Ask around and you will find that many people don’t have an estate plan. They may not even know what makes up an estate plan. This was just the case today at a Starbuck’s. A question about an estate plan was met with question of “what is an estate plan?” This was...
If you’ve just gone through a divorce, the last thing you might want to do is drag up old memories by revising your estate plan. Trust us, though, if you don’t take the time to do this, you could seriously regret it. Once the proverbial ink has dried on your divorce...
Preserving funds through your retirement and end-of-life care becomes even more important when an adult child cannot provide self support. Medical treatment and better care mean that loved ones with disabilities are living longer. This is a success story, but one that...
Estate tax rules are constantly discussed by politicians. In this election cycle, one of the candidates has suggested doing away with what he calls the "death tax." Thus, it may not come as a surprise that tax rates and exemption levels on estate have changed 20 times...
We haven’t covered estate taxes frequently in this blog, because the federal threshold for 2016 is $5.45 million per individual. That means that couples can pass $10.9 million without Federal gift and tax consequences. The yearly gift exclusion remains $14,000. But...
An important part of estate planning for many people, particularly the wealthy, is philanthropy. Being able to leave a legacy behind for a beloved charitable organization or favored cause is a priority for these individuals.When structuring an estate plan, it is vital...
Many Colorado families have aging family members, adult children who have a disability or a spouse with a disability. Individuals want to ensure that their loved ones are cared for after their deaths, but they also want to be sure that these special needs family...
No one can predict when a serious illness or injury will strike. A neighbor had a heart attack at 40 - she was fortunate to recognize the symptoms and get help. Another neighbor who just celebrated his 80th birthday is still recovering from a debilitating stroke. Look...
In the last couple of months, we have touched on a lot of topics pertaining to trusts. Today, we want to talk about one specific type of trust that can benefit many families: a special needs trust, or supplemental needs trust. If your child has a disability, planning...
If you have a trust involved with your estate plan, it is likely that you have utilized a revocable trust. When you create a revocable trust when you are alive, it is called a "living trust." This type of trust is a tremendous tool that can help protect your estate...
