I. Form of Ownership. A good estate plan should include a review of how your assets are titled. The form of ownership can affect the availability of estate tax exemptions, creditors’ rights, and which document controls how the asset is distributed at your death. II. Last Will and Testament. A written Will is a legal...Read More
At a conference in New York sponsored by the Practicing Law Institute on February 13, 2017, Treasury and IRS officials discussed two new Trump administration policy changes limiting substantive IRS guidance for “a while.” The first policy is the administration’s unusual “one-in, two-out” executive order, which generally requires agencies to eliminate two regulations for every...Read More
Under the current federal transfer tax system, there is a 40% tax on estates of individuals dying with more than $5.49 million in assets. Gifts made during lifetime are added to transfers at death for purposes of calculating the $5.49 million limit. (With proper planning, the limit is doubled for married couples.) Transfers greater than...Read More
We started Catalyst, in part, to experiment with innovations in law practice. We want to practice law in ways that are better for clients and better for the lawyers serving them. In that spirit, as of January 1, 2017, we are stopping the billable hour clock and transitioning to fixed-fee billing arrangements for most estate...Read More
To help more families have the peace of mind that comes with having a family legal plan in place, we’re offering a sliding-scale, flat-fee group estate planning process for qualified clients. You can develop a plan in as little as ten hours over ten weeks, including a will, guardianship for your children, trust, healthcare directives,...Read More
Common Reason #3: I do not have enough time or enough money to hire an estate planning lawyer. Q: How much do you pay your financial planner on an annual basis? A: You either pay by the hour, or you pay at least 1% annually based on your total assets under management. For example, if...Read More
Common Reason #2: I do not want to contemplate my own death It is difficult to think about one’s own demise, but whether you plan for it or not, eventually someone will need to sort out your estate. If you do not put a plan in place, state law dictates what will happen with your assets...Read More
Common Reason #1: I do not have enough money to be concerned about estate planning. The reality is that just about everyone needs an estate plan.* State law provides a contingency plan in case you die without a will (“intestate”), but there is no backup plan if you become incapacitated and unable to manage your financial...Read More
Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.
Kofi Annan
The articles in this blog are intended to help educate you on some common issues people in Oregon face during divorces, custody disputes, and other family law matters.
The information provided is general and is not intended to be legal advice for any specific case. Reading these articles is not a substitute for consulting with a family law attorney.
