This blog entry will be brief, but I did want to discuss the ever popular subject among estate planners....the estate tax.  This article from Forbes, linked here: http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/18/estate-tax-sharp-bite-2011-personal-finance-grats-flps.html discusses the estate tax possibilities going forward in 2011.  What was even more surprising is the speculation that some of the vehicles used to minimize this tax may come under increased scrutiny as well, including Family Limited Partnerships and Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts.  Most estate planners and financial advisors I speak with call this a "moving target."  And that is exactly what it is. 

If the annual exclusion is lowered to...

One of the most common responses I receive when I ask clients who have come to our office for a real estate transaction if they have a Will is, “No, I have been meaning to do that for so many years.  That is something I should probably do.”  I think that most people would prefer not to think about their death and think of estate planning as something only for either older people or rich “fat cats.”  Even if the client thinks that they probably have a need for these services (and all clients do), it will often get sent to the backburner as something that can be done later in life.  The perils of this line of thinking cannot be overstated.  In a previous blog, I stressed the importance of p...

It has been stated countless times how important landing the Boeing manufacturing facility has been to the Charleston area.  Most people point to the direct number of employees that Boeing will either hire or relocate from their existing production facilities in Washington.  State and local economists also factor in the number of jobs that will be created by other types of businesses, either those serving Boeing directly as a supplier or those created to serve the influx of new workers into the area.  But the Boeing announcement is only one piece (albeit a very big one) of good news for an area that seems to be getting more than its fare share in recent months.  The Charleston real estate...

As I am sure many of you already know, our firm has recently “gone live” with the use of social media to stay connected to our clients.  We currently have a Facebook Fan Page, LinkedIn Company Profile, and Twitter account.  While some may question the business utility and effectiveness of social media in staying connected with existing clients and potentially connecting with new ones, a recent story from a good friend of mine confirmed the potential value in using social media properly. 

This friend is a former athlete at a well-known private university in North Carolina, and now works here in Charleston for a large consulting firm based in Charlotte.  We were discussing the potential be...

Before I ever went to law school I, like many people, thought that the primary importance in having a Will was so that my assets would be distributed at my death to the beneficiaries of my preference.  The stakes were only as high as the value of your property.  It was as simple as that.  But as most people soon find out when they meet with an estate planning attorney, your assets are only the beginning.

What could be more important that being able to choose who will raise your children if something were to happen to you?  With a properly executed Will, a parent can choose who they would like to be the guardian of their minor children in the event of their death.  Why would you let the s...

I recently saw someone post an article on Twitter announcing that the popular internet legal service provider LegalZoom.com is being sued in Missouri for the unauthorized practice of law.  That article can be found here: http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2010/02/09/legalzoom-sued-in-class-action-for-unauthorized-law-practice/id=8816/. 

That article prompted me to write this blog about the advantages of using an attorney for your estate planning rather than any online service provider.  While the online companies are often extremely inexpensive, I find it next to impossible for them to be able to analyze your individual situation and needs, much less provide legal feedback.  Here is Legal Zoom's ...