Business Owner? Don’t Delay Estate Plan

January 31, 2019

The government will be more than happy to distribute your assets. Years ago a friend of mine told me of his final moments with his father. He was in the hospital signing documents with the lawyer and his father. Dad was on his death bed, dying several hours later. The family business went to him, as he had worked in the business for over two decades. It was what he was promised all along but did not make the final time with his Dad as he would have wanted. If that hadn’t happened, state law would have controlled, leaving promises unkept. Dying intestate will result in your state of residence deciding where your assets will go. However, it doesn’t have to be like that, because creating an estate plan will leave the decision in your hands, according to KREM.com in “Head off a small-business skirmish: Draw up your will or estate plan today.” Here’s a tale from another law office that makes it all very clear. A business owner died unexpectedly. He had never completed his divorce from his first wife after 20 years. He had been in a relationship with another woman for 10 years and they had two children together. Since he never divorced his wife, she inherited his business. No one likes to consider that they will die, or in this case, that it is really time to deal with their marital status. He probably thought he had plenty of time to plan. However, the result was not pretty. Here’s how you can avoid your own unintended consequence: Preplan. A business owner needs to do a complete estate plan, so your property, family and business will be protected, if you should become incapacitated or die. You’ll need the following: Disability insurance. This is a relatively affordable product that replaces up to 60% of your income, if injury or illness prevents you from working. Life insurance. Consider the cost of providing food, shelter, education and care for your family. How would that be replaced, if you died tomorrow? Another thing life insurance can do is keep a business alive after the owner dies. Proceeds can be earmarked in your estate plan to be used to meet business costs and spare your loved ones from selling the business for a low amount, because they need to raise funds fast. Create a succession plan. How will your business go forward without you? Have your documents prepared. Hire an estate planning attorney who can protect your business and your family. Here’s what you’ll need: A will and/or a trust. You need a will, especially if you have small children. This is because you’ll want to name guardians for them. A will does go through probate. However, this is only true if your assets are not placed in trusts. Your estate planning attorney will create a plan that fits your needs. Health care directives. This gives a family member or friend the ability to make health care decisions, if you are unable.

Immediate Power of Attorney Requires Trust

January 31, 2019

If you are thinking of an immediate power of attorney, take your time and make the decision carefully. When you create a power of attorney, the authority granted in that document can be immediately effective, or alternatively can be activated only by documented proof that you are incapable of acting. Everything in life has its advantages and disadvantages. The immediate power of attorney is great because it is very easy to use. It can be not so great because it is equally easy to misuse. However, that requires some very careful thought before making the decision, according to the Glen Rose Reporter in “Should you add hot powers to your power of attorney?” The “hot” powers are well-named since they give a financial power of attorney considerable power. It is a lot of leeway for an agent to be given during one’s lifetime. This is because it allows the agent to create, amend, revoke or terminate a trust during the principal’s lifetime. The agent may also be given the power to make gifts, to themselves or others> They can also include other special powers, such as the powers to create or change rights of survivorship, create or change a beneficiary designation and to authorize another person to exercise the authority granted under the power of attorney. These extraordinary powers can be very helpful for long term care planning if someone is now or will soon be in need of nursing home care. The gifts the agent can make are further limited to being consistent with the principal’s objectives if the agent knows what those objectives are. However, if the agent does not know what those objectives are, he or she must still make sure the gift is aligned with the principal’s best interest, based on the value and nature of the principal’s property, foreseeable obligation and the need for maintenance. The power of attorney in all cases needs to know what their responsibilities are, and if they are given “hot” powers, they need to be informed what those specific powers are. If the agent is someone other than a spouse or descendant, that agent may not make gifts to themselves. A spouse or descendant, however, could make gifts to themselves. It boils done to the degree of confidence you have in who you are empowering in your power of attorney. The person does not need to be a financial genius. They can hire advisors. However, there is no replacement for trustworthiness. Reference: Glen Rose Reporter (Jan. 3, 2019) “Should you add hot powers to your power of attorney?” Estate Planning Attorney Can Help Avoid Family Feuds

How to not pick a guardian

January 29, 2019

Waiting for the perfect answer often leads to no answer at all Picking a Guardian for your children is no picnic. I am an estate planning attorney and have three children. They are now thankfully adults, and I am very proud of them. I am also one of eight children. My wife is one of 10 children. When our children were young, we had a great deal of difficulty trying to figure out who would be the best choice for guardian if we both died. We had many candidates to choose from in our siblings alone. In my 36 years of advising young parents on this topic, I find it is often an emotionally charged “Bone of contention.” I carried a draft will in my briefcase for longer than I care to admit because we could not resolve this problem. Every time the topic came up it was an unpleasant conversation, one that was best left unresolved. That is a good way to not pick a guardian: Avoid the touchy subject altogether. Eventually, we finally figured out that although we couldn’t agree on who should be named the guardian, we could easily agree on who shouldn’t be, which left a short list. I find that this is almost always the case. A couple may not agree on who should be first and who should be second as guardian, but they can usually agree on who should be on the list and who shouldn’t. Making sure that the right people only are involved in the conversation is an important parental act. Imagine for a moment that you have died, and are now a spirit in the room, watching all the people who think that they are supposed to be guardian vying to be appointed. Exactly how would that go? Wouldn’t it be better to have only the people on the short list be in the conversation? We were able to compromise once we got there. It also often helpful to have a third party, such as an estate planning attorney, put in their two cents. Complex issues of ego and family pride that burden the parents are not baggage of the lawyer, at least not for your family. What if your child was at school and needed a ride home, but neither parent was available? Having no one handle the pick up would not seem a viable option, right? What if you were never going to be there? You need an answer to the critical question of “Who raises your child?”: it’s a paramount parental duty. An imperfect plan would be far better than none at all. Waiting for an answer to arrive which “rings true” is another problem. The only answer that rings true is that you are there to see your child grow to adulthood, as I have had the good fortune to experience. Anything short of that won’t seem right. Deciding is great, but not enough. Reducing your choice of a guardian to writing in your Last Will

Passing on Assets? Perhaps Some Can Be Given Away

January 28, 2019

Want to make a big impact? Consider passing on some of your assets through charitable giving. While many people transfer their assets to the next generation, there are many who want to give some, or even all, of their assets away through charitable giving. That can make a big impact, according to MarketWatch in “Giving your money away when you die: 10 questions to ask.” If you haven’t thought about charitable giving or estate planning, these 10 questions should prompt some thought and discussion with family members: Should you give money away now? Don’t give away money or assets you’ll need to pay your living expenses, unless you have what you need for retirement and any bumps that may come up along the way. There are no limits to the gifts you can make to a charity. Do you have the right beneficiaries listed on retirement accounts and life insurance policies? If you want these assets to go to the right person or place, make sure the beneficiary names are correct. Note that there are rules, usually from the financial institution, about who can be a beneficiary—some require it be a person and do not permit the beneficiary to be an organization. Who do you want making end-of-life decisions, and how much intervention do you want to prolong your life? A health care power of attorney and living will are used to express these wishes. Without these documents, your family may not know what you want. Healthcare providers won’t know and will have to make decisions based on law, and not your wishes. Do you have a will? Many Americans do not, and it creates stress, adds costs and creates real problems for their family members. Make an appointment with an estate planning attorney to put your wishes into a will. Are you worried about federal estate taxes? Unless you are in the 1%, your chances of having to pay federal taxes are slim to none. However, if your will was created to address federal estate taxes from back in the days when it was a problem, you may have a strategy that no longer works. This is another reason to meet with your estate planning attorney. Does your state have estate or inheritance taxes? This is more likely to be where your heirs need to come up with the money to pay taxes on your estate. Maryland has a 10% tax for gifts to people who are not close relatives. This would include nieces and nephews. There is no such tax on life insurance proceeds. Your decisions of “Who gets what” can include significant tax consequences. A local estate planning attorney will be able to help you make a plan so that your heirs will have the resources to pay these costs. Should you keep your Roth IRA for an heir? Leaving a Roth IRA for an heir, could be a generous bequest. You may also want to encourage your heirs to start and fund Roth IRAs of their

An Estate Plan Should be in Writing

January 25, 2019

Make plans for handling an issue, before it becomes an issue. A plan not written down is really just a wish. I wish my son could handle my affairs. I wish my friend could speak for me in the hospital if need. I wish my special needs child would be eligible for needed government aid. Without committing something property to writing, these become more of what paves the road to hell. The legal issues that may surround a health problem, can go from bad to worse if you are not protected by legal documents expressing your wishes, according to the New Jersey Herald in “The importance of putting plans in writing.” The message hits home especially hard, when the friends experience problems that could have been resolved earlier with correct planning. In one example, a woman’s friend began to experience unexpected health problems. Her husband is incapacitated and there are no children to step in and help. The couple’s lack of legal documents has made a difficult situation even worse. Although discussing concepts like end-of-life care can be challenging, all adults should have specific plans in place, even if their estate plan is basic: a last will and testament, a living will and a power of attorney. It is never to early to put these documents into place. If you are a student about to enter college, your parents ability to help or get information may disappear legally at age 18. That newly minted adult should at least have a designated power of attorney and a medical directive, in case they are unable to manage their own affairs or make healthcare decisions. Unfortunately, many people still think estate planning is only for wealthy people who want to pay less taxes. Tax planning can help lighten tax liability for some. However, there are far more important reasons to do estate planning. The main reason for estate planning is to set down expectations and wishes, while you are alive and after you pass. An estate planning attorney will help review the benefits of having a power of attorney and a healthcare directive. They can help, if the situation occurs where your loved ones have to make decisions for you. The amount of time, expense and frustration of going through a guardianship process can be avoided, if these items are in place. An estate planning attorney can also help you with completing beneficiary forms for non-probate assets, preparing a funeral plan, planning a personal property memorandum and discussing elder care and planning for incapacity. Making decisions in advance regarding who will care for minor children, if young parents cannot and who will be the person’s executor and handle all the details of their estate, are all necessary. Many couples choose joint ownership and consider that their estate planning. However, that’s not enough. What happens when the last “surviving” joint owner passes? There are many other issues that need to be addressed. An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan

A Revocable Living Trust Might Be a Good Fit

January 24, 2019

There are many kinds of trusts. They aren’t just for the wealthy. Our practice has featured the preparation of wills and trusts exclusively since 1995. In the intervening years, we have prepared thousands of each such plans, and now work extensively implementing them after a client has died. Our caseload is now about 45% administration of wills and/or trust. We are often asked by clients which is better. That depends on many factors. But Trusts seem like a much better choice often, after the time comes to use the planning. If maintained and funded, a trust can be more cost effective, private and easier to administer. On the other hand, I know many attorneys who scoff at the notion of using a trust for people who are not millionaires. Probate, they often assure, is not so bad. And is a trust necessary? Everyone needs an estate plan. However, everyone should also at least consider a trust, according to The New York Times in “Life After Death? Here’s Why You Should Have a Trust.”It turns out that many people who are not wealthy, can also benefit from having a trust. There are many different kinds of trusts which serve different purposes. One is a revocable trust, which the owner can change. They are considered by many to be the “work horse” of modern estate planning. A revocable trust can avoid the need for a public probate court proceeding after the person dies, saving time and keeping money from being immediately available to heirs and executors alike. Trusts are also useful for times when people become incapacitated and need someone else to take care of their finances. Because many more people are living longer and the number of people with dementia is increasing, there are more situations where trusts are useful to the family and caregivers. A will is different than a trust and is a public document. The probate process requires a disclosure of assets, bank and other financial accounts and the names of beneficiaries. That information remains private with a revocable trust. Other considerations regarding trusts: You should have any type of trust set up by an estate and trust attorney. A house, real property, bank or investment accounts can be placed into a trust. A revocable trust does not always end at the death of the original owner. However, just how long it may last, depends upon the laws of your state. People also use trusts to protect their assets from others or to assure the long-term care of someone who is disabled. You can have a professional manager, family member or friend as a trustee or co-trustee of a trust. Sometimes having a licensed professional who has federal reporting requirements can provide an extra layer of protection. An estate planning attorney can advise you on creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and may include taking a close look at trusts. Reference: The New York Times (March 22, 2018) “Life After Death? Here’s Why You Should

Intestate Law is the State Writing a Will for You

January 18, 2019

Do you really want the state to determine where your assets end up? A key concept to planning your estate is that you already have a plan in place, whether you know it or not. If you die without a will, or die “intestacy”, meaning “without a Will”, the laws of your state essentially write a will for you. That may not result in your assets going where your would have preferred, according to The Daily News in “’Are You My Heir?’-Who Inherits When You Die Without a Will,” Each state has laws called “intestacy laws” that govern how probate assets are distributed, if someone dies without having a will and establishes the inheritance hierarchy based on a person’s family structure. For example, if you are married but have no children and no grandchildren, your estate will be passed to your spouse. If two people die and there are no descendants (children or grandchildren), their parents, if living, will inherit their assets. A child who is legally adopted has the same rights of inheritance as biological children. Children born outside of the marriage may not. If a child should predecease a parent, the living descendants of the child (if there are any) will inherit their share. In some states, heirs are limited to family members who share the same grandparents. If your family is not geographically or otherwise close, you may have heirs you have never met. Intestacy can become extremely complex, when there are children and grandchildren. Descendants inherit from their parents and grandparents in percentages dependent upon the total number of children and the number of children in each generation that follows. If a grandfather has three adult children who are living and one adult child who has passed, then the estate will be divided by three—a third each to each of the two living children and the final third to the grandchildren of the third (deceased) child. The children of the deceased child are heirs, even if the parent has died. Add non-marital children—children born outside of a legal marriage or step-children—and things start to get complicated. A court will have to determine the intestate inheritance, based on proof that the child is a descendant and if that relationship is established in a timely manner. If the father’s name is on the child’s birth certificate, that is generally enough proof of the relationship. It doesn’t matter if they have a close relationship or have never met. The same applies to marital children—whether they have been close and caring or are estranged. An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and makes reliance on state law unnecessary.Reference: The Daily News (Sep. 7, 2018) “’Are You My Heir?’-Who Inherits When You Die Without a Will”

Advanced Directives Help Loved Ones Making Tough Choices

January 17, 2019

An advanced directive can give you as well as your loved ones peace of mind. Do you want your preferences known, even if you are lack the capacity to communicate them? Then you need to create an advanced directive, according to the Valley News in “Advance Directives Provide Clear Guidance for Care.” The two components that make up an advance directive are a durable power of attorney and a treatment preferences section. The durable power of attorney for health care allows you to appoint someone to make medical decisions, if you lack the capacity to make those decisions for yourself. The treatment preference, which is sometimes referred to as a living will, lets you specify what kind of treatment you would want in a difficult circumstance. Treatment and care preferences usually focus on what you would want at the end of life or if you were in a permanently unconscious state. There are other preferences that can be expressed, including pain control, blood transfusions, mental health care and spiritual care. Another preference: who should—and should not—be involved in discussions about treatment. Most people want to express their wishes to avoid aggressive measures being taken to extend their lives, when the end result will be suffering and a delay of their passing. Others chose to avoid the financial burdens that may or may not result in any kind of change in their health or the quality of their life. Some have these documents prepared to make it clear that they want to spend their final months, weeks or days at home with loved ones with care only to relieve pain or care, so they can be conscious and able to speak with those around them. Advance directives are a blessing to loved ones, since they do not have to make hard choices in a crisis situation. They know what their aging parent or spouses wishes. It’s important to choose the person you want to be responsible for your care well in advance. Make sure it’s someone you trust, who knows you well and will be able to make hard decisions in a highly emotional time. They’ll also have to be able to communicate with your doctors and family members. It’s also important that you deliver the documents to your decision makers in a way they can be easily retrieved. We will scan and email the documents to our clients and suggest they forward the email to their decision makers. With smart phones today, they can be at a persons fingertips when needed. Also, telling young adult children that they are not the decision makers, or at least not yet, is also necessary. If an 18 year old is not aware that an aunt or uncle is to make these decisions, they may be thrust into the role simply because they don’t know better. An estate planning attorney can advise you in creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and can include an advanced directive. Reference: Valley News (Sep. 1,

The 50s: A Time for Decisions and Change

January 16, 2019

If you have found your niche, now its time to take advantage of it. Are you in your 50s and now have some disposable income? It is time to take advantage of retirement planning opportunities, according to the Sioux City Journalin “In Your 50s? Do These 3 Things to Plan for Your Retirement.” Unfortunately, many people who turn 50 start thinking now is the time to retire early, go on extravagant vacations or buy themselves big ticket items that they’ve always wanted. A better approach: consider this a time to make the most of your income, keep saving for retirement and stay on a steady course. Use the catch-up options available to you. The federal government knows that many people don’t have the means or the motivation to save for retirement until later in their careers. That’s why there are several provisions in the tax laws that let you catch up, once you reach 50. You can put away an additional $1,000 above the annual contribution limit to an IRA. You can add $6,000 in annual contribution to 401(k)s and similar employer-sponsored plans after age 50. Once you pass your 55th birthday, you can make an additional $1,000 annual contribution to health savings accounts. If you’ve got the cash to spare, these are great opportunities. Educate yourself about Social Security. Many people rely on Social Security for their retirement, while others use it as a safety net. You’ll want to start learning about the rules. When you take your first benefits has an impact on how much you’ll receive over your lifetime. Yes, you can start at age 62, but the difference in the amount you’ll get at 62 versus 70 is substantial. If you plan to keep working indefinitely, maximizing earnings is the best way to boost your Social Security benefits. Get access to savings in the early years of retirement. If you can afford to retire in your 50s, know when you can tap your retirement savings. If you’ve used regular taxable accounts to invest your savings, it won’t matter when you make withdrawals. However, if your money is locked up in 401(k)s, SEPs, IRAs and other tax favored accounts, you’ll need to know the rules. Penalties for taking withdrawals before the specified age, can take a big bite out of your retirement accounts. You may choose to work every day for another 10 years or 20 years once you’ve celebrated your 50th birthday, or start to back off. However, keeping these three key ideas in mind as you plan for the future, will help put you in the best financial state possible. If you are in your 50s, now is the time to meet with an estate planning attorney for advice on creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances. Reference: Sioux City Journal (Aug. 25, 2018) “In Your 50s? Do These 3 Things to Plan for Your Retirement”

Estate Plan? Don’t Forget Digital Assets!

January 16, 2019

The world has changed, and it really isn’t a good idea to ignore your digital assets when estate planning. Estate planning has generally been about tangible assets through the years. However, now attention needs to be also focused on the digital world in order to be thorough, according to the North Bay Business Journal in “Your digital life likely will outlive you, so here’s how to bring your estate plan into the modern age.” Don’t think you have a digital identity and digital assets? For most of us, we need to take a closer look. Here are a few of your digital assets to consider: bank accounts, email accounts, Facebook page, Linked In profile, online photo albums, blogs and websites. They’re likely to be around long after you are gone. This is still a relatively new area of estate planning. What often happens is that heirs think they can simply find and use the decedent’s user name and passwords to access their accounts. However, what they learn, is that they are legally not permitted to do so. A new law was passed in 2017 in California that attempted to bring order to this chaos. The Revised Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act allows executors and trustees to obtain disclosure of a person’s digital assets, after the original owner dies but only under certain conditions. In the recent past, federal and state laws have made it hard for executors and trustees to gain access to these assets without a court order. Just being the executor or trustee does not automatically give you the right to access assets. There must be evidence that the decedent consented to disclosure. Having these access provisions in wills, trusts and powers of attorney is an evolving area. The new law mainly gave social media platforms and privacy advocates what they wanted: a requirement of prior consent before disclosure. However, the end result is that it is easier to gain access to digital assets, if executors and trustees can show that the decedent did consent to disclosure. However, it’s still not that simple. Here are a few steps to help your loved ones deal with your digital assets: Inventory every digital asset that you have. Create a list of log-in and password information, plus any “secret questions/answers.” Having a password program like “Lastpass” can be a great tool to allow for access and control for your decision maker. Tell your trusted family member or friend where that list is. Store it with your other estate planning documents, possibly in your attorney’s vault. Do not include your digital asset inventory, as part of your will. If your estate goes through probate, all of your account information will become part of the public record. An estate planning attorney can advise you on creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and will most likely include digital assets. If you already have an estate plan, revisit the package with your estate planning attorney and take your digital assets

(301) 776-7900

322 Main Street, Suite 102

January 2019