Estate Planning for the GLBT Community Guidance and assistance with Living Trusts, Health Care Powers of Attorney, and Asset Distribution.
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys Recognized by Money Magazine Again Carolyn Bigda’s article “Rethink Your Legacy” in the June issue of Money Magazine explores the five questions you should be asking regarding your estate. The article recommends the American Academy’s website, www.aaepa.com, as a source to find a qualified estate planning attorney. The Associate Director of Education at the Academy, Steve Hartnett, was also interviewed in the article and lent his expertise to one of the five questions. This is the fifth mention of finding a quality attorney on the American Academy’s members list by Money Magazine in the last 21 issues.
Money Magazine Recognizes American Academy! In the January 2009 issue of Money Magazine, Walecia Konrad’s article entitled “Keep It In The Family” focuses on making sure the wealth you’ve worked so hard to accumulate will go to the people you love. The article recommends the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys as a source to find an estate planning attorney who can tailor a plan for your situation and address your state rules. It also includes a useful estate planning checklist and valuable tips for putting together a proper estate plan that will safeguard your hard-earned assets from estate taxes, lawsuits and probate. This is the fourth time in 16 issues the American Academy has been recognized. Click here to find out why our American Academy membership is so important to our firm and the many families we provide guidance to each year.
Daniel Hands Invited to Speak About Advance Medical Directives [ELMHURST, ILLINOIS]The Northern Illinois Chapter Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity has invited Daniel O. Hands, P.C., to speak at their Spring Symposium on Saturday April 5, 2008 at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital. Daniel Hands will present "Advance Directives: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly." His discussion will include the Surrogate Health Care Act, Living Wills, Power of Attorney for Health Care, Do Not Resuscitate Orders, Illinois Mental Health Preference Declaration, and HIPAA.
American Academy Mentioned in Money Magazine! Robert Armstrong, President of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, was interviewed by Money Magazine senior writer Penelope Wang for her article " A Midlife Money Checkup" in the March 2008 Issue. The article was part of the Cover Story "A Boomer's Guide to Financial Freedom" that included multiple articles focusing on financial trends, aging well and other issues Baby Boomers are facing today. This is the third mention of the American Academy of Estate Planning by Money Magazine in the last seven issues. The "Midlife Money Checkup" is a nine-step test that highlights questions Boomer's should be asking themselves at this point in their lives. Mr. Armstrong's expertise in estate planning was highlighted in question five, "Is your estate plan in order?" Make sure you don't have to ask yourself that question by meeting with a qualified attorney.
American Academy Recommended by Nationally Syndicated Talk Show Host The John Tesh Radio Show recommended the Academy as a resource for finding an estate planning attorney. The segment focusing on money and finance originally aired in September 2007 and was repeated in December 2007. Mr. Tesh recommended that listeners go to the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorney’s website to find a qualified estate planning attorney in their area. The Academy website is also recommended on his site. The John Tesh Radio Show airs on 260 stations across the United States and Canada with an audience of over 8 million listeners. John Tesh is known as a popular television host, singer and syndicated talk show host.
Attorney Dan Hands Completes Extensive IRA Training Estate Planning Attorney, Dan Hands, recently completed in-depth training on planning with IRAs at an educational conference in Las Vegas. The instructor is the nationally known IRA expert, Ed Slott. Mr. Slott is the author of the widely acclaimed book, “The Retirement Savings Bomb…and How to Defuse It.” He has lectured extensively for years to financial professionals across the country on the complex IRA rules and how to properly plan to preserve and then transfer IRAs to family members.
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Attorney, Dan Hands Appointed to the Board of Governors of The American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys
In his new capacity, Daniel Hands will serve as an advisor and help guide the direction of the national member organization. He joins eight other attorneys from around the country on the prestigious Board, which is the most important advisory panel to the senior management team at the Academy. Board members participate in research and development and provide feedback on all new Academy products and services.
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS Tax Saving Benefits of a Life Insurance TrustMost people have heard of a Living Trust, but not many have heard of an "ILIT" or Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust. This type of specialized trust is structured to hold life insurance policies on your life. This article discusses how an ILIT works and the estate tax planning advantages it offers. Learn more about the benefits of this type of trust and whether an ILIT is right for you.
ESTATE PLANNING NEWS Preserving Grandma's Legacy You find your grandma's estate planning documents when you're helping her organize her attic. The documents were dated two decades ago, just before grandpa died. After grandma dies, the assets will have to be split among her three kids. However, since the estate plan was drafted, the family's circumstances have changed considerably and things aren't quite that simple anymore. Leaving her assets outright to her 3 children would mean that their inheritance would be lost to creditors and medical expenses. This article discusses the importance of having an up-to-date estate plan to preserve your legacy and family history as well as having a conversation with family members about their own planning.
CLIENT NEWSLETTERS Your Estate Matters Newsletter, Vol. 14.3
EDUCATIONAL ALERTS Failure to Review Estate Plans Periodically Can Lead to Unintended ConsequencesThe estate tax law is a moving target, both at the federal and state level. This month’s Alert examines a case which illustrates how the changing laws can result in unintended results in your plan. Now, more than ever, it is important to review your estate plan periodically to ensure the outcome you want.
EDUCATIONAL FYIs 2010 May Be a Good Year to DieThe Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 provides that in 2010 the estate tax is repealed and there is no estate tax. Therefore, from a tax perspective, 2010 may be a very good year to die. But, we don't know for sure, as many experts expect Congress to act to prevent the repeal of the estate tax. This article written by Steve Hartnett, Associate Director of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys spells out the process for getting a new estate tax measure passed in Congress and the impact of the delays.
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