Double Your Gifting with Spousal Gift-Splitting

Feb 2, 2022 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: Estate Planning, legal education

It may be possible to double your gifting by using spousal “gift-splitting.” Spouses may elect to split gifts made to others. If they do so, they must split all the gifts made by the other...

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You’ve Been Named The Trustee of Someone Else’s Estate: What Now?

Jan 24, 2022 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: Attorney, Blog, Estate Planning, Estate Planning, Trusts

You’ve been named Successor Trustee of someone else’s estate… …and that person is now deceased. You may or may not have known about your nomination for that position.  But in any case, after you have...

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Using Entities in Estate Planning

Jan 1, 2022 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: business succession planning, Estate Planning, legal education

More and more families own property, assets, and businesses together. Using an entity to govern operations provides stability by allowing continued operation upon the death of an owner. When the governing agreement and estate planning...

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How Often Should You Update Your Estate Plan?

Nov 10, 2021 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: General

Many people we see have Wills and other legal documents that were prepared in the 1990s. We begin to talk, and they say, “Yes, I have a Will and a Health Care Proxy…” I ask...

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How Estate Planning Documents Help Prevent Elder Abuse

Nov 1, 2021 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: Estate Planning, legal education

As loved ones and parents age, they become more vulnerable to fraudulent schemes. This article explores how a solid estate plan can help protect the elderly from becoming victims. Read on to learn more.

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Estate Planning Reduces Stress During High Anxiety Times

Oct 1, 2021 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: Estate Planning, legal education

During times of high stress such as tragedy or emergency, we tend to feel helpless. This article explores how a comprehensive estate plan helps reduce anxiety in uncertain times.

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Planning for Step Children

Jul 1, 2021 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: General

If you have married someone and your spouse has children from a different relationship, those are your step-children. Even if you have helped raise the child from a very young age, unless you have adopted...

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Building Flexibility into Your Plan

Jul 1, 2021 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: Estate Planning, Trusts

When you prepare your estate plan, typically there are formalities required. In most states, such as Massachusetts, a Will must be signed and notarized by the testator (the person whose property is governed by the...

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Fair Isn’t Always Equal and Vice Versa

Jul 1, 2021 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: Estate Planning, legal education

When you’re deciding how your assets should be divided at death, sometimes dividing them equally is the appropriate choice. But, sometimes it’s not. Fair isn’t always equal or vice versa. Read on to learn more,...

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Beneficiary Designations (Part III & IV)

Mar 25, 2021 / By: Lantz Law, Inc.

Category: General

Part Three Under the SECURE ACT, a beneficiary typically must take all distributions of an inherited tax-qualified account by the end of the year which includes the 10th anniversary of the original owner’s (called “Participant”)...

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