PB Law Blog... Trusts and Stuff

by Kristin Hunt, Everplans... It’s currently estimated that only 9% of people with Wills include provisions for their cats, dogs, or exotic birds. And unless you already have a sibling or friend who’s explicitly pledged to look after Pawudrey Hepburn, that could leave your pet in limbo if something serious happens to you.

Cryptocurrency is the latest financial innovation for exchanging assets.  What is it?  How is it acquired?  Can you incorporate into your estate plan?  

 by Richard Harroch, Forbes

Starting a business entails understanding and dealing with many issues—legal, financing, sales and marketing, intellectual property protection, liability protection, human resources, and more. But interest in entrepreneurship is at an all-time high. And there have been spectacular success stories of early stage startups growing to be multi-billion-dollar companies, such as Uber, Facebook, WhatsApp, Airbnb, and many others.

Are you thinking about creating an estate plan or restating your existing plan?  Are you trying to find where to start and who to represent you in assisting with this?  This week, we discuss how you can find the right legacy planner for you.  

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 your life.

Understanding the Probate process emphasizes that proper estate planning is vital!  This week, we give you an introduction to Probate, what it is and what it entails.  

 Aretha Franklin's recent passing brought to light another celebrity estate lacking the proper protection planning to avoid probate.  We have provided a reminder checklist to prevent this from happening to you and your family.     

by Kathleen Pender, San Francisco Chronicle

August 25, 2018  Link to Original Article

People who own just one or two rental properties might not qualify for the new 20 percent federal deduction that big-time real estate investors and other pass-through entities will get starting this year.

The federal tax law passed in December lets many pass-through entities such as partnerships and sole proprietorships deduct 20 percent of their “qualified business income,” with some limits.
Read more . . .

by Marcy Gordon, Associated Press

August 10, 2018, USA Today

WASHINGTON — Architects and engineers are still in. Accountants, doctors and lawyers remain out — mostly. New rules floated by the Trump administration lay out what kinds of businesses can take a 20 percent deduction against income taxes under the new tax law.

This week marks the first week of school for many families.  While the kids are at school, we continue to discuss financial planning  in Part 2 of our Back-to-School Checklist.  Keep your preparation-game strong by using these planning tools!