Estate Planning for the GLBT Community Guidance and assistance with Living Trusts, Health Care Powers of Attorney, and Asset Distribution.
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Recognized by Money Magazine Again Carolyn Bigda’s article “Rethink Your Legacy” in the June issue of Money Magazine explores the five questions you should be asking regarding your estate. The article recommends the American Academy’s website, www.aaepa.com, as a source to find a qualified estate planning attorney. The Associate Director of Education at the Academy, Steve Hartnett, was also interviewed in the article and lent his expertise to one of the five questions. This is the fifth mention of finding a quality attorney on the American Academy’s members list by Money Magazine in the last 21 issues.
Consumer Reports Recommends American Academy The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys was recommended in the January 2009 Consumer Reports Money Adviser newsletter. The article “How to Avoid Inheritance Feuds” focuses on techniques for avoiding conflict after a loved one passes away. The article recommends using the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys as a source for selecting a qualified estate planning attorney. The article also warned consumers to be explicit in their will in order to avoid disagreements. Other advice included deciding what is fair for each heir versus just dividing assets evenly and to keep everyone in your family informed of decisions beforehand.
Consumer Reports Money Adviser is an independent, non-profit newsletter that offers expert advice.
Click here to find out why our American Academy membership is so important to our firm and the many families we provide guidance to each year.
Money Magazine Recognizes American Academy! In the January 2009 issue of Money Magazine, Walecia Konrad’s article entitled “Keep It In The Family” focuses on making sure the wealth you’ve worked so hard to accumulate will go to the people you love. The article recommends the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys as a source to find an estate planning attorney who can tailor a plan for your situation and address your state rules. It also includes a useful estate planning checklist and valuable tips for putting together a proper estate plan that will safeguard your hard-earned assets from estate taxes, lawsuits and probate. This is the fourth time in 16 issues the American Academy has been recognized. Click here to find out why our American Academy membership is so important to our firm and the many families we provide guidance to each year.
American Academy Mentioned in Money Magazine! Robert Armstrong, President of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, was interviewed by Money Magazine senior writer Penelope Wang for her article " A Midlife Money Checkup" in the March 2008 Issue. The article was part of the Cover Story "A Boomer's Guide to Financial Freedom" that included multiple articles focusing on financial trends, aging well and other issues Baby Boomers are facing today. This is the third mention of the American Academy of Estate Planning by Money Magazine in the last seven issues. The "Midlife Money Checkup" is a nine-step test that highlights questions Boomer's should be asking themselves at this point in their lives. Mr. Armstrong's expertise in estate planning was highlighted in question five, "Is your estate plan in order?" Make sure you don't have to ask yourself that question by meeting with a qualified attorney.
American Academy Mentioned in Money Magazine The September issue of Money Magazine has an article entitled,"20 Timeless Money Rules." Rule 17, Exiting Gracefully, is particularly significant because it emphasizes the importance of putting together your estate plan. The recommendation of Money Magazine is that you search for a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys: "To find a lawyer, ask friends and colleagues for recommendations or get referrals online at the website of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys (aaepa.com)." The American Academy is an exclusive membership organization for law firms dedicated to estate planning. We are proud of our Academy membership and pleased to be the only law firm in the greater Richmond, Virginia area accepted into this prestigious organization. For more information about why our membership is so important to your family, click here.
Attorney Melanie Lee Quoted in the Wall Street Journal Ms. Lee was quoted in a Wall Street Journal article on April 1, 2007 entitled “In Times of Grief, Scam Artists Arrive.”
READ MORE
Attorney Melanie Lee Completes Extensive IRA Training Estate Planning Attorney, Melanie Lee, recently completed in-depth training on planning with IRAs at an educational conference in Las Vegas. The instructor is the nationally known IRA expert, Ed Slott. Mr. Slott is the author of the widely acclaimed book, “The Retirement Savings Bomb…and How to Defuse It.” He has lectured extensively for years to financial professionals across the country on the complex IRA rules and how to properly plan to preserve and then transfer IRAs to family members.
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS How to Avoid Estate Planning Minefields: You Don't Know What You Don't Know Some things seem like they should be easy--and they are easy. However, the problem with some complex responsibilities is that they may seem simple on the surface, yet they may be very difficult in reality. This is equally true for estate planning. However, experts can spot the hidden problems which the ordinary person may not. This article looks at the problems one couple had when they opted to use do-it-yourself estate planning software instead of consulting with an attorney. There was a hidden minefield that caused everything the family had worked for to be lost to an ex-spouse. Something that could easily have been avoided had they consulted with an experienced estate planning attorney. Find out what some of the most common estate planning minefields are and how you can avoid them.
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS Preserving Grandma's Legacy You find your grandma's estate planning documents when you're helping her organize her attic. The documents were dated two decades ago, just before grandpa died. After grandma dies, the assets will have to be split among her three kids. However, since the estate plan was drafted, the family's circumstances have changed considerably and things aren't quite that simple anymore. Leaving her assets outright to her 3 children would mean that their inheritance would be lost to creditors and medical expenses. This article discusses the importance of having an up-to-date estate plan to preserve your legacy and family history as well as having a conversation with family members about their own planning.
CLIENT NEWSLETTERS Your Estate Matters Newsletter, Vol. 14.3
EDUCATIONAL ALERTS Congress' Inaction Creates Need to Review Estate PlanCongressional inaction on the estate tax has led to its temporary repeal. The bad news is that there is no step-up in basis. This unexpected scenario causes two potential problems: 1) the estate tax formula allocation clause in your clients' documents may have unintended consequences, and 2) your clients' documents may not be drafted to take advantage of the new "carryover" basis regime. Read the full Alert to find out more about these problems and their solutions.
EDUCATIONAL FYIs Stimulus Payments for Seniors$250 Recovery Payments to go to SS and SSI beneficiaries in May 2009.
