Have You Considered Creating A Foreign Asset Protection Trust?
Nearly a dozen states permit the creation of domestic asset protection trusts (DAPTs) to shield their assets. Unfortunately, California is not one of them. However, you do have the option of creating a foreign asset protection trust (FAPT.) FAPTs offer various asset protection benefits that DAPTs cannot and there is a reason that they continue to rise in popularity. One of the greatest reasons is that FAPTs are not governed […]
Continue readingWhy estate planning is different for women
Depending on the size and value of your estate, the estate planning process can be quite complex. However, it is not only the value of your estate that affects how you should design your estate plans. If you are a woman, you need to approach the estate planning process a little differently. There are a few reasons for this. On average, women live 4.9 years longer than men. A longer […]
Continue readingBeware Of Executor Misconduct
Executors are entrusted to administer an estate and fulfill their fiduciary duties under the law. Unfortunately, executors can breach these duties and leave beneficiaries to pay the price. Often, executors will go to great lengths to cover up misconduct. As the beneficiary of your late loved one’s estate, it can be a good idea to know how executors can breach their duties to prevent your inheritance from being compromised. Here […]
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The Dunning Kruger Effect: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
(And once you realize what you didn’t know, well, it may be too late.) Sara and Jonah Williams worked for over 30 years to build their fledgling business into a thriving franchise with stores throughout the nation. They thought they were protected by their thorough estate planning until the unthinkable happened. They were sued by a plaintiff seeking to recover millions of dollars in an unforeseen lawsuit. The Williams contacted […]
Continue readingProtect Your Company’s Assets
Asset protection planning for affluent individuals has been around since the mid-1980s. But businesses get sued, too. Yet, when you ask C-suite executives what they’re doing to protect their company’s assets from lawsuits, you mostly get a blank stare and the common response of “nothing.” Businesses are continuously plagued by class action lawsuits in which plaintiff’s lawyers look to pile on a community of individual plaintiffs to scare the company […]
Continue reading5 Ways You Can Gift Assets To Charity
Charitable giving can leave a legacy of generosity for years and even decades after you have passed away. Not only does charitable giving have a philanthropic appeal, but it provides enormous income, state, capital gains, and gift tax deduction benefits. While some donors gift money during their lifetime, others bequeath assets to charity through wills and trusts that go into effect upon their deaths. Depending on the type of charity […]
Continue readingHow Are Collectibles Appraised In Probate?
You are sorting through your deceased parent’s assets when you stumble upon their beloved stamp collection. You research the stamps and discover that they could be worth a substantial amount of money. In probate, it is critical to have collectibles appraised when compiling an inventory of the estate’s assets. As a personal representative, it can be a good idea to understand the basics of appraisals during probate and what you […]
Continue readingStrategic Planning Can Prevent Inheritance Theft
Inheritance theft can occur right under family members’ noses and, sometimes, the thieves will even get away with it. Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect your unsuspecting heirs and prevent a person with ill intentions from succeeding in their thievery. First, you must know what inheritance theft looks to prevent it from happening to your own estate. Types Of Inheritance Theft The larger one’s estate is, the […]
Continue readingAsk Yourself These Questions Before Assuming The Role Of Executor
Just because you have been named the executor of an estate does not mean that you must accept the position. In fact, before you do, you should decide if you are best-suited to assume the role. Being the executor of a high-asset estate comes with far greater challenges than many executors of small estates will face. With so much on the line, it is critical to take a step back […]
Continue readingNew tax law lowers required taxes on generation-skipping trusts
Effective January 1, 2018, new tax laws lowered the requirement to pay taxes on certain inheritance trusts in California. For those hoping to pass down significant inheritance, your beneficiaries now may avoid paying taxes on your generous gift because of an increased threshold. Generation-skipping trusts are included in the tax exemption change. In 2010, generation-skipping trusts exceeding $5 million were subject to extreme taxes. The government could tax your gift up to […]
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