Owning Overseas Property Increases the Need for Estate Planning  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Despite living in one of the largest countries in the world, Americans often yearn for the opportunity to own property outside of their homeland. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, American investment abroad reached almost $5 trillion in 2015. If you own property abroad extra care must be taken in … [Read more...]

How Likely Is That To Happen?  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys “How likely is that to happen?” You have undoubtedly heard these words spoken many times. You have possibly said them yourself when a well-meaning friend or family member tries to warn you about a risk that you perceive as unworthy of consideration. You may have even used this same logic to explain why you have yet to create a comprehensive estate plan. After all, what are … [Read more...]

Passing Down the Family Farm or Ranch  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Family-owned farms and ranches were once the backbone of the American economy. Just a century ago those farms and ranches were still going strong throughout the U.S. Over the last few decades of the 20th century, however, most family-owned farms and ranches struggled to survive, much less compete with corporate farming and ranching. However, in recent years, small … [Read more...]

Estate Planning Lessons – Wesley Snipes and the “Pure Trust” Argument  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys You have likely heard the old adage “The only sure things in life are death and taxes.” In the United States, the adage certainly applies. Without a doubt, most Americans pay their share of taxes. Americans also like to find creative ways to reduce their tax burden. Using legitimate tax reduction strategies is perfectly legal; … [Read more...]

How to Lend a Hand and Save Taxes  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys With the proliferation of 24-hour news, it seems impossible to turn on the television, chat on social media, or pick up a newspaper without hearing about yet another natural disaster that has left people hurt, hungry, homeless, or worse. Whether the cause is a tsunami in Indonesia, a deadly disease epidemic in Africa, or a hurricane here in the United States, the pleas … [Read more...]

Estate Planning Lessons – Wesley Snipes and the “Pure Trust” Argument  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys You have likely heard the old adage “The only sure things in life are death and taxes.” In the United States, the adage certainly applies. Without a doubt, most Americans pay their share of taxes. Americans also like to find creative ways to reduce their tax burden. Using legitimate tax reduction strategies is perfectly legal; … [Read more...]

How to Lend a Hand and Save Taxes  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys With the proliferation of 24-hour news, it seems impossible to turn on the television, chat on social media, or pick up a newspaper without hearing about yet another natural disaster that has left people hurt, hungry, homeless, or worse. Whether the cause is a tsunami in Indonesia, a deadly disease epidemic in Africa, or a hurricane here in the United States, the pleas … [Read more...]

Owning Overseas Property Increases the Need for Estate Planning  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Despite living in one of the largest countries in the world, Americans often yearn for the opportunity to own property outside of their homeland. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, American investment abroad reached almost $5 trillion in 2015. If you own property abroad extra care must be taken in the … [Read more...]

Redskins Owner’s Estate Goes Into Overtime – Lessons from Jack Kent Cooke’s Estate  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Jack Kent Cooke is widely regarded as the greatest owner in the history of professional sports. He was also well known for his attention to detail and uncanny business acumen.. When it came time to create his own estate plan, however, he left much to be desired. Although you may never own a professional sports team or the … [Read more...]

When Roles Reverse and Your Parents Need Your Help  Compliments of Our Law Firm, Written By: The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Thanks to advances in medicine and science, as well as an overall better quality of life, Americans at the beginning of the 21st century have an average life expectancy of almost double what they had at the beginning of the previous century. Despite this, the natural aging process has not changed significantly during the last 100 years. We are simply … [Read more...]