By Ashlea Ebeling, Forbes Staff Link to original article here The federal tax overhaul just doubled the amount of wealth you can pass to heirs estate-tax-free–without using any trusts or planning gimmicks. Yet rather than looking for a new specialty, top trust lawyers are positively giddy about the opportunities created by the law President Trump…
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What California Wildfire Victims Should Know About Insurance And Loss Of Use
by Megan Gorman, Forbes Link to original article here Across California, the wildfires have been beyond devastating. With the Camp Fire in the north and the Woolsey Fire in the south, it feels like the entire state of California is burning. But as Californians begin to sift through the ash and rebuild, there may be…
Continue reading…4 Vital Considerations for Incorporating Cryptocurrency into your Estate Plan
This week we discover the vastly popular, yet elusive, world of cryptocurrency and how it relates to your estate plan. Simply stated, cryptocurrency is a nontangible form of currency referred to as “tokens”. Cryptocurrency emerged around 2008, when Satoshi Nakamoto created Bitcoin, establishing the first form of cryptocurrency (link). The purpose behind this invention, was…
Continue reading…Estate Planning Is Dead
by Daniel Scott, Forbes July 26, 2018 Link to Original Article Estate planning is dead. Gone are the days of creating legal structures to hold your assets, pass your fortune on to the next generation and, of course, avoid paying estate taxes. Gone are the days of planning for your death. It’s time to plan for…
Continue reading…What Is Probate?
At Phillips Ballenger, we believe that proper estate planning is essential in avoiding probate. Probate, a process regulated by statutory guidelines and applied through the courts, is triggered when an individual dies without a trust. This process, like other forms of litigation, can be long, arduous, and sadly, adversarial. This week, we give you an introduction…
Continue reading…Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes – UPDATE: Aretha Franklin Did Not Have a Will!
Large and complex estates are not always adequately planned for. The most recent example of this is the unfortunate passing of famous vocalist, Aretha Franklin. At 76, the singer’s illustrious career is left, vulnerable to the effects of probate, because no will or trust document was left to allocate her assets (link). Unfortunately, her heirs…
Continue reading…Back-to-School Checklist: A Reminder to Reassess your Financial Planning (Part 2)
For many families, this week marks the beginning of a new school year. This week, we continue with the academic theme, and give you Part 2 of the Back-to-School Checklist. In this final segment, we are discussing the importance of updating your trust documents and planning for the holidays. Update Your Trust Documents Established revocable…
Continue reading…Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes
Just like regular people, celebrities also fail to adequately plan for their estate. Estate planning is a vital tool that provides guidance in the event of a death. It is a common belief that because celebrities have much more wealth than the average person, protecting that wealth would be of the utmost importance. However, there…
Continue reading…Guardianship Issues – Awareness & Planning Wins
Getting older and losing one’s independence is a topic that most don’t like to think about, let alone plan for. However, it is extremely important to talk about these difficult issues in order protect Senior Citizens from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous third parties. The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to…
Continue reading…Watch Tiffany Ballenger interview on August 29th episode of Fox News Channel’s “Bob Massi is the Property Man”
Tiffany Ballenger, Esq., of Phillips Ballenger Estate Attorneys, is again featured as a legal expert the Fox News Channel’s show, “Bob Massi is the Property Man” (episode aired on Saturday, August 29th). In this segment, Tiffany discusses different legal strategies and options for struggling homeowners. Watch Tiffany’s interview here. To learn more…
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