If you are like most parents, you probably plan to leave a fair share of assets to each of your children when you pass. But it might be more complicated than just dividing your assets equally among your kids, because fair doesn’t always mean equal when it...
Month: April 2015
Robin Williams’ estate plan failed to cover important issues
The fact that the heirs of the late Robin Williams are now battling over their inheritances in court is no laughing matter. As the Hartford Courant pointed out in a recent article, while Williams’ estate plan was tax efficient, it may have been lacking in other areas....
What are estate and gift taxes and why do people want to avoid them?
Since tomorrow is April 15, we wanted to write about a topic that everyone loves to hate: taxes. When it comes to estate planning, avoiding estate and gift taxes are two of the biggest goals for many of our clients. First, let's define what estate and gift taxes are:...
Too many baby boomers ignoring their estate plans
While most baby boomers are eager to make sure their retirement plans are in order, USA TODAY recently reported that too few are accounting for an estate plan, which can result in stress and conflict for surviving family members. A New York-based wealth adviser told...
Common reasons for removing a trustee from a trust
Choosing a trustee is an extremely important decision that many Massachusetts residents put a lot of thought into. Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, the trustee you initially appoint does always end up being your best advocate. But just because you aren't...
Gifting of money as an estate planning tool
Estate planning and taxes are inseparable. With the idea of preserving assets within the estate, there are a number of considerations going into this including estate taxation, creation of powers of attorney, wills and trusts, and the possible setting up of...
