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Prepare for the Death of the Stretch IRA

No laws affecting retirement plans are final yet, but there are certain changes on the horizon that may require tweaks to your estate plans. The Setting Every Community…

Is an Attorney Absolutely Required for Estate Planning?

I received a new client application requesting information about how to set up a power of attorney and Will. The person who submitted the application said she…

Where there’s a Will…

A few weeks ago, a journalist emailed me to ask if she could interview me for an article she was writing. The article she wrote appeared in the…

Can I Change My Will Before My Divorce is Final?

There is a Texas statute that prohibits Courts from entering any orders that prevent parties in a divorce proceeding from changing his or her Will. Section 253.001 of…

Should I Name My Estate as the Beneficiary of my IRA?

A client was confused. He knew that the federal estate tax only applied to estates in excess of $11 million, so he didn’t understand why significant taxes…

Avoiding Guardianship in Old Age

A few weeks ago, a client alerted me to an episode of the John Oliver show about guardianships gone wrong. A guardian is someone appointed by…

Can a Relative Notarize My Estate Planning Documents?

According to the Texas Secretary of State, there is no rule that specifically prohibits a notary from notarizing documents for a relative; however, notaries should refrain from notarizing…

Will My Estate Have to Pay an Estate Tax?

NB: For information on the current state of the estate tax in light of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, click here. One of the biggest issues…