Newsletter

Beginning January 1, 2020, under the Secure Act, beneficiaries who inherit an IRA from someone other than a spouse are no longer able to stretch their distributions out over the lifetime of the oldest beneficiary of the retirement plan. Now, the longest period of time over which a beneficiary may stretch an inherited IRA from [..] The post Changes to Retirement Law in 2020 appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.

Many of my trust clients need an estate planning “refresher” when they want to make changes to their existing estate plan. Whether or not you have done your estate plan, I hope you will find this newsletter useful; feel free to save or share it. TITLE IS EVERYTHING! The general rule is that if you [..] The post Estate Planning 101 appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.

GIFTING In planning their estates, people have a wide variety of reasons for selecting particular beneficiaries and determining the amounts they want those beneficiaries to receive and the manner in which they want the beneficiaries to receive their inheritances. This newsletter explores gifting issues. BENEFICIARIES vs. HEIRS AT LAW Under California law, beneficiaries and heirs [..] The post Gifting Your Estate appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.

In planning their estates, people have a wide variety of reasons for selecting particular beneficiaries and determining the amounts they want those beneficiaries to receive and the manner in which they want the beneficiaries to receive their inheritances. This newsletter explores gifting issues. BENEFICIARIES vs. HEIRS AT LAW Under California law, beneficiaries and heirs at [..] The post Gifting to Beneficiaries and Heirs at Law appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.

I assist Successor Trustees in the administration of living trusts which became irrevocable by virtue of the death of the Settlor.  I also am often the attorney for the estate of probate matters in which the decedent passed away owning assets outside of a living trust.  Whether there is a trust estate or whether there [..] The post What Beneficiaries Need to Know in Trust and Probate Administrations appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.

As people age, the ability to resist undue influence decreases. Predators use undue influence to overcome a persons own natural inclinations and imposes the predators wishes on senior adults that results in an involuntary estate plan, contrary to the persons long held wishes. Undue influence deprives a person of the right to be the one [..] The post Preditor Protection appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.

A Tale of Two Deaths I have experienced the death of two people with whom I had a close relationship.  One occurred almost fifteen years ago, and one occurred last month.  Although there were some interesting similarities between the two events, there were also significant differences. My husband’s was the first death.  He had never [..] The post A Tale of Two Deaths appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.

In April 2009, I summarized the proper handling of current estate planning documents. This included recommendations for storage of the original Trust versus the original Will. It also described who should have a copy of the Advance Health Care Directive and Durable Power of Attorney. If you wish to read or re-read that issue, you [..] The post Record Keeping in Trust or Probate Administration appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.

Through the years I have advised many individuals, Private Professional Fiduciaries, and corporate Trust Officers on the administration of living trusts after the death of the grantor.  The job of a Trustee is a high calling and should not be undertaken lightly.  This newsletter highlights some of the difficulties encountered by children who are named [..] The post Children Have a Difficult Job as Trustee appeared first on Sharp Estate Planning.