» Charitable Giving

A family limited partnership can be used to lower your tax burden and transfer wealth to future generations of your family. One reason people seek the advice of estate planning attorneys is to lower their potential estate tax burdens in a way that do… Read More

People often think that estate planning is only about deciding who gets big ticket items, such as a house, a car and a stock portfolio. However, the little items of personal property can be just as important. A typical will often goes into great deta… Read More

Gun trusts are a great way to keep firearms in a family. They have offered a cheaper and easier way to pass certain firearms between generations. However, new rules will make them somewhat less beneficial. Certain firearms, such as machine guns and s… Read More

Inheriting commercial real estate can seem like a financial windfall for many people. But it can turn into a financial nightmare if environmental pollution is later discovered on the property. In "Contaminated Property Makes for Costly Inheritan… Read More

A recent study on the differences in charitable giving between the self-made wealthy and those that inherit wealth could have estate planning implications. A few years ago Bill Gates proclaimed that the first-generation wealthy are more generous to c… Read More

Leaving money in your estate for the care of a beloved pet is often a good idea. However, there are some people who have taken it to an extreme. In recent years including pets in estate plans has become more and more popular. People want to know that… Read More

The 2006 IRA charitable rollover exclusion was a popular tax break for wealthy elderly people and the charities to which they donate. It has been made permanent. Seniors trying to spend down the size of an estate for estate tax purposes often find it… Read More

Estate planning for complicated financial instruments and business interests is often tricky at best. However, planning for the things people are often passionate about can be the most complicated part of estate planning. When some people think about… Read More