mia!: Common Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families
Once Removed Episode 38: The Legacy Mindset: What It Is and How to Build It
John Wick - What You Need To Know about the Corporate Transparency Act
Once Removed Episode 24: Expressing Goals and Intent for the Trust
Once Removed Episode 23: Naming Guardians for Minor Children
Once Removed Episode 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
Once Removed Episode 20: Helping a Beneficiary Purchase a Home
Life After Love Gone Wrong Podcast: Season 3, Episode 6 - Reshaping Your Legacy: Estate Planning After Your Divorce
Charitable Planning With Guest Stephanie Hood: Navigating Complex Rules and Traps for the Unwary
A Primer On Trusts - A Podcast with Janathan Allen
Once Removed Episode 13: It’s 5 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Will Is? A Lesson From Aretha Franklin
Once Removed Episode 12: SLATs and the Case of McKim vs. McKim
Once Removed Episode 11: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, or SLATs
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: Family Office Technology Solutions
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: The Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act
What is a self-proving affidavit?
The Importance of Beneficiary Designations
A recent case by the Tennessee Court of Appeals highlights the importance of changing one’s insurance and retirement policy beneficiaries after divorce. This is true no matter what the divorce documents say and no matter what...more
As the landscape of HNW disputes remains increasingly complex — with cross-border disputes, challenges with tracing and valuating digital assets, contentious trusts, and privacy concerns playing larger roles — ACI's Inaugural...more
While second marriages represent a fresh start and an exciting journey, consider the potential financial and legal outcomes before you re-tie the knot. A prenuptial agreement (prenup), a contract that outlines both spouses’...more
Robbie Robertson, famously associated with Bob Dylan, left his own mark as founder of legendary band, The Band, and through his solo work and his many movie scores. Inducted into the halls of fame in the U.S. and his native...more
Despite an intention to add a spouse or domestic partner to their Will, at times a decedent may neglect to do so prior to his/her death. Under such circumstances, however, a surviving spouse or domestic partner may be...more
In many instances, spouses execute what is referred to as reciprocal wills. What this means is that each spouse designates the other as the entire beneficiary or the primary beneficiary of their estate under their wills....more
For many people, once they resolve their divorce, they are so ready to be done, they put off or forget to wrap up the final loose ends. This can be a costly mistake because many post-divorce action items need to be...more
In November of 2023, I did a post on this blog titled The Intersection of Family Law, Estate Law and Federal Law, regarding the reported Appellate Division case In the Matter of Michael D. Jones, Deceased. That case dealt...more
The term "gray divorce" is commonly used to describe later-life separations, but "golden divorce" might be a more fitting term, suggesting optimism and new beginnings. This concept reminds me of the beloved 1980s sitcom The...more
Gray divorce, or divorce among older adults, is becoming increasingly common. This demographic trend reflects societal changes, including reduced stigma around divorce and increased financial independence for women. However,...more
Unknown to many Floridians, Florida enacted the Community Property Trust Act which went into effect on July 1, 2021, and established the ability to convert non-community property into community property. The community...more
In Michigan, the process for an individual to take their spouse’s last name is fairly simple, but does require taking action with both the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Michigan Secretary of State. The first...more
When I first read the precedential ruling of the Pennsylvania Superior Court in Shell v. Shell, I really didn’t find it noteworthy enough to write about. This is a case where a spouse discovered that her husband was moving...more
After a party completes their divorce, there are often many things that they need to do to finalize matters. However, one item that many overlook is changing their beneficiary designations after divorce to remove their...more
Those of us from large firms sometimes read opinions where solo practitioners take a shot at an issue and force us to take notice. The facts in this Bucks County case litigated by a solo practitioner against a two lawyer firm...more
In In re Estate of Wetzel, a widow and independent administrator of her husband’s estate appealed a trial court’s order denying her requested family allowance. No. 05-20-01104-CV, 2022 Tex. App. LEXIS 2618 (Tex. App.—Dallas...more
Welcome to the sixth edition of our Private Client Bulletin, bringing you the latest private client and trust news and insights from Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, BVI and Asia. This edition features articles on offshore...more
October 2021 Interest Rates for GRATs, Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts, Intra-Family Loans and Split Interest Charitable Trusts - Federal interest rates increased slightly for October of 2021. The October applicable...more
So you’ve received an inheritance and you’re married. The person who left you the inheritance probably intended for it to benefit you, not your spouse, if you get divorced. How do you protect the inheritance?...more
After creating and implementing a plan for your estate, it is important to regularly revisit your plan to ensure that it is still reflective of your values and goals for passing along your legacy. Seemingly small changes in...more
Your divorce has just been finalized. Now what? Depending on the assets divided, there may be a number of steps that you have to take to implement the terms of your divorce. While your attorney likely provided some guidance...more
Trusts and Estates Attorney Alexis Gruttadauria joins host and Litigation Partner Rich Schoenstein to discuss “Why You Need an Estate Plan” on the latest episode of Law Brief. Lexi and Rich delve into the legal disposition of...more
In a precedential decision issued on March 16, a panel of the Superior Court offered a helpful analysis of how plans established under the Pennsylvania Uniform Transfer to Minors Act, (PaUTMA, formerly PaUGMA) differs from...more
Transferring assets into trust for the benefit of children or others is a common estate planning tool. The party making the transfer into a trust gives up any right to control the property or its distribution....more
Stepmothers are frequent characters in California trust and estate litigation, as they are in fairy tales and Disney movies. With about half of all marriages ending in divorce, there are many stepmother/stepchild...more