Conservation Easements: Preserving a Heritage With Tax Benefits You may have heard about conservation easements in the news over the past few years and the tax benefits available through the use of them. But what are they and how can they benefit you? Defining Conservation Easements A typical conservation easement is created when a landowner [...]
Tips for Divvying Up Personal Property We collect stuff throughout our lives. This “stuff” is known as our personal property. Some items are valuable, like jewelry, baseball cards, and works of art. Other items are sentimental, like grandma’s tea set, old christmas ornaments, and photographs. Regardless of the value, it is important that these items [...]
Deeper Dive into Advance Healthcare Directives When it comes to your healthcare, especially during these uncertain times, you need to ensure that two estate planning documents, in particular, are up to date. The first is your healthcare power of attorney. This document allows you to name a person to make medical decisions on your behalf [...]
What Happens If My Beneficiary Dies Before Me? When planning for death, most people assume they will die before their beneficiaries (e.g., their spouse, children, and grandchildren). While these assumptions are often well-founded, they do not always come to pass. Sometimes a beneficiary of an estate or trust dies before the person leaving the inheritance. [...]
Disaster Preparedness Month: How to Prepare for Whatever May Come Your Way The unpredictable can occur at any time: fires, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, pandemics—you name it. Because September is National Disaster Preparedness Month, we want you to be prepared for whatever life throws at you. Although none of us can predict the future, there are [...]
Estate Planning After Personal Injury Settlements In the hectic and sometimes dangerous world that we live in, it is an unfortunate fact of life that accidents happen and people get hurt. The U.S. legal system is designed so that those who suffer injury through the avoidable fault of others can seek compensation for those injuries. [...]
Snowbirds: What You Need to Know about Renting Out Your Property Retreating to a warmer climate for the winter sounds like an ideal way to spend a few months. To help make this dream a reality, some individuals choose to rent out their second homes when they are not in use. But before you list [...]
Considerations Before Heading South for the Winter For many snowbirds, cooler weather means it is time to head south. If you are thinking about heading for warmer weather this winter, there are a few things you should consider before hitting the road. What is happening in your destination state? Because we are still in the [...]
Why Your Heirs or Beneficiaries May Receive a Smaller Inheritance Than You Thought Although it is rare for anyone to look forward to the passing of a loved one, many people cannot help wondering about a future inheritance. Often when a person dies and leaves money or property to heirs or beneficiaries, the first thing [...]
Seven Ways to Avoid Family Fights over Your Property Ask a group of friends if they have experienced a family fight over a property after a loved one has died, and you will be in for a lively and eye-opening conversation. Far too many families end up fighting, or at least experiencing tension, over a [...]
