Every estate plan should have a power of attorney, in which you give one or more people authority to act as agents on your behalf, when you aren’t able to. Every estate planner and guide to estate planning will tell you that. What few will tell you is there are at least two important instances when the power of attorney (POA) won’t be recognized and followed.
In addition to deciding who gets what when you die, you have key roles to fill that deserve thoughtful deliberation as part of the estate-planning process, experts say.
Ever since a group of philanthropists created the Giving Pledge in 2010, taxpayers have expressed greater interest in potential estate planning strategies that would allow them to leave a significant portion of their assets to charity upon their death.
In addition to the federal estate tax, with a top rate of 40 percent, some states levy an additional estate or inheritance tax. Twelve states and the District of Columbia impose estate taxes and six impose inheritance taxes. Maryland is the only state to impose both.
The year 2020, plagued by COVID-19, has exposed all of our vulnerabilities to disease and death, regardless of age, gender, and socio-economic class.
Over the years, several high-profile celebrities have died without either properly updating their estate plan or having one at all. The list includes Princess Diana, Prince, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson and Kurt Cobain, all of whom were worth millions and among the most famous people on the planet at the time of their death.
Married people in second marriages with prior children often have to balance the future well-being of their spouse with that of their own children.
Inheriting a residential property like a house marks the end of a life and the beginning of deciding what to do with the property and implementing that plan.
While most initial meetings with an estate planning attorney will result in some questions you likely have never considered, there are many ways in which you can prepare for a thoughtful and productive estate planning conference that will result in a better understanding of your goals and more efficient use of time with your attorney.
While legally you may not need all-new estate planning documents if you move to a different state, you should have your documents reviewed by a local attorney in your new home.
