When a new year approaches, the federal government updates a long list of financial figures to account for inflation. Income tax brackets shift. Retirement contribution limits move. Social Security benefits adjust. And in the estate planning world, one number gets everyone’s attention: The federal estate tax exclusion. The IRS has now announced the 2026 estate … Read more
Comprehensive estate planning is a layered process. The broad strokes set the foundation, but the finer points decide how well the plan works. When instructions are incomplete or unclear, your loved ones may face confusion, delays, or even disputes. Paying attention to the details gives your plan durability. Each choice you make now creates certainty … Read more
Although the Corporate Transparency Act’s Beneficial Ownership Information reports no longer apply to domestic entities due to their exemption, another FinCEN requirement is moving full steam ahead, and estate planning attorneys should not overlook it. Starting December 1, 2025, professionals involved in real estate closings and settlements will be required to submit reports to FinCEN for certain non-financed transfers of residential property to legal entities or trusts.
I, like many Americans, love football. As I settled in to watch my team’s game this week, I wondered if I could turn it into a blog. As I watched, I realized, in fact, football and Estate Planning share many commonalities.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over half of elders will need paid long-term care. About 35 percent will spend time in nursing homes, which are exorbitantly expensive. If you aren’t too concerned because you will have Medicare, here’s a news flash: Medicare doesn’t extend to the custodial care you would … Read more
Owning land has long symbolized stability, especially when it has been passed down through generations. Beyond its financial worth, ranches, farms, and acreage can carry deep personal and familial significance. However, when wealth is tied up in land, it can create significant challenges upon death. If estate taxes are owed, heirs may face a liquidity … Read more
If you have a loved one with a disability, estate planning takes on a different dimension. Your goal is not only to provide financial support but also to protect access to essential public benefits. A special needs trust, sometimes called a supplemental needs trust, is the tool that allows you to achieve both. Without it, … Read more
When Terry Bollea, aka “Hulk Hogan,” died on July 24 at age 71 in his Clearwater, Florida home, I wondered if I’d have another celebrity estate gone awry to discuss. I found something different but equally important for Estate Planning practitioners: disclaimers.
When Prince died over nine (9) years ago, he shocked his fans one last time. Turns out, his unexpected death wasn’t the last surprise. Prince died without an Estate Plan causing his siblings to spend the next six years fighting over his Estate.
Legacies need not reside solely in dusty books or on yellowed legal documents. Other times they hover, in the stories we tell and the places we go after night falls. There’s no shortage of haunted tales in Dallas and Fort Worth, all with a story that refuses to let go. Take Goatman’s Bridge in Denton. … Read more