What you need to know about estate planning, including why having a will and assigning a power of attorney is crucial.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Estate Planning Eases Confusion, Financial Worries
What you need to know about estate planning, including why having a will and assigning a power of attorney is crucial.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Can I Give My Agent Under a Power of Attorney the Power to Make Health Care Decisions for Me?
Can I Give My Agent Under a Power of Attorney the Power to Make Health Care Decisions for Me?
Monday, August 25, 2014
Jeffrey Volosin Discusses The Difference Between LLC And C Corps for Businesses
As being a part of the business world, it is important to
understand different terms. Educating oneself on these terms not only
helps with learning and understanding business conversation, but lets
people know that the businessman (or woman) is serious and truly
knowledgeable in the field. The two terms professionals should be able
to know are a limited liability company (LLC) and a C corporation. While
they are both structures, they both have their different traits and can
allow many businessmen and businesswomen know what is most suitable for
a business. Both have an indefinite term of life, but LLCs having
plenty of distinguishing traits.
A limited liability company (better known as an LLC) is a specific type of business entity that mixes the personal liability protection of a corporation with the tax benefits of a partnership. It is a structure that offers protection to a company's owner. An LLC is best suited for small businesses with very few shareholders.
A limited liability company's taxation is a single taxation, which means the interests of the profit or loss is passed to members who are in the top 39.6% bracket. An LLC has the option to elect to be taxed as a corporation. Only the members own and manage an LLC. It has limited liability. In other words, the liability is not exceeded by the amount invested by members. Meetings for members are not required, but activities should be recorded.
A C corporation is a complete opposite. It is a specific type of business entity that is taxed separate from its owners. It is used for medium and large-sized corporations and owned by its shareholders; this is different from an LLC since LLCs deal with small businesses with a few shareholders. C corporations are managed by officers while LLCs are managed by the members or managing members themselves.
Another trait of C corporations is that it uses a double taxation in lieu of a single taxation that is seen in LLCs. Income is taxed roughly 34% and shareholders pay taxes on profits distributed. The choice of taxation structures are not allowed with C corporations, they must be taxed at a corporate tax rate. Shareholders are required to attend board meetings whereas stated for LLCs, meetings are not required. While these differences may be broad between the two types of corporate structures, knowing the differences allows professionals to make the right assessments for future businesses.
A limited liability company (better known as an LLC) is a specific type of business entity that mixes the personal liability protection of a corporation with the tax benefits of a partnership. It is a structure that offers protection to a company's owner. An LLC is best suited for small businesses with very few shareholders.
A limited liability company's taxation is a single taxation, which means the interests of the profit or loss is passed to members who are in the top 39.6% bracket. An LLC has the option to elect to be taxed as a corporation. Only the members own and manage an LLC. It has limited liability. In other words, the liability is not exceeded by the amount invested by members. Meetings for members are not required, but activities should be recorded.
A C corporation is a complete opposite. It is a specific type of business entity that is taxed separate from its owners. It is used for medium and large-sized corporations and owned by its shareholders; this is different from an LLC since LLCs deal with small businesses with a few shareholders. C corporations are managed by officers while LLCs are managed by the members or managing members themselves.
Another trait of C corporations is that it uses a double taxation in lieu of a single taxation that is seen in LLCs. Income is taxed roughly 34% and shareholders pay taxes on profits distributed. The choice of taxation structures are not allowed with C corporations, they must be taxed at a corporate tax rate. Shareholders are required to attend board meetings whereas stated for LLCs, meetings are not required. While these differences may be broad between the two types of corporate structures, knowing the differences allows professionals to make the right assessments for future businesses.
If you are looking for more information on incorporating your small business, please visit http://www.jeffreyvolosin.net to get find out more.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Understanding the Difference Between a Will and a Living Trust
When planning for the future of your children as you get older,
there are a few options on how to pass on your assets such as property,
life insurance, stocks, etc. The two major ways of stating and
distributing your assets after your passing is with a living trust or
will. When you hear the words trust fund or wills, it refers to estate
planning. Although there are different trusts out there, the main one I
will focus on is a living trust.
Will
A will is a document that is created to help distribute assets and properties to a beneficiary after one passes away. With a will, it will be submitted through a probate process, which is a court process. In this process, the courts will validate the will and ensure that all the instructions are followed properly while also repaying any creditors. The downfall to a will is that it becomes public so anyone can see the distribution of your assets to your selected beneficiaries. On top of not having privacy, it could take several months to even years for the court to sort everything out!
Living Trust
A living trust is a legal document that states three parties: Grantor/Trustor, Trustee, and Beneficiaries. The grantor/trustor is the individual or couple who establishes/creates the trust. The trustee is the person nominated to be in control of the trusts assets. In many cases, the trustee is the same as the grantor/trustor. Beneficiaries are those at the receiving end who will benefit from the trust. A trust is beneficial to most people who have property worth $100,000+ and/or those who have large amounts of assets. In certain states, properties at $100,000+ can be subject to legal fees in the probate process. With a living trust, it bypasses the whole probate process and all assets can be immediately accessed by the beneficiaries. As opposed to a will, a living trust is private so it does not go through a probate process, therefore it is NOT a public record. Things that can be listed in a living trust include: stocks, bonds, real estate, life insurance, personal property, etc.
A trust is beneficial for estate planning for those who have large amounts of assets. By establishing a specific living trust known as an A-B Trust, an individual can reduce the amount of taxes paid significantly. For example, in 2012, the current estate tax is $5.12M with a cap at 35% over the $5.12M. In an A-B Trust with a couple passing their assets to their one kid, they would designate half the fund to the surviving spouse and the other half to the kid. The surviving spouse and the kid will then each receive a tax break of $5.12M giving a sheltered total of $10.24M from estate taxes. When the surviving spouse passes, then his/her half is giving to the kid who is then subject to another $5.12M tax break. Unlike a trust, a will however will be only have a tax break of $5.12M.
Conclusion
When comparing the differences of having a last will versus a living trust, it shows that the trust comes out on top. A trust will help to give privacy, immediate access to assets from beneficiaries, AND tax breaks. For those who are near the age of deciding what to pass on to their children or know someone in that situation, help them understand the difference of the two and sway them toward a living trust if feasible!
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_R_Wong
Will
A will is a document that is created to help distribute assets and properties to a beneficiary after one passes away. With a will, it will be submitted through a probate process, which is a court process. In this process, the courts will validate the will and ensure that all the instructions are followed properly while also repaying any creditors. The downfall to a will is that it becomes public so anyone can see the distribution of your assets to your selected beneficiaries. On top of not having privacy, it could take several months to even years for the court to sort everything out!
Living Trust
A living trust is a legal document that states three parties: Grantor/Trustor, Trustee, and Beneficiaries. The grantor/trustor is the individual or couple who establishes/creates the trust. The trustee is the person nominated to be in control of the trusts assets. In many cases, the trustee is the same as the grantor/trustor. Beneficiaries are those at the receiving end who will benefit from the trust. A trust is beneficial to most people who have property worth $100,000+ and/or those who have large amounts of assets. In certain states, properties at $100,000+ can be subject to legal fees in the probate process. With a living trust, it bypasses the whole probate process and all assets can be immediately accessed by the beneficiaries. As opposed to a will, a living trust is private so it does not go through a probate process, therefore it is NOT a public record. Things that can be listed in a living trust include: stocks, bonds, real estate, life insurance, personal property, etc.
A trust is beneficial for estate planning for those who have large amounts of assets. By establishing a specific living trust known as an A-B Trust, an individual can reduce the amount of taxes paid significantly. For example, in 2012, the current estate tax is $5.12M with a cap at 35% over the $5.12M. In an A-B Trust with a couple passing their assets to their one kid, they would designate half the fund to the surviving spouse and the other half to the kid. The surviving spouse and the kid will then each receive a tax break of $5.12M giving a sheltered total of $10.24M from estate taxes. When the surviving spouse passes, then his/her half is giving to the kid who is then subject to another $5.12M tax break. Unlike a trust, a will however will be only have a tax break of $5.12M.
Conclusion
When comparing the differences of having a last will versus a living trust, it shows that the trust comes out on top. A trust will help to give privacy, immediate access to assets from beneficiaries, AND tax breaks. For those who are near the age of deciding what to pass on to their children or know someone in that situation, help them understand the difference of the two and sway them toward a living trust if feasible!
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Updating Your Will - There May Be More Reasons to Do So Than You Realize
Your Last Will and Testament is your only chance to decide what
happens to your estate assets upon your death. It is the cornerstone of
your estate plan -- the document from which all other estate planning
tools flow. Once you have taken the time and effort to create your Will,
don't make the mistake of failing to update it when necessary. Some
reasons that a Will needs to be updated are obvious; however, consider
the following, not so obvious, reasons as well when deciding if it's
time to take another look at your Will.
Death: People think to update a Will when a parent, spouse or child dies, but the death of the person named as executor or guardian of your minor children can also prompt a review of your Will. The death of a business partner or even an in-law may also warrant a Will update.
Marriage or Divorce: Clearly, your own marriage or divorce calls for a revision of your Will; however, other marriages or divorces may also necessitate a change. The marriage or divorce of a parent, child or guardian, for example, can call for a review of your Will.
Birth: Although it is easy to rely on a generic term, such as "issue", to cover all of your children or grandchildren, it may be preferable to name each beneficiary by name in your Will to avoid any possible future confusion. As such, take the time to update your Will when there is a birth in the family.
Beneficiary Reaches the Age of Majority: Minors cannot inherit directly in your Will. As such, you likely named a trustee for any minor children when you made your Will. If a child has reached the age of majority, you will need to remove the trustee and provide for the direct transfer of those assets to the beneficiary in your Will.
Change in Assets: Although you may have a general provision in your Will for any asset not specifically named, if you acquire an asset worth a significant amount of money, or sell one, you may need to update your Will to address that asset for clarification.
Change in Location: In the confusion of a move, people typically don't think of how residency can affect a Will. State laws, however, can directly impact provisions in your Will, warranting a review and possible revision.
Change in State or Federal Laws: Laws change on a regular basis. Federal tax laws, for example, seem to continuously change. A significant change in either a state or federal law can result in the need to make a corresponding change to your Will.
You Reach the Age of Required Distributions: IRAs and 401(k)s typically require you to start taking distributions around the age of retirement. If you have significant funds in one of these accounts, the required distributions can change your asset structure enough to warrant a Will update.
Change in Guardian: This is a big, yet often forgotten, reason to update your Will. Regardless of the reason why you wish to change the named guardian for your minor children, if you wish to do so you must make it official by revising your Will.
Death: People think to update a Will when a parent, spouse or child dies, but the death of the person named as executor or guardian of your minor children can also prompt a review of your Will. The death of a business partner or even an in-law may also warrant a Will update.
Marriage or Divorce: Clearly, your own marriage or divorce calls for a revision of your Will; however, other marriages or divorces may also necessitate a change. The marriage or divorce of a parent, child or guardian, for example, can call for a review of your Will.
Birth: Although it is easy to rely on a generic term, such as "issue", to cover all of your children or grandchildren, it may be preferable to name each beneficiary by name in your Will to avoid any possible future confusion. As such, take the time to update your Will when there is a birth in the family.
Beneficiary Reaches the Age of Majority: Minors cannot inherit directly in your Will. As such, you likely named a trustee for any minor children when you made your Will. If a child has reached the age of majority, you will need to remove the trustee and provide for the direct transfer of those assets to the beneficiary in your Will.
Change in Assets: Although you may have a general provision in your Will for any asset not specifically named, if you acquire an asset worth a significant amount of money, or sell one, you may need to update your Will to address that asset for clarification.
Change in Location: In the confusion of a move, people typically don't think of how residency can affect a Will. State laws, however, can directly impact provisions in your Will, warranting a review and possible revision.
Change in State or Federal Laws: Laws change on a regular basis. Federal tax laws, for example, seem to continuously change. A significant change in either a state or federal law can result in the need to make a corresponding change to your Will.
You Reach the Age of Required Distributions: IRAs and 401(k)s typically require you to start taking distributions around the age of retirement. If you have significant funds in one of these accounts, the required distributions can change your asset structure enough to warrant a Will update.
Change in Guardian: This is a big, yet often forgotten, reason to update your Will. Regardless of the reason why you wish to change the named guardian for your minor children, if you wish to do so you must make it official by revising your Will.
Experienced estate planning attorneys Atlanta GA of the Pyke & Associates P.C. offers estate planning and business planning resources to residents of Atlanta GA. To learn more about these free resources, please visit http://www.cpyke.com today.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Understanding Probate in California
Probate is the legal process that settles the property of the
deceased person and tells how it should be equally distributed among the
heirs and beneficiaries in case there is no will. The rules and
regulations of probate vary form state to state and each state can have a
different procedure and hearing process for probate. Some general
guidance might be similar in most states but it is always advised to
take help of a legal advisor in case you need to understand the probate
process in your locality. Moreover you should understand that every
probate case is different depending on the amount of money involved in
it. The different property, debts and people involved in it make the
whole case different from one other. There is no way that the rules and
results of one probate case can apply to other case. Normally people
have a view point that probate can be an ugly scene but the fact is that
it can be easy if all parties involved in it work together for a
positive outcome and preserve the memory of the deceased person.
In most cases, the property of the deceased person is transferred to his spouse if the person has not made any will before his expiry but in some conditions due to the parties' involved the property cannot be transferred to the spouse directly. The probate court which hears the matter of probate cases will get involved if there any issues relating to the property of the deceased person. The case has to go through a legal framework and the final order of the court has to be addressed by each person involved in the case. Now, since every state has different law regarding the probate so the hearings of the case in the court can be different in each state.
If the deceased person has a will and has named a representative,all the assets will be handled by this person unless the judge deems this person unfit, etc.If there is no representative named in the will then the court appoints a representative who handles the property unless the decision is made. The appointed representative is called the administrator and has sole responsibility of handling the property.
The Probate Process
In the initial phase the administrator opens the case in the court. During this period he evaluates the property and collects all the property of the deceased person. Few items which come under contract of the deceased person are not held in probate and they pass automatically to the beneficiary. Any bank accounts or other things which has the clause of "payable on death" are transferred to the person named in the contract. Only those limited property that have no clear beneficiaries are accountable for probate process. After accumulating all the property, the administrator sends a legal notice to all parties involved in the case and pays all the debts and claims which remain outstanding on the deceased name. Then the administrator distributes the remaining property to the beneficiaries of the decedent as instructed in the court's verdict.
If there are any disputes during the process then the court hearing decided upon the matter and the final verdict has to be agreed upon by every parties involved in the probate process. Anyone can file the claim on the property and if the court declines the claim then the opponent can file lawsuit to claim the property. If the lawsuit is made then court has to take the case more formally and this is when major problems occur during the probate process.
Normally, probate process take a longer time and if the amount involved is huge then the process can be more problematic. But if all the parties involved work together to make a positive solution then probate process can be competed easily and the property is distributed equally among the heirs or beneficiaries.
In most cases, the property of the deceased person is transferred to his spouse if the person has not made any will before his expiry but in some conditions due to the parties' involved the property cannot be transferred to the spouse directly. The probate court which hears the matter of probate cases will get involved if there any issues relating to the property of the deceased person. The case has to go through a legal framework and the final order of the court has to be addressed by each person involved in the case. Now, since every state has different law regarding the probate so the hearings of the case in the court can be different in each state.
If the deceased person has a will and has named a representative,all the assets will be handled by this person unless the judge deems this person unfit, etc.If there is no representative named in the will then the court appoints a representative who handles the property unless the decision is made. The appointed representative is called the administrator and has sole responsibility of handling the property.
The Probate Process
In the initial phase the administrator opens the case in the court. During this period he evaluates the property and collects all the property of the deceased person. Few items which come under contract of the deceased person are not held in probate and they pass automatically to the beneficiary. Any bank accounts or other things which has the clause of "payable on death" are transferred to the person named in the contract. Only those limited property that have no clear beneficiaries are accountable for probate process. After accumulating all the property, the administrator sends a legal notice to all parties involved in the case and pays all the debts and claims which remain outstanding on the deceased name. Then the administrator distributes the remaining property to the beneficiaries of the decedent as instructed in the court's verdict.
If there are any disputes during the process then the court hearing decided upon the matter and the final verdict has to be agreed upon by every parties involved in the probate process. Anyone can file the claim on the property and if the court declines the claim then the opponent can file lawsuit to claim the property. If the lawsuit is made then court has to take the case more formally and this is when major problems occur during the probate process.
Normally, probate process take a longer time and if the amount involved is huge then the process can be more problematic. But if all the parties involved work together to make a positive solution then probate process can be competed easily and the property is distributed equally among the heirs or beneficiaries.
Luis Pezzini lpezzini@pezzini.info http://probate.SunsetStripRealty.com http://www.SunsetStripRealty.com
Saturday, August 16, 2014
What is Probate? Should Probate be Avoided?
- What is Probate?
- Should I try to avoid Probate with my Estate Plan?
- How can i avoid Probate?
Friday, August 15, 2014
Reasons Why Making a Will Is Important
Most people tend to procrastinate about making their last will
and testament, primarily because it is a harsh reminder of our mortality
and as such, we prefer not to have anything to do with it until the
time comes when it is too late to do something about it. In most
funerals you attend, you often hear people ask if the deceased left any
will and the most common answer being "no" or "none."
While making a will is certainly no one's favorite thing to do, what many people don't realize is that it can alleviate your fears of death because once you decide to make it, you will be assured that the loved ones you leave behind will be taken care of properly and that your estate won't be spent on legal expenses from contests initiated by your heirs.
However, that's not to say you can't die without ever making a will. In fact, there are two ways by which you can die without a will, the first being because you never wrote one and the second being, the will you wrote was declared invalid by probate court. In both cases, this is referred to as dying intestate or dying without a valid will.
When you die intestate, that means the control of your property and the distribution of your assets will be done under the laws of intestacy. If for example you co-owned a property with two other people, the laws of intestacy dictate that the ownership will not transfer to the other co-owners but your heirs, which is one situation that the remaining co-owners may contest.
There are four types of assets where these laws don't apply and they are as follows:
The entire purpose of making a will is to make sure your property and assets are distributed to people and organizations as you intended. To make sure this happens you can elect an executor of your will to make sure every condition in your will is fulfilled. Choosing an executor means you should choose someone you trust like a relative or a close friend. If you don't have neither to choose from, then it should be someone who is dependable, trustworthy, well-organized, good with paperwork and diligent about meeting deadlines.
And lastly, making a will doesn't have to follow a strict guideline because what will matter is not how the will was written but the conditions written within. There are many ways these days to write your own will, such as software that you can use just by asking you a few questions where your answers will be inserted into a ready-made will. Having a will ready will also save you from having to hire a lawyer to help you write one - not only is it time-consuming to find a good lawyer, it is also quite expensive to have one draft your will for you.
While making a will is certainly no one's favorite thing to do, what many people don't realize is that it can alleviate your fears of death because once you decide to make it, you will be assured that the loved ones you leave behind will be taken care of properly and that your estate won't be spent on legal expenses from contests initiated by your heirs.
However, that's not to say you can't die without ever making a will. In fact, there are two ways by which you can die without a will, the first being because you never wrote one and the second being, the will you wrote was declared invalid by probate court. In both cases, this is referred to as dying intestate or dying without a valid will.
When you die intestate, that means the control of your property and the distribution of your assets will be done under the laws of intestacy. If for example you co-owned a property with two other people, the laws of intestacy dictate that the ownership will not transfer to the other co-owners but your heirs, which is one situation that the remaining co-owners may contest.
There are four types of assets where these laws don't apply and they are as follows:
- Life insurance and retirement plan proceeds
- Properties that are jointly owned with a right of survivorship
- Properties held in a living trust
- Properties under the community property system
The entire purpose of making a will is to make sure your property and assets are distributed to people and organizations as you intended. To make sure this happens you can elect an executor of your will to make sure every condition in your will is fulfilled. Choosing an executor means you should choose someone you trust like a relative or a close friend. If you don't have neither to choose from, then it should be someone who is dependable, trustworthy, well-organized, good with paperwork and diligent about meeting deadlines.
And lastly, making a will doesn't have to follow a strict guideline because what will matter is not how the will was written but the conditions written within. There are many ways these days to write your own will, such as software that you can use just by asking you a few questions where your answers will be inserted into a ready-made will. Having a will ready will also save you from having to hire a lawyer to help you write one - not only is it time-consuming to find a good lawyer, it is also quite expensive to have one draft your will for you.
When you want to learn more about how to avoid problems after you've gone, check out this post about will disputes so that your loved ones are well taken care of when it matters.
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