From an estate planning perspective, the highest-profile aspect of the new tax law is that the federal estate tax exemption has been doubled. The jump from $5.5 million to just over $11 million ($22 million for married couples) is significant,…

Cryptocurrency hasn’t exactly gone mainstream, but it’s no longer a rare, fringe holding. A recent survey revealed that nearly 8% of Americans own at least some Bitcoin or other form of cryptocurrency, and another 7.76% indicated that they planned to…

Earlier this year, a survey of estate planning professionals across a range of professions revealed that the biggest obstacle in the estate planning process isn’t taxes, legal requirements, or expense—it’s your family. More specifically, 44% of those surveyed by TD…

Even if you haven’t yet invested in estate planning, you’ve probably heard of Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRTs). When you visit your favorite non-profit’s website or receive a solicitation letter from your alma mater, you may see a pitch for the…

A combination of advances in medical science, longer life spans, people marrying later, second marriages, and other factors mean that many Americans have children later in life than was the norm just a generation ago. In 2000, more than 23%…

When you hear about an alternative estate planning option such as a living trust, one of the key selling points mentioned is often that you can “avoid probate.” However, if you don’t know much about estate law, you may be…

When you’re planning for your own future and providing for your loved ones, it is always beneficial to have the knowledgeable guidance of an experienced estate lawyer. Though forms and software abound to help you create documents, there’s no substitute…

Once upon a time, estate planning revolved largely around disposition of assets after your death. This was most often managed through a will, though some property might be titled to pass automatically to a surviving spouse or other family member.…

In New Jersey, as in most states, the traditional way to pass property after death is through a will. If the deceased did not have a will or make other arrangements, then most property passes through intestate succession. Though a…

New Jersey residents got relief from state estate taxes earlier this year. After a multi-year step-down process, state estate taxes were wholly eliminated for those who died on or after January 1, 2018. Now, the federal government has raised the…