California Probate - Law Offices of Janet Brewer Blog

Did Zappos Founder Tony Hsieh Have a Will?

“Advisors were likely powerless to push for an $800 million estate plan, as Zappos founder started to drift into unhealthy habits. The family now has to sort it out.”

Zappos founder Tony Hsieh did not quite make “billionaire” status. However, he was close, selling several companies for a $800 million personal payday.

Wealth Advisor’s recent article entitled “Even Mega-Millionaires Die With No Will: Tony Hsieh Family Steps Up” explains that when leaving that much cash behind, heirs need only invest in Treasury Bonds to be set for life.

However, when you die on a reported girlfriend’s property at age 46, far from home and without a will, the estate becomes much more complicated than it needs to be.

Hsieh sold his first startup company in 1998 and moved into the world of top-tier technology incubators, eventually starting the shoe retailer Zappos, which he sold to Amazon in 2009. He continued to manage Zappos, until he stepped down this summer. While Hsieh had no need to work financially, he liked the structure.

However, he also enjoyed pushing his health to the limit, experimenting with extreme diets, holding his breath, and literally playing with fire. Hsieh was asphyxiated in a Connecticut shed when it caught fire. He was rushed to the hospital, where he died.

Hsieh seemed untethered, but it was his life and his money.

However, now that he’s gone, his fortune is an issue.

He did not have a wife or children, so his scattered assets need to be accounted for and then dispersed.

His father and brother have volunteered to sort everything out.

However, it is going to take time and money to find all the money and there are no guarantees. Things frequently fall through the cracks.

The tax situation is also a question, with an $800 million estate, the IRS will see a significant payday.

Hsieh didn’t have a will or a trust, so probate is a concern. With a Nevada base of operations, a Utah residence, and presumptive California executors - probate can get messy very quickly.

The lesson here is clear: we all need an estate plan.

That’s how we can add multigenerational value and keep family fortunes growing, instead of dwindling to nothing.

Ask an experienced estate planning attorney about a comprehensive estate plan.

Reference: Wealth Advisor (Dec. 7, 2020) “Even Mega-Millionaires Die With No Will: Tony Hsieh Family Steps Up”

Do I Really Need a Will?

“There’s much to plan for in life — college, your wedding, your first child, life insurance — and with more than enough to keep you busy, it’s easy to forget about your will. After all, no one wants to sit around and dwell on their death, but it is perhaps one of the most important decisions you will make in your life.”

No one enjoys pondering their own mortality, but we can all help unburden our loved ones after we’ve gone, by creating a will.

Bankrate’s recent article entitled “Why it’s important for every adult to get a will” explains why you need a will and how to protect what you most cherish after you pass away.

Many people think that a will must be a complicated document full of confusing legal jargon. However, the purpose of a will is really very simple despite its importance. A will is a legal document that disposes of your property at your death. In addition, wills address several issues required to be resolved after death, such as who will care for your children, who will make decisions about your estate and who will receive your assets? Every adult should have a will that speaks to these issues.

There are several types of wills which are customized based on your property and assets. Some people have specific instructions regarding special bequests at their death, and others pass everything to a surviving spouse and children.

Testamentary will. This will is prepared in advance and is signed in front of witnesses. This is the most common type of will.

Holographic will. This is a will that is written by hand and is frequently a last resort in emergency situations. It is not valid in all states.

Oral will. This is a verbal will that’s spoken in front of witnesses. However, most courts prefer instructions in writing. As a result, an oral will isn’t a form that is widely recognized or recommended.

Mutual will. A couple can create a joint will, so that when one spouse dies, the other remains bound by the existing will’s terms.

Pour-over will. This type of will is used when you plan to “pour” your assets into a previously established trust at your death.

There are many reasons why you should have a will. A will can:

• Clearly identify ownership of your property
• Name a legal guardian for your children
• Shorten the legal process of assigning your assets
• Make donations of assets to charitable organizations
• Make specific gifts; and
• Save on estate tax.

Speak to an experienced estate planning attorney about the right will for your situation. If you have any questions about your current estate plan, please call or email us today.

Reference: Bankrate (Nov. 6, 2020) “Why it’s important for every adult to get a will”

What Key Estate Planning Terms Should I Know?

“Estate planning is an incredibly important tool, not just for the uber-wealthy or those thinking about retirement. On the contrary, estate planning is something every adult should do.”

Estate planning can help you accomplish several objectives, including naming guardians for minor children, choosing healthcare agents to make decisions for you should you become ill, minimizing taxes so you can give more wealth to your heirs, and saying how and to whom you would like to pass your estate at death.

Emmett Messenger Index’s recent article entitled “13 Estate Planning Terms You Need to Know” provides some important terms to understand as you consider your own estate plan.

Assets: This is anything a person owns. It can include a home and other real estate, bank accounts, life insurance, investments, furniture, jewelry, collectibles, art, and clothing.

Beneficiary: This is an individual or entity (like a charity) that gets a beneficial interest in an asset, such as an estate, trust, account, or insurance policy.

Distribution: A payment in cash or asset(s) to the beneficiary who’s designated to receive it.

Estate: All of the assets and debts left by a person at death.

Fiduciary: An individual with a legal obligation or duty to act primarily for another person’s benefit, such as a trustee or agent under a power of attorney.

Funding: The process of transferring or retitling assets to a trust. Note that a living trust will only avoid probate at the trustmaker’s death if it’s fully funded. A trustmaker also may be known as a grantor, settlor, or trustor.

Incapacitated or Incompetent: The situation when a person is unable to manage her own affairs, either temporarily or permanently, and often involves a lack of mental capacity.

Inheritance: These are assets received from someone who has died.

Probate: This is the orderly court-supervised process of distributing the assets of a person who has died.

Trust: This is a fiduciary relationship where a trustmaker gives a trustee the right to hold property or assets for the benefit of another party, known as the beneficiary. The trust is a written trust agreement that directs how the trust assets will be distributed to the beneficiary.

Will: A written document with directions for disposing of a person’s assets after their death. A will is enforced by a probate court. A will can provide for the nomination of a guardian for minor children.

We can help walk you through creating and fully understanding every element of your estate plan; call or email us today to schedule a consultation.

Reference: Emmett Messenger Index (Oct. 28, 2020) “13 Estate Planning Terms You Need to Know”

Do I Need to Name a Guardian for My Children in the Will?

“Why naming a guardian for your child is important.”

Many young couples with children and bills to pay may look at you askance, when asked about estate planning and say, “what estate?”

However, a critical part of having a will—one frequently overlooked—is naming a guardian. If you don’t name a guardian, it could result in issues for your children after your death. Your child might even be placed in a foster home.

For a young family, designating a guardian is another good reason to draft a will. If you and your spouse die together with no guardian specified in a will, the guardian will be chosen by the court.

In a worst-case scenario, if you have no close family or no one in your family who can take your child, the court will send them to foster care, until a permanent guardian can be named.

The judge will collect as much information as possible about your children and family circumstances to make a good decision.

However, the judge won’t have an intimate knowledge of who you know or which of your relatives would be good guardians. This could result in a choice of one of the last people you might pick to take care of your child.

Try to find common ground, by agreeing to a set of criteria you want in a guardian. This could include the following:

• The potential guardian’s willingness to be a guardian
• The potential guardian’s financial situation
• Where the child might live with that person
• The potential guardian’s values, religion, or political beliefs
• The potential guardian’s parenting skills; and
• The potential guardian’s age and health.

Next, make a decision, get the chosen guardian’s consent, write it all down, and then set out to create a will.

Ask an experienced estate planning attorney to help you do it correctly.

For a related podcast, you can listen to Janet talk about issues relating to minor children and guardianships (along with answering some listener's questions about estate planning in general) on NPR's Your Legal Rights.

Reference: Lifehacker (Oct. 27, 2020) “Why You Should Name a Guardian for Your Kids Right Away”

What is Considered Community Property in California Inheritance Law?

California is a community property state. How will you know what is considered community property in California inheritance law? 

California's inheritance laws – and especially those related to community property – can get incredibly confusing quickly. When there is no valid will put into place by the deceased, or when the couple has high-value assets, the application of these laws can also become very intricate. A brief overview of how inheritance relates to both community property and separate property by California is below.

Community Property Defined

Most states follow what is called common law for determining asset division during a marriage. Under common law, a spouse or domestic partner is not automatically granted the right to 50% ownership of all assets acquired during the marriage. Instead, ownership is determined based upon whose name an asset is purchased and whose income paid for it.

California joins only eight other states to adhere to community property law. These states recognize a policy that any property acquired during a couple's marriage or domestic partnership is considered joint property. Furthermore, each party has the benefit of a 50% stake in ownership automatically, regardless of whose name may be on the asset's title or whose income was used to pay for the asset.  

Property that is considered community property includes bank accounts, stocks, bonds, cash, personal items, vehicles, household items, collectibles, and real estate holdings. These assets are split equally without regard to whose fault divorce may be or each spouse's financial situation. Even when one spouse brought in the entire income and assets of the marriage, they are still split equally. Likewise, any debt accumulated throughout the marriage becomes collective debt and is shared equally by both parties in the relationship.

Inheritance & Gifts in California

There is one exception to California's community property laws for assets received by either party in the relationship as a part of an inheritance or as a gift. These assets do not automatically go into the pool as community property. But the recipient should be wary that, under some circumstances, these assets can still be viewed as community property if they haven't implemented proper safeguards to protect the gift or inheritance.

Don't Comingle Assets

The best way to protect these assets is to prevent them from co-mingling with your other assets, those considered community properties. For instance, if you receive cash as part of an inheritance and deposit it into a shared account, it becomes impossible for the court to track what assets in the account are assigned to each party. All of it would be considered community property.

Whatever you receive as a part of inheritance should be treated separately and held in the recipient's name only to prevent it from being treated as community property.

Don't Use the Inheritance to Purchase Anything That Will Become Community Property

If you use inheritance to purchase something else while you are married, that asset will become community property. For instance, if you sell an inherited property and purchase a different property with the proceeds you receive from the sale, the new property will be considered community property. This legal treatment differs from the inherited property. If you keep the inherited property, it remains your asset alone and would not be considered community property during a divorce.

Consider a Legal Agreement

Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are becoming increasingly common in marriages. These legal agreements can protect both spouses by clearly defining what both parties consider community property and individual property. Even in the absence of an agreement put into place before the marriage or domestic partnership, both parties may be open to considering it if there are substantial changes to their financial status as the relationship evolves.

Estate Planning and Inheritance

If there is a death in the family and no will to define beneficiaries, there are many different ways that a probate court may split assets. Further, if you do not have any surviving family, your estate may go to the state. There are many other scenarios in which California's inheritance laws can impact asset distribution in a way that the decedent may not have intended.

If you have questions about assigning, receiving, or protecting assets acquired through inheritance, it's best to speak with a reputable estate planning professional. These experts can walk you through all of the potential laws that may apply to your unique situation, including community property laws. They can also frequently provide a recommended course of action to achieve what you would like to achieve and provide peace of mind that your inheritance is protected.   

 

What Do I Do If Property I Just Inherited Has a Mortgage?

“What happens if you inherit your loved one’s home? What if they still have payments to make on their mortgage? We’ll explore these and other questions you may have below.”

Bankrate’s recent article entitled “Does the home you inherited include a mortgage?’ explains that when a family member dies, there can be questions about wills, inheritances, and how best to settle financial affairs. It can be a stressful time, and complicated, especially when real estate is a part of the equation. Let’s look at some specific situations and how to address them.

Inheriting a mortgage. In many instances, a person will inherit both a home and the mortgage that goes with it. If that’s the case, ask for help from an attorney who specializes in elder law or estate planning. Even though the borrower died, the mortgage still must be repaid. Therefore, if you’ve inherited it, you’ll have to decide how the loan and property will be handled. If you move into the home, you may be able to assume the mortgage and continue paying it. You might also think about a cash-out refinance and pay that way. You can also sell the home. Heirs have a good deal of leverage dealing with a mortgage in an estate situation thanks to federal law, which can help them assume an existing loan. You should ask your attorney about estate taxes and capital gains taxes from a sale.

Assuming a mortgage. Typically, if you’re assuming the loan, the lender will be willing to work with you. Mortgages frequently have a “due-on-sale” or “due-on-transfer” clause that requires full repayment of the loan, in the event of a change in ownership. In certain estate situations, federal law prevents the lender from calling the loan, even if it has such a clause. Surviving spouses also have special protections to ensure that they can keep an inherited home.

Inheriting a reverse mortgage. If the home involves a reverse mortgage or a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), your options vary according to the circumstances of the borrower who died. If you inherited a reverse mortgage from a parent, your options include the following:

• Paying off or refinancing the balance and keeping the home
• Selling the home for at least 95% of the appraised value; or
• Agreeing to a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

There is a six-month window for the balance to be repaid. This can be extended, if the heir is actively trying to pay off the debt. If the reverse mortgage isn’t paid off after a year, the lender is required by HUD to begin the foreclosure process. This has negative connotations. However, it is a normal part of settling a reverse mortgage, once the last borrower or non-borrowing spouse passes away. If you’re a surviving spouse, and you’re on the reverse mortgage, nothing will change.

If the mortgage is underwater. If the value of the inherited home is less than the outstanding mortgage debt, the home has negative equity or is “underwater.” If the mortgage is a non-recourse loan (the borrower doesn’t have to pay more than the value of the home), the lender may have few options outside of foreclosure. The same usually applies for a reverse mortgage: the most that will ever have to be repaid, is the value of the home. The heirs are fully protected if the home isn’t worth enough to pay off the entire HECM balance.

When there’s no will. If a borrower dies without a will, there will be more complications and expenses when handling a home with a mortgage (or any other assets). Talk to an experienced estate planning attorney regarding your specific situation. 

Contact our office today to schedule your consultation.

Reference: Bankrate (Oct. 22, 2020) “Does the home you inherited include a mortgage?’

Estate Planning During COVID: Smart Documents to Update

What are some documents you should update as part of your estate planning during Covid? You might be surprised. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced uncertainty and anxiety into many peoples’ lives. For some, it has also brought into focus their mortality. While we hope that the pandemic is controlled quickly, current times are unpredictable. If you haven’t already, it’s a good time to think about ensuring that your financial affairs are in order and that you have an estate plan in place. 

Give the rapid spread of the virus, it’s important to update your estate plan as soon as possible. 

Documents to Update

There are several key documents that you should review to see if you need to make any changes in light of the current pandemic. These include:

Power of Attorney: A power of attorney provides the legal authority to assign an agent authorized to carry on your financial affairs in the event that you become incapacitated. These individuals have the authority to handle financial transactions – including paying bills, writing checks, making deposits, selling or purchasing assets, and completing tax returns – on your behalf. Without this document, there is no other person who could legally conduct these financial transactions; family members would have to request that the probate court identify someone to take over these duties. Since this process can be lengthy and emotionally-taxing, it’s always better to have a power of attorney in place before it becomes necessary. While any adult can serve as your designated power of attorney agent, you should ensure that you choose someone who is trustworthy and responsible.

Healthcare Proxy/Healthcare Durable Power of Attorney: A durable power of attorney for healthcare, or health care proxy, allows you to name someone to make healthcare decisions for you in the event you are incapacitated but still alive. This role can be incredibly difficult for loved ones to fill, so it’s crucial that you discuss your wishes with the individual beforehand, so that they have a good idea of what you are asking of them before they agree to it. 

Last Will and Testament:  In California, it is strongly encouraged that individuals develop a living trust to distribute asssets in order to avoid having to go through probated court. However, if you have minor children, you can also appoint guardians for them through the use of a last will and testament. If this document is necessary, you will also have to appoint an executor who can ensure that the terms of the will are met as you intended them to be. Without a will in place to name a legal guardian, your family may go through long and drawn out court proceedings . You can spare your loved ones from going through this process by updating your last will and testament to ensure that it reflects your current wishes for  minor children. 

Living Trust (aka Revocable Trust or Revocable Living Trust: A revocable trust or a revocable living trust is recommended to handle the transfer of one’s assets rather than a will. Having a living trust in place ensures that you will not need to go through probate court.  It is generally much less expensive and far less time consuming to administer. You can also make decisions about how and when you would like to terminate life-saving effors and discuss your wishes related to organ donation. 

HIPAA Authorization: The Health Insurance Affordability Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) put in place federal regulations related to privacy when obtaining healthcare. Authorization to release these records is required for you to name people that can have access to your medical records. Essentially, this document allows you to decide who the treating clinicians can discuss your medical treatment with in the event that you are hospitalized. 

Assets, Accounts, and Insurance Policies: When you are updating your other estate plan documents, it’s worth taking a little time to update your account information, insurance policy information, and your inventory of assets, including digital assets and their related passwords. This action will make it much easier for your executor to carry out their duties and your family members to access any accounts or assets they may need to.

In addition to updating all of your documents and information, it’s also a good time to convey information to other family members. These conversations can help them to better understand your final wishes for a funeral or burial arrangement, as well as address any other items, such as who may be available to care for any pets left behind.

While nobody wants to think of their own mortality, the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many people to do just that. There are many things that are currently out of our control. However, you can control what happens in the event of an untimely death. The best way to ensure that things go as you wish is to make sure that you have the right legal documentation in place through an updated estate plan.  

How Do You Ask Parents about Estate Planning?

“Do you expect your parents to leave you a financial legacy? Nearly half of working-age Americans assume that they will receive an inheritance that will support them later in life, according to a survey by financial services company HSBC. Perhaps the bigger question, though, is how to even approach this topic with your parents.”

How do you ask your parents about their estate planning? No matter how you slice it, it’s a touchy subject to bring up.

You don’t want to come off as greedy when asking your parents about their estate planning.  However, you may need answers to certain questions to ensure that their financial wishes are carried out and there is a smooth transition of wealth and assets.

Yahoo Finance’s recent article entitled “How To Talk to Your Parents About Their Estate Plan (Without Making It Awkward)” shows us how to approach this touchy subject and get the info that you need.

Begin by asking your parents about whether they have an estate plan. You can tell them that they don’t need to share the numbers and that you just want to be able to follow their instructions. A good way to start this conversation is to acknowledge how awkward and difficult this conversation is for you. You should emphasize that you don’t want to think about their deaths but are just trying to sort things out.

Experts say that you’ll likely get a better reception from your parents if you let the conversation happen organically and not schedule a time to talk. No matter how you approach the topic of an inheritance from your parents, the objective of the discussion is to make certain they have a plan in place, so there will be a clear path for whoever is left behind to go forward. You can start by asking if they have these key legal documents:

• A will
• A power of attorney; and
• A living will or health care directive.

Ask where your parents keep these documents and how you can access them, if necessary.

You should also ask if your parents have written funeral or burial instructions. You also need to ask them to give you other important information, so you can handle their finances if they are unable to or when they die. This includes account numbers and passwords, insurance policies, information on their retirement plan or pension administrator, as well as the contact information for their accountant, attorney, financial planner, or other financial professionals.

If you have any questions about your current estate plan, please call or email us today.

Reference: Yahoo Finance (Oct. 7, 2020) “How To Talk to Your Parents About Their Estate Plan (Without Making It Awkward)”

How Much Power Does an Executor Have?

“There are continuing misconceptions regarding what powers are held by a personal representative and when he can exercise them.”

The Pauls Valley Daily Democrat’s recent article entitled “It doesn't end with the will” explains that there’s constant confusion about wills. This misunderstanding involves the scope of power of those named in the will as the personal representative (or executor) of the decedent’s estate. Let’s try to straighten out some of these myths or pieces of bad information about wills and probate.

The Executor Doesn’t Need Court Permission. False. An estate executor or personal representative can’t distribute a decedent’s assets to themselves or to any heirs, until okayed by the court. Many people think that a will provides immediate authorization to distribute the assets of an estate.

If He had a Will, We Don’t need Probate. Another incorrect belief is that if a person dies with a will, probate isn’t needed or required. If a person has a will, the will and the distributions named in it can only be made valid by the probate court. There are ways to avoid the probate process. However, the fact that a person had a will doesn’t do it.

The Executor Can Start Giving Away Stuff ASAP. This is also false. Some people think that as soon as a person receives appointment as the personal representative or executor from the probate court, they can begin distributing assets from the decedent’s estate. Nope. If this were true, it would defeat the objectives of probate, which is court oversight and control.

The Court Doesn’t Monitor the Executor’s Actions. This statement is also incorrect. The entire probate process is structured to provide a court-monitored coordination of a decedent’s estate to make certain that his or her wishes are followed. This also helps to prevent unauthorized distributions or “raids” on a decedent’s assets by improper persons.

Remember, the executor’s Letters Testamentary authorize that person to act for the estate—they don’t permit any distributions before court approval or final probate court order.

What Does Probate Do?

Probate fulfills these purposes:

• At death, the deceased’s property is subject to control and monitoring by the court.
• The court then starts to see what the decedent’s wishes were for distribution and who was named to administer the estate.
• The court must also review the scope of the estate, define all assets in the estate, and determine all debts of the estate.
• Probate requires a notice to creditors, so the executor has a complete list of debts of the estate and to give each creditor the opportunity to be paid.
• The court watches any transfers, sales of assets, or payments during probate.
• The executor is authorized to receive money and manage the assets of the estate, but he can’t withdraw or transfer assets from the estate.
• At a final hearing and after notice to interested parties, the court determines who should get distributions.

Ask an experienced estate planning attorney about the probate process and how to devise a complete estate plan. You can read more about how our process works, how we can make sure we are a good fit for your needs, and how to get started today right here.

Reference: Pauls Valley Daily Democrat (Oct. 1, 2020) “It doesn't end with the will”

How Do I Keep Money in the Family?

“If you're single and die in 2020, you can have up to $11.58 million in assets before your heirs have to worry about paying a penny in estate taxes.”

That seems like an awfully large amount of money. You might think only the super wealthy need to worry about estate planning, but you'd be wrong to think planning is only necessary for the 1%.

US News and World Report’s recent article entitled “5 Estate Planning Tips to Keep Your Money in the Family” reminds us that estate taxes may be only part of it. In many cases, there are income tax ramifications.

Your heirs may have to pay federal income taxes on retirement accounts. Some states also have their own estate taxes. You also want to make certain that your assets are transferred to the right people. Speaking with an experienced estate planning attorney is the best way to sort through complex issues surrounding estate planning. Here are some things you should cover:

Create a Will. This is a basic first step. However, 68% of Americans don’t take it. Many of those who don't have a will (about a third) say it's because they don't have enough assets to make it worthwhile. This is not true. Without a will, your estate is governed by state law and will be divided in probate court. Ask an experienced estate planning attorney to help you draft a will.  You should also review it on a regular basis because laws and family situations can change.

Review Your Beneficiaries. There are specific types of accounts, like retirement funds and life insurance in which the owners designate the beneficiaries, rather than this asset passing via the will. The named beneficiaries will also supersede any directions for the accounts in your will. Like your will, review your account beneficiaries after any major life change.

Consider a Trust. Ask an experienced estate planning attorney about a trust for possible tax benefits and the ability to control when a beneficiary gets their money (after they graduate college or only for a first home, for example). If money is put in an irrevocable trust, the assets no longer belong to you. Instead, they belong to the trust. That money can’t be subject to estate taxes. In addition, a trust isn't subject to probate, which keeps it private.

Convert to Roth’s. If you have a traditional 401(k) or IRA account, it might unintentionally create a hefty tax bill for your heirs. When your children inherit an IRA, they inherit the income tax liability that goes with it. Regular income tax must be paid on distributions from all traditional retirement accounts. In the past, non-spousal heirs, such as children could “stretch” those distributions over their lifetime to reduce the total amount of taxes due. However, now the account must be completely liquidated within 10 years after the death of the owner. If the account balance is substantial, it could necessitate major distributions that may be taxed at a higher rate. To avoid leaving beneficiaries with a large tax bill, you can gradually convert traditional accounts to Roth accounts that have tax-free distributions. The amount converted will be taxable on your income taxes, so the objective is to limit each year's conversion, so it doesn't move you into a higher tax bracket.

Make Gifts While You’re Alive. A great way to make certain that your money stays in the family, is to just give it to your heirs while you're alive. The IRS allows individuals to give up to $15,000 per person per year in gifts. If you're concerned about your estate being taxable, these gifts can decrease its value, and the money is tax-free for recipients.

Charitable Donations. You can also reduce your estate value, by making charitable donations. Ask an experienced estate planning attorney about setting up a donor-advised fund, instead of making a one-time gift. This would give you an immediate tax deduction for money deposited in the fund and then let you make charitable grants over time. You could designate a child or grandchild as a successor in managing the fund.

Complicated strategies and a constantly changing tax code can make estate planning feel intimidating. However, ignoring it can be a costly mistake for your heirs. Talk to an estate planning attorney.

If you have any questions about your current estate plan, please call or email us today.

Reference: US News and World Report (Sep. 30, 2020) “5 Estate Planning Tips to Keep Your Money in the Family”