Last week, we began a series of posts examining the question of estate planning (courtesy of an excellent article by Steven Merkel for Investopedia). On Saturday, we finished with the creation of a will.While this step may seem like the last one, there are actually a...
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Must-do’s for Individuals Considering an Estate Plan, Part Two
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Nov 6, 2010 | Estate Planning
Yesterday, we began to discuss a number of essential steps for anyone considering the creation of an estate plan. Today we're going to continue that train of thought, drawing from an excellent article by Steven Merkel, published on SFGate.com.You can find yesterday's...
Must-do’s for Individuals Considering an Estate Plan, Part One
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Nov 5, 2010 | Estate Planning
On Tuesday, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a great article by Steven Merkel (from Investopedia) highlighting 16 important steps to take when planning your estate. Over the next three posts, we are going to highlight the steps Merkel recommends, discussing as...
Estate Planning Before Marriage
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Nov 1, 2010 | Estate Planning
The number of unmarried couples living together rose by 7.5 million, or 13 percent, over the past year. These numbers, collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, are indicative of a shift in both relationships and social norms. More and more often, couples are choosing to...
Congress Moves to Limit Trusts that Work Around Estate Tax
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 29, 2010 | Inheritance And Estate Tax
When an individual begins considering his or her estate plan, the question of asset protection almost invariably arises. Especially for those individuals with larger estates, small businesses, real estate or other money-generating assets, the return of the estate tax...
Estate Planning in the Age of Assisted Reproduction
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 23, 2010 | Estate Planning
Over the past 10 years, the number of families seeking the assistance of reproductive technology has doubled. As the possibilities for family planning have undergone dramatic changes, so have the options open to those wishing to plan their estate.The ability to...
Four Things You Can Learn from Celebrity Estate Plans
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 22, 2010 | Estate Planning
When celebrity estate plans are covered in the news, it's usually not because they are particularly outstanding for any good reasons. Take Anna Nicole Smith's courtroom battles for part of her late husband's estate. Even though both of the main participants in this...
Steve McNair’s Estate Up in the Air
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 18, 2010 | Probate
Last week, the judge overseeing late NFL quarterback Steve McNair's multi-million dollar estate allowed for the release of $2.5 million to McNair's widow and four sons. When McNair died in 2009, leaving an estate valued at more than $19 million and no personal will to...
When to Review Your Estate Plan: Upon the Birth of Child
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 12, 2010 | Estate Planning
We've discussed the estate plan as an evolving document in previous posts. While an invaluable tool for mapping the future, estate plans cannot take into account all of the changes you are likely to go through in your life. These life-changing events might include a...
No Clear Answer on Federal Estate Tax
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 11, 2010 | Inheritance And Estate Tax
When congress left Washington without determining tax rates for 2011, they left a lot of questions unanswered. Not least of all were those concerning the estate tax rate - not just what it would be renewed at, but whether or not it might be retroactively applied. Most...