The Prototypical Will
Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through the trees. This is as true for sophisticated estate planning as it is for anything else. It’s worthwhile then to step back…
DIY Wills and The Importance of Wills for The Young Family
Young families need wills. But, the legal profession has an admitted problem—the use of attorneys is expensive and can also be time consuming. It is also one of the many…
Your Dog and Your Liability – Strict Liability for Your Best Friend
Personal liability exposure is an important planning consideration. A person should be able to identify potential risks and assess means to mitigate those risks with the ultimate goal of reducing…
The Invisible Hand Steering Education: The Education Trust
Of course, there are many options available to pay for the education of a loved one. There are direct gifts, state-sponsored 529 plans, and educational savings accounts, to name a…
2A90HFY Senior grandparents playing with grandchildren and having fun with family
The Private Family Foundation
Financially successful individuals often contemplate the highest and best use of their assets. In some cases, those same individuals have decided that the natural objects of their bounty (i.e. the…
The Community Property Agreement
Property owned by a spouse does not automatically transfer to the surviving spouse at death. Instead, something more is needed in the estate plan to accomplish this feat. In all…
Keep the Family Farm – The Washington Farm Deduction
Should a person gift the farm before death to avoid the complexity of probate and the estate tax? Probably not. The family farm occupies a unique position in Washington state…
Savor the Simplicity of the Community Property Agreement
As one year comes to an end and another begins, it’s worth taking stock of your estate plan and ponder whether Washington State’s Community Property Agreement is right for you.…
Simplifying Life and Administration after Life
Above all else, two issues impact the complexity and time and cost of the administration of a person’s estate more than the rest: the assets and the heirs. One of…
Reconsider Adding Children to Your Bank Account
You’ve likely heard the conventional wisdom many times. Your friends or family or even at times the bank teller will counsel you that you should add your child to your…
