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Estate Planning and Tax Reform
In 2019, the significant increase in the federal estate tax exclusion to $11.4 million left some people thinking estate and tax planning was not so important anymore. However, the higher exclusion is slated to return to only $5 million (inflation indexed) at the end of 2025. Also, for Washington residents, the state estate tax exclusion…
Read MoreNever Too Young
Guest Author: Michele C. Petite-Shelhorse The fact is, life is never predictable. You are never too young to protect your loved ones and delegate your life’s legacy. Below are ten reasons why young people should consider making their estate plan now. How do you want to be remembered? Celebration of Life planning is wise. A…
Read MoreHealth Care Advance Directives and How to Choose your Attorney in Fact
Advance directives are composed of two legal documents: A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and a Health Care Directive. A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is a legal document appointing someone of your choice to make healthcare decisions for you if you become unable to do so because of injury, illness,…
Read MoreFive Important Responsibilities for the Trustee of a Special Needs Trust
If you are thinking about serving as the trustee of a special needs trust, you will probably have questions about the trustee’s role and responsibilities. Trustees of special needs trusts have many important responsibilities, but the following five appear at the top of any trustee’s list. 1. Communication An ability to communicate with the trust beneficiary,…
Read MoreCommunity Property & Estate Planning
What is Community Property?Community property is any property owned by a married couple, or two people in a committed intimate relationship (we will refer to these as ‘spouses’ for purposes of this article), where each spouse has a “present, undivided, one-half interest in the property.” This means that each spouse has equal access to the…
Read MoreSo I’m a Personal Representative…Now What?
If you are like the majority of people, you’re probably not even sure what it means to be an executor, known as a Personal Representative in the state of Washington. If you look to Merriam Webster for an answer, you’ll find something like the following: “(T)he person appointed by a testator to execute a will.” But what…
Read MoreUsing a Testamentary Trust to Provide for Grandchildren’s’ Education
When grandparents begin the estate planning process, often they want to leave money to their grandchildren in a will. However, what are the best options to leave money to grandchildren when the grandparent wants to make sure that those funds are used for the child’s college expenses and not blown on unnecessary or frivolous extravagances?…
Read MorePet Trusts
Did you know that you can leave money to be used for the care of your dog, cat or other pet after you die? Using your will, you can also put someone in charge of managing and spending the funds, following a written set of instructions that you provide. Recently, Washington law changed to allow…
Read MoreSpecial Needs Trusts
If your spouse is disabled and has qualified to receive, or may in the future qualify to receive, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Medicaid benefits, you and your lawyer will need to carefully consider how to provide your spouse with an inheritance, or else his or her qualification for those benefits will be at risk.…
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