We recently received this e-mail from our esteemed colleague, Joan Medeiros, who brought to our attention a PBS Special on the challenges that caregivers of the elderly face: “I am frequently asked by clients about how to care for their elderly family members. I know from personal experience how difficult, emotional, and complicated caring for an elderly parent can be. PBS aired a very good special regarding this issue last Thursday night, but it also available for viewing via their website, which I have listed below. I thought you might have some interest in watching it; please feel free to…
Helpful Computer Programs for Organization and Efficiency
Download Printable Article By Megan DeLaGarza, Executive Assistant Staying organized and on top of a busy workload and boss can be time-consuming and overwhelming. Even if you have a plan of attack, it’s not always easy to find where exactly to start or the best way to implement new ideas. Below are a few resources that might prove helpful not only for you, but perhaps for your entire firm, to execute efficient and effective daily work. Text Expander. Save time and effort with TextExpander to avoid typing the same thing over and over, whether it’s a simple email signature or…
New Single Member LLC Veil Piercing Case Is a Wakeup Call to Attorneys and Spells Opportunity
Download Printable Article By Mason D. Salisbury, J.D. The case in point is the Wyoming Supreme Court’s Greenhunter Energy, Inc. v. Western, 2014 WY 144, 2014 WL 5794332 (WY S.C., Nov. 7, 2014). First and foremost, Greenhunter reminds us that single member LLCs (“SMLLCs”) really do get pierced! But contrary to some initial reactions, Greenhunter is not the death knell for SMLLCs as asset protectors, far from it! The better take on Greenhunter with its emphasis on the multipart State court analysis of SMLLC piercing “factors” is twofold. One, Greenhunter is most certainly a wakeup call to drafting attorneys that…
The Top 10 Seminar Planning & Marketing Mistakes Attorneys Make!
Download Printable Article By Philip J. Kavesh, J.D., LL.M. (Taxation), CFP®, ChFC, California State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law We’ve indicated time and time again in this newsletter column why seminar marketing – – whether to the public, to professional referral sources, or to your existing clients – – can drive substantial, consistent revenue into your practice (and has, for me, for over 30 years). But, successful seminar results depend on the details of your seminar marketing being done right. Some estate planning professionals ignore, or simply aren’t aware of, these details and their seminar…
Mastering Portability
Download Printable Article By: Robert S. Keebler, CPA/PFS, MST, AEP (Distinguished), CGMA An important provision within the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (“2010 Tax Relief Act”) allows an executor of an estate of a married decedent the option to transfer any unused estate tax exemption amount to the surviving spouse.[1] Thus, for example, if a decedent used only a portion of his or her estate tax exemption, the estate could elect to have the remaining portion pass to the surviving spouse, giving the surviving spouse a larger estate tax exemption.[2] Although this portability provision…
Creating Your List – Things to Talk About With Your Clients in 2015
It happens to all of us. We go to a wonderful conference; we see a great webinar; we read an important article – and then we plan to change the conversation with referral sources and clients. So, when the inevitable challenges of our personal and professional reality comes in, we end up singing the same old songs of wealth, estate tax, financial, and asset protection planning – thinking months later, where did the change in conversation go? Successful practitioners explain to us that the way their practice found stability and growth was through finding planning that they could execute on,…
An Evidence-Based Approach to Investing
Download Printable Article By Jason Oshins, Financial Advisor, MBA Evidence-based medicine is defined as “the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients.”[1] If possible, wouldn’t it be prudent to approach investing similarly? Wouldn’t it make sense to apply the concepts developed by Nobel Laureates? Well, you can. Philosopher Alfred A. Montapert famously said, “Do not confuse motion and progress.” Motion also creates the illusion of control. An excellent example of this is in the investment world. Wall Street perpetuates the notion that successful investing requires stock picking and market…
Are You Aware Decanting Causes Tax Issues?
Download Printable Article By Robert S. Keebler, CPA/PFS, MST, AEP (Distinguished), CGMA Decanting is the act of distributing the assets of an old trust to a new one with more favorable terms. It provides an easy, inexpensive method for correcting errors or ambiguities, adapting a trust to changes in a settlor’s objectives or changes in a beneficiary’s circumstances, taking advantage of new planning opportunities or adding flexibility to a trust. However, because trust decanting is a relatively new estate planning strategy, its tax consequences have not yet been clearly established. The IRS is considering ways to address these tax consequences…
Keep Your E-Mail Inbox Under Control (or It Will Control You!)
Download Printable Article By Megan DeLaGarza, Executive Assistant Technology is a concurrent blessing and curse. Email has not been around terribly long in the grand scheme of office administration, so we are just now learning the effects of it’s omnipresence in a plugged in world. The biggest problem with email is that it’s a huge distraction. The pressure to respond right away leads you to working off-task. An inbox that is open with notifications popping up makes this even worse. Responding to your inbox as a to-do list leads to working on the wrong priorities. It’s time to break these…
TODAY ONLY! – – Special St. Patrick’s Day Sale
SORRY, YOU MISSED IT! ST. PATRICK’S DAY WAS ON MARCH 17th! Sorry that you missed out on saving 25% off everything* on our website. We are happy to let you know that you can still save 15% by utilizing the coupon code LUCKY15, which is good through April 17, 2015. Some of the products that you can apply this discount to include, but are not limited to: Upcoming Teleconferences – Save on your registration to any upcoming educational programs* All passed teleconferences in our On-Demand Library – This is a great way for you to take advantage of huge savings…