“Whether you go back to Cain and Abel, or only as far back as the Smothers Brothers (‘Mom always liked you best’), sibling rivalry is the chief factor in many disputes arising after a parent dies,” attorney Karen Gerstner writes in Law Trends & News. Many people...
A court ruling in Canada presents an important reminder for our blog readers. Canada, of course, has a different law system from that of the United States, but the issue itself is one that often comes up in our discussions with Geyer Law estate planning clients,...
72% of small businesses don’t have a succession plan, reports Isaac O’Bannon, Managing editor of the CPA Practice Advisor. What’s more, O’Bannon found, 87% of small business owners were unaware that there are documents that can be created to specifically protect their...
Bylaws? Operating agreements? Choice of business entity? Those may not sound like estate planning topics, but they most definitely are. In fact, all too often, entrepreneurs are so busy developing and then running their businesses, they don’t take the time to address...
“It doesn’t matter how far along the divorce is or how long the action has been pending, the law considers you to be legally married until the judge signs the final decree ending the marriage,” writes Patti Spencer in thebalance.com. That means your spouse may still...
“With markets up and a desire to make an impact strong, charitable giving is growing,” says Pamela Norley, President of Fidelity Charitable. There are four factors driving this generosity, she posits: the strong stock market increased awareness of issues (due to the...
“I don’t need any,” was David M. Cordell’s conclusion after doing some soul-searching combined with financial planning. Cordell, director of finance programs at the University of Texas at Dallas, came to the conclusion that his life insurance policy, with its...
Roth IRAs can play an important role in estate planning, and, at Geyer Law, we think it’s important to remind our clients that the rules have changed under the new tax law. “Clients will require more advice,” retirement planning expert Ed Slott writes in Financial...
“Make sure your life insurance policy correctly lists your beneficiaries and how you want the money divided because you won’t be around to fix any mistakes if it’s not,” Natasha Cornelius writes inQuotacy. Primary, secondary, and tertiary beneficiaries If 100% of the...
When it comes to a will, any person of sound mind over the age of 18 (or who is younger and a member of the armed forces) may – and absolutely should - execute one. In Indiana, the document must be signed and acknowledged in the presence of two or more witnesses. ...
