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2025 Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Requirements

After much legal back-and-forth, the beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) have once again been updated. Here’s what you need to know about whether you are required to report, penaltie… Read More
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Categories: Business Planning
A fun portrait of a multi-generational family members. Visual concept for an estate blog discussing reviewing beneficiary designations to avoid unintended consequences.

Have You Checked Your Beneficiary Designations Lately?

When you think of estate planning, you might think of creating a will or a living trust to distribute your assets after your death. But beneficiary designations are also an important part of estate planning, and one that is often overlooked. If you h… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Office, lawyer or old couple with will, contract or document for retirement funding or compliance. Plan, advisor or married elderly clients with legal form or title deed agreement with life insurance

What is a “Transfer on Death” Deed?

As the saying goes, “You can’t take it with you.” But when it comes to leaving your property to others, there are a variety of ways to do it—some of them easier than others. One option is a “transfer on death” (TOD) deed. As the name sugg… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Young Couple Calculating Budget

When to Update Your Will and Related Powers of Attorney

As estate planning attorneys often tell clients, your estate plan is not “set it and forget it.” It reflects your assets, goals, and needs at the time you create it. But let’s face it: life changes. We marry and divorce. Family members are born… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Real Estate Deed Transfer of Land or Property

Joint Ownership of Real Estate: Good Idea, or Potential Disaster?

For many people, the largest asset they own is their home or other real estate. One question we often receive from clients is whether they should put an adult child or other family member “on the deed” to their property to make estate planning si… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Compliance Concept with Wooden Blocks in Red Color

Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting

A piece of federal legislation called the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) went into effect on January 1, 2024. This law is intended to prevent illegal activity such as tax fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes. The CTA aims to achieve… Read More
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Categories: Business Planning
Senior adults with their adult children

Talking About Your Estate Plan with Your Family

If you’ve made an estate plan, or even just called a lawyer to get the process started, congratulations! You’re already ahead of the majority of American adults: roughly ⅔ of them do not have an estate plan. But just making an estate plan is on… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
two young women sign a contract

Family Business Succession Planning

Family Business Succession Planning A family business is more than a source of income. It can also be a source of connection, a source of pride, and a legacy to hand down to future generations. But like passing the baton in a relay race, the successf… Read More
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Close-up of hand filling paperwork at home

Choosing a Personal Representative for Your Estate

You can’t take it with you—so you need to choose someone to manage it for you when you’re gone. That person is the personal representative of your estate, sometimes referred to the executor (if you had a will) or the administrator (if you didn… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning
Information about Estate planning and old glasses.

Lessons From Celebrity Estate Planning Fails

Celebrities—they’re just like us! That’s certainly true in some ways, if not all (most of us can’t afford to drop a million dollars on hairstyling or a single comic book). Sadly, one of the things many of the rich and famous have in common wi… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning