Estate Planning, Probate & Elder Law Attorneys

» Will More States Target Rich?
Obama tax proposals could make state tax hikes, such as those in Oregon, more painful.

» Haiti contribution is exception to charitable giving tax rules

Q: Dear Rick: I'm preparing my 2009 tax return. The instructions state in order to deduct charitable contributions you must make the contribution in that calendar year.

» Property Schedules in Trusts

Here's a question I get a fair amount: "Should we list all of our property on a schedule attached to our living trusts?" I see trusts (usually older ones) with schedules attached, but my answer is typically "no." Property changes -- we buy a new house, switch our investment accounts from one custodian to another, and change our life insurance policies. To my mind, the schedule can raise confusion -- why does it list Schwab account #12345678 when no records for this account can be found?

A better solution is to make a list of your property, including how it's titled (or who the beneficiaries are), and put that list with your original estate planning documents. And make sure to update it every year or so.

» Understanding your cash flow

It may be fashionable to follow the pack and write about the current esoterica, such as, "Should you convert your traditional IRA to Roth IRA?" Sometimes it is more important to talk about what I feel is the meat and potatoes of financial planning.

» 10 Ways to Validate a Sales Forecast
Even without data, there are other ways to test your projections.