Some Legal Trivia…

Did you know? The Code of Ur-Nammu, written around 2100 BCE, is the oldest found legislative code. It later influenced the code of Hammurabi. It’s the first time when a schedule of predetermined consequences for violating rules of conduct was written. Most penalties were monetary: 15 shekels for perjury, 5 shekels for deflowering...
Some Legal Trivia… Continue reading…

Imagine your family at peace: How to Have Crucial Conversations with Your Loved Ones about End-of-Life issues

Talking about end of life issues with a loved one who is already sick is difficult. Your loved one may not be thinking clearly, may be in pain, and everyone is likely to be very emotional. That’s why it’s important to have this conversation early, while everyone is thinking clearly. A plan is...
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Are you at risk of getting sued, if you agree to act as a Fiduciary (Executors, Trustees and Agents under Power of Attorney)?

Trust and estate litigation is on the rise. The conflict can arise due to beneficiaries who feel they were entitled to more money or Trustees, who are supposed to act as fiduciaries with care, loyalty and impartiality, but often don’t. Unfortunately, you cannot plan for every contingency. You hope that the Trustee that...
Are you at risk of getting sued, if you agree to act as a Fiduciary (Executors, Trustees and Agents under Power of Attorney)? Continue reading…

Trump just proposed to eliminate the Estate Tax completely. Will it affect you?

Currently, the gift and estate tax threshold is $5.5MM per person ($11MM per married couple). Assets passing at death that are above  that threshold are taxed at 40%. Gifts made during lifetime that are above this threshold are also taxed at 40%. Less than 1 out of 550 of people who die have taxable estates. Furthermore,...
Trump just proposed to eliminate the Estate Tax completely. Will it affect you? Continue reading…

You have a Trust? When DO beneficiaries find out about money left to them ?

Clients often establish Trusts for the purpose of deferring distributions to beneficiaries. These Trusts are usually established to protect assets from risks such as mismanagement, imprudent spending, creditors and divorce.But when do Trust beneficiaries have to receive information about the Trust and the assets? This question is different from the one about when...
You have a Trust? When DO beneficiaries find out about money left to them ? Continue reading…