What does the fiscal cliff agreement mean for my estate? The estate tax was a bit of a mixed bag – the $5 million dollar per person exemption was kept in place (and indexed for inflation continued) however the top rate is increased from 35% to 40% – effective yesterday. Other good news for estate… Continue reading What does the Fiscal Cliff Agreement mean for my estate?
One common scenario that estate planning attorneys encounter is clients who believe that deeding their home to their children solves the problem of avoiding probate. Most retired individual's main asset is their home, which many have paid their mortgage off. Such a situation is common for many of our clients, and the attorneys at Skillern… Continue reading A Common Error to Avoid Probate
There is currently a legal battle in the federal courts regarding a Federal law mandating that marriage is between a man and a woman. EdiTh Windsor challenged the federal law in DOMA (Defense Of Marriage Act) as unconstitutional on equal protection grounds. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York recently held… Continue reading Edith Windsor’s Fight for Same-Sex Marriage Recognition
In September of 2010, a non-lawyer wrote an article about her experience trying out four different will-making computer programs. This article appeared in the New York Times. After she got all four different wills drafted, she took the wills to an established estate planning lawyer in New York City, and had them reviewed. The results… Continue reading Why Online Wills Can be Harmful to Your Estate Planning
Social Security and Medicare, are the two most expensive federal social programs, and it has been recently announced that they will run out of money three years earlier than original estimates indicated. Trustees estimated that Social Security will run out of funds in the year 2033, and Medicare will be insolvent in 2024. More and… Continue reading Federal Assistance Programs are Running Out of Money
Many clients of the attorneys at Skillern Law Firm, PLLC believe they do not need a new Advance Directive since they had one drafted many years ago. Well, if you got your living will completed before 2006, you may need yours updated. During the 2006 Legislative Session, the Oklahoma Legislature amended the Oklahoma Advance Directive… Continue reading Do You Need to Update Your Advance Directive (Living Will)?
It seems everyone knows at least someone with special needs, whether it be a family member, a church member, or a friend. When it come to estate and financial planning, the term "special needs" applies to family members who cannot, for some reason, take care of themselves. The reasons are varied, whether it be a… Continue reading Special Needs Planning
Oklahoma allows the probate courts to admit holographic (or handwritten) wills. There are certain considerations that are very important to consider if you think a holographic will is right for you. Today on Tulsa Estate Planning Blog, Skillern Law Firm, PLLC will help you figure out if its right for you. First, there are important, strict… Continue reading The Problems with Handwritten Wills
One common question about wills and trusts is about joint or mutual wills. Many people ask attorneys why joint wills are never recommended by attorneys. The reason is not that attorneys want to get more of your money by drafting two wills instead of one. Also, most people may see it as an extra expense… Continue reading Why A Joint Will Is A Bad Idea.
It is a new year, and everyone is listing things that they want to accomplish in 2012. You might be interested in a new healthy eating regimen, or workout schedule, but why not add updating your estate planning to that list? Twenty-twelve is the year of the estate plan! If you haven't established a way to… Continue reading Resolutions
