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What will happen to your belongings after you pass? Who will care for your children? Planning for the future is crucial. That’s where wills, trusts and estate planning come in. A will and other estate planning documents ensure there’s a plan in place for your care, assets and dependents in the event of incapacitation or...

A while back, I was contacted by an old client who unfortunately told me he was terminally ill with cancer. Mr. Smith, (as we'll refer to him and obviously this is not his real name), my old client, contacted me to tell me that he wanted to get his Will updated. So we proceeded with...

After you set up a Trust, look at asset transfers and beneficiary designations.  Failure to do so can preclude maximizing benefits and causing extra costs and inconvenience. Typical Trust Mistakes Include: Asset Transfers:   Creating a trust is just the beginning.  Afterwards, you have to fund your Trust by transferring assets for maximum benefit.  Assets not...

To learn more about this concerning issue of adoptees who do not have US citizenship, click here!

House Bill 206 would increase the amount and change the refundability of an existing tax credit for adoption. Under current law, this credit equals the greater of $1,500 or a taxpayer's adoption expenses, up to $10,000. The Bill increases the minimum credit that may be claimed from $1,500 to $5,000. The Bill also converts the...

The end of life can be chaotic and painful, even if you have money and family support. Though doctors may assume terminally-ill people want to live as long as possible, a 2017 study showed people care more about avoiding strain on their families, having medical preferences honored, and passing peacefully surrounded by loved ones. In...

While your baby’s birth mother is in the hospital, a social worker from the Social Services Department will visit to answer questions about the hospital, the adoption process, or parenting. You may visit during visitation hours, or stay in another room by request, but be considerate of the birth mother and hospital staff. Give them...

The Queen of Soul died without a Will!! What will happen to her musical dynasty? Who gets her Estate?...her four kids, equally. What if one of the kids is a spendthrift? What if one of the kids has special needs? What if she didn't want her kids to get an equal share of her $80...