Estate Planning

As a parent, grandparent, or other family member, you may wish to gift assets to minors within your estate plan. If so, care must be taken when making gifts to minors, both during your lifetime and after you are gone. The Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain why you need to understand the Uniform Transfer to Minors Act (UTMA) if you plan to transfer assets to minors in your estate plan. The History of the UTMA The Uniform Transfer to Minors Act is a model law … [Read more...] about What Is Uniform Transfer to Minors Act?

As a business owner, the need for comprehensive and inclusive estate planning is amplified. Without a business succession planning component in your estate plan, all the hard work and sacrifice on your part to get your business off the ground may be at risk if something happens to you. The Indianapolis business succession planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft are committed to helping you protect your investment by explaining the importance of business succession planning. The Importance of … [Read more...] about Is Your Business Protected in Your Estate Plan?

For the average person, estate planning is an unfamiliar – and often intimidating -- concept. Although every estate plan is uniquely tailored to the needs and goals of the person creating the plan, there are some documents found in most plans. To help you familiarize yourself with these documents, the Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft discuss three documents that should be in your estate plan. Last Will and Testament.  Typically, a Last Will and Testament serves … [Read more...] about 3 Documents That Should Be in Your Estate Plan

Over the last several decades national borders have all but disappeared, leading to a dramatic increase in cross-border marriages in the United States. In fact, the United States Census Bureau reports that one in five marriages in the U.S. today includes a spouse born outside the U.S. Of those marriages, about 60 percent of the foreign-born spouses have become naturalized citizens, leaving the remaining 40 percent as non-citizens. If you are married to a non-citizen, the Indianapolis estate … [Read more...] about Can My Non-Citizen Spouse Inherit from My Estate?

A Last Will and Testament is traditionally used to distribute estate assets in a simple estate plan. If your estate plan still uses a Will for its foundation, it might be time to consider another option – a trust. A trust can also be used to distribute estate assets after your death; however, a trust can also be used to help achieve a multitude of additional estate planning goals in the meantime. An Indianapolis estate planning attorney at Frank & Kraft discussing the use of a Will or a … [Read more...] about Should I Use a Last Will or a Living Trust to Distribute My Estate?

The divorce rate in the U.S. continues to hover around 50 percent for a first marriage. Many of those divorces result in a remarriage, making blended families common in the U.S. If you are part of a blended family, you know the hard work it takes to successfully blend two existing families into one harmonious new family. One thing you don’t want to overlook when creating a blended family is the importance of a having a comprehensive estate plan in place. Toward that end, an Indianapolis estate … [Read more...] about Remarriage and Your Estate Plan

The loss of a spouse is one of the most emotional experiences you will probably have to go through over the course of your life. The last thing you may wish to think about while you are grieving the loss of a spouse is something as seemingly mundane as updating your estate plan. Failing to do so, however, could lead to some unintended and unwanted consequences. An Indianapolis estate planning attorney at Frank & Kraft discusses five estate plan documents you should update following the death … [Read more...] about 5 Estate Plan Documents to Update after the Death of a Spouse

If you own real property, and you want to keep that property out of probate after you are gone, creating the right type of co-ownership with your adult child may be a viable option. While you will get probate avoidance benefits by creating a joint tenancy, there are other factors you should consider before using that strategy for your real property. An Indianapolis estate planning attorney at Frank & Kraft explains the best way to co-own property with an adult child in Indiana. Does It … [Read more...] about What Is the Best Way to Co-Own Property with an Adult Child in Indiana?

There is little doubt that estate planning can be a difficult and complex endeavor. People put off creating an estate plan for many reasons. Some do so because they do not want to face their own mortality while others simply find the prospect intimidating and confusing. Unfortunately, a recent Caring.com study shows that even fewer people are engaging in estate planning than were a few short years ago. The Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain the findings and … [Read more...] about Study Shows Less People Are Engaging in Estate Planning

Creating a comprehensive estate plan will likely be one of the most important endeavors you undertake over the course of your lifetime. When properly drafted and executed, an estate plan will protect you and your loved ones while you are alive, help protect and grow your assets, and provide for your family when you are gone. Estate planning is also a highly personal process that must take the needs of you and your loved ones into account. The Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & … [Read more...] about Considering Your Family’s Needs in Your Estate Plan