Indianapolis estate planning attorneys will always remind their clients that estate planning is an ongoing effort. Things don't stand still, and as time marches on events invariably take place that render your existing estate plan obsolete. If you procrastinate about making the necessary adjustments you could be placing your family members at risk on one level or another. With the above in mind you would do well to understand the fact that there are some estate tax parameter … [Read more...] about Estate Tax Parameter Changes Loom
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In-Home Care Is An Option
When you look into the costs associated with long-term care these days you may become concerned. Medicare does not pay for long-term care, so you have to make other arrangements and these expenses could be considerable. According to a MetLife survey in 2011, the average annual cost for a day in a private room in a nursing home in the United States was $239. If you multiply that by the 365 days there are in a year you are looking at over $87,200 annually. The United States … [Read more...] about In-Home Care Is An Option
The Role Of A Probate Attorney
The typical layperson is probably not going to have a lot of knowledge about the intricacies of estate planning. There is certainly nothing wrong with this because everyone has his or her own area of expertise and you can't know everything about everything. With the above in mind, some people are under the impression that a last will is something that is only read among family members. In fact, other interested parties have a right to seek satisfaction from the estate. In … [Read more...] about The Role Of A Probate Attorney
Beware Of Transfer On Death Accounts
People sometimes pick up on ideas that circulate regarding estate planning without obtaining professional advice. As a result they may take particular actions that are not going to serve the best interests of their families in the long run. Legal assistance is essential when you are serious about making preparations for the future. A little bit of information is a dangerous thing and when you proceed without the guidance of an Indianapolis estate planning attorney your family may … [Read more...] about Beware Of Transfer On Death Accounts
Author's Muddled Estate Provides A Useful Lesson
They say that experience is the best teacher, and if you have been around the block a few times you are well aware of how true this can be. However, in addition to the hard experiences that you have had directly you can sometimes learn from the experiences of others. This is true when you look at the estate planning mishaps of some celebrities and other high profile individuals. With the above in mind let's look back to 2004 when the author Stieg Larsson passed away. He … [Read more...] about Author's Muddled Estate Provides A Useful Lesson
Living Trusts: A Breakdown
Revocable living trusts are a good alternative to last wills largely because of the fact that they enable the transfer of assets to your family members outside of the process of probate. Why would you want to avoid probate? There are a few reasons, and perhaps the most pressing one is the fact that there are significant expenses that go along with the probate process. By the time all is said and done the value of your estate can be shaved down by perhaps 5% to 10%, and this is of … [Read more...] about Living Trusts: A Breakdown
A Tailor Made Plan
A lot of people like to roll up their sleeves and do things for themselves these days, and DIY projects can indeed be fun and rewarding. The trick is to know where to draw the line because you could think you're saving money by tackling a task when in fact in the long run it winds up costing you more than it saves. This is definitely true when it comes to estate planning. There are entities out there that will sell you generic legal documents. They say that you can plan your … [Read more...] about A Tailor Made Plan
Making Provisions For Man's Best Friend
If you are like a lot of Americans, you may have a loyal four-legged friend by your side, and indeed dogs are fantastic companions. In the eyes of your dog you are the most important person in the world and there is no denying that it is a good feeling to be held in such high esteem, even if it is coming from a canine point of view. All kidding aside, pets are obviously valuable to people of all ages but owning a dog can be especially good for senior citizens. It is not uncommon … [Read more...] about Making Provisions For Man's Best Friend
What Is A CRUT?
In the field of estate planning there are a lot of acronyms tossed about that can be kind of confusing to the uninitiated. We like to highlight one of these from time to time in an effort to demystify things, and with that in mind we will take a look at the CRUT. In an estate planning context the acronym CRUT stands for a charitable remainder unitrust. These vehicles are utilized to provide individuals with tax efficiency while satisfying their philanthropic urges in the … [Read more...] about What Is A CRUT?
Long-Term Business Planning
Long-term financial planning is important for all serious minded individuals. If you want to be able to provide your children with opportunities for higher education and then subsequently have the resources that you need to retire in comfort you have to plan ahead intelligently. If you just go forward groping in the dark step-by-step you may find yourself in a difficult position later on in your life. Along the way you may not be able to provide for your children in the manner … [Read more...] about Long-Term Business Planning
