Recent News & Blog / Estate Planning
When Should You Update Your Estate Plan?
Many people think of estate planning as a “one-and-done” task—something you complete and file away—but an estate plan should evolve as your life, finances, and relevant laws change.
Increase Estate Planning Flexibility by Decanting an Irrevocable Trust
Irrevocable trusts provide various estate planning benefits, such as reducing estate taxes and helping to ensure assets are distributed as you wish, but estate planning isn’t a “set it and forget it” process.
Owning Real Estate in Multiple States Can Negatively Affect Beneficiaries
A vacation home, rental property, or future retirement residence may play an important role in your long-term plans. However, if you hold properties across multiple states, it can create estate planning issues that can be easily overlooked.
Considering Splitting Gifts with Your Spouse? Here’s What to Consider
The gift tax annual exclusion allows you to transfer up to $19,000 (for 2026) per beneficiary gift-tax-free, without tapping your $15 million (for 2026) lifetime gift and estate tax exemption.
3 Steps to Help Ensure That Your Estate Plan Won’t be Challenged After Your Death
It’s not uncommon for family members to contest a loved one’s will or challenge other estate planning documents.
Leverage Your Gift Tax Annual Exclusion Using a Crummey Trust
A Crummey trust provides a key tax benefit of an outright gift without some of the downsides.
5 Steps for Addressing Your Elderly Parents in Your Estate Plan
When creating or updating your estate plan, it’s important to address your elderly parents with both clarity and sensitivity.
How Making Health Care Decisions While You’re Still Healthy Benefits You and Your Family
Integrating health care decisions into your estate plan is important because it ensures they are thoughtful, informed, and reflective of your values.
What You Need to Know About Jointly Owning Assets With Adult Children
Owning assets with your adult child as “joint tenants with right of survivorship” may seem like a simple way to streamline your estate plan; however, doing so can carry important legal, tax and practical implications that deserve careful consideration.
How to Safely Address a Gun Collection in Your Estate Plan
For many, the primary reason for creating an estate plan is to ensure their assets are passed on to family members according to their wishes, but when it comes to estate planning, not all assets are created equal.