What’s the Best Thing to Do with an Inherited Investment?

Receiving an inheritance can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's overwhelming, thanks to the intense emotions associated with losing a loved one combined with the confusion about what to do with the newly acquired assets. On the other, an inheritance can re-invigorate your finances and create new opportunities for you and your family.

Life Insurance Is a Good Estate Planning Tool but Needs to Be Done Carefully

January 24, 2020
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Life Insurance, Long-Term Care Planning

Life insurance may play a vital role in an estate plan, because insurance proceeds can be counted on to provide liquidity when it’s needed.

How Can Life Insurance Help My Estate Plan?

As people decide what they should do to benefit their spouses and families, considering life insurance in retirement can help protect, build and transfer wealth in one of the simplest ways possible.

Can I Protect an Inheritance During Marriage?

An issue that frequently arises is the treatment of an inheritance received by a spouse during the marriage. The basic rule is that any property received via gift or inheritance during the marriage is exempt from equitable distribution.

Do I Need a Beneficiary for my Checking Account?

Checking accounts don't necessarily require account holders to name a beneficiary.

How Can Beneficiary Designations Wreck My Estate Plan?

Beneficiary designations are a crucial part of estate planning, yet they are often overlooked. Once you have signed your estate planning documents, you need to make sure that your beneficiary designations are consistent with the rest of your estate plan.

How Do I Set Up a Living Trust?

Setting up a living trust is largely the same, regardless of where you live in the U.S.

Am I Too Young to Think About Estate Planning?

Many people equate estate planning with older people who have more assets and more to protect. However, that doesn’t mean younger people should ignore the benefits of estate planning. According to Caring.com, only 34% of adults ages 35 to 44 have a will and 18% of adults ages 18 to 34 have one.

Small Business Owners Need Business Succession and Estate Planning

Developing a proper business plan, securing financing, marketing, paying taxes and all of the other small, but significant, details will surely be some of the most challenging yet rewarding work that you will perform in your lifetime.

How Do I Title My Property Correctly for My Estate Plan?

August 29, 2019
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Estate Planning, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

If you think Estate Planning is simply the creation of a will or trust, you are missing a large portion of information, and could potentially have assets that do not flow according to the plan you have set up in your will or trust.