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There are a host of developments that can cause property to be distributed in ways other than that which had been intended when the will was written and signed. Many of them are changes in family situation such as births, deaths, divorces, adoptions, marriages, etc. Those changes also don’t necessarily need to directly involve the individual making the will either. Changes in the family situations of those to whom property was originally to be distributed also can have far-reaching, and often times negative effects on...
A will is a simple and effective tool at accomplishing a number of goals and estate planning needs, but it can’t do everything. Here are some goals that a properly drafted and executed will can and cannot accomplish.
A will CAN be used:
A will enables you to determine where your property will go, including to people who are or aren’t your heirs rather than letting it go where the intestacy laws of your state dictate it...
Most of us believe that our medical and other health information is private and should be protected, and we want to know who has this information. In a world that in continuously becoming more connected, the exchange of such information is simplified, and there was an increasing risk that it could end up in places we may not want. With that in mind, in 1996, Congress passed a set of statutes known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, or in more common lingo, HIPAA.
While most have heard the term HIPAA used in some context before, many still don’t know...
With April 15th fast approaching, if you haven’t sat down to do your taxes yet, you certainly are not alone, but this weekend may be a good time to pound them out. If you still need to file for last year, here are 9 tips that may make things easier on you:
1. Don’t panic
So, you’re one of the roughly 4.5 million Americans who waits until the final month to file your taxes and you’re running out of time. Well, the first thing to do is relax! You’re not alone and you still have a week and a half to get everything done. While the clock certainly is...
With the Supreme Court hearing arguments on the constitutionality of California’s proposition 8 and the Federal Defense of Marriage Act this week, I thought I’d take a stab at giving a (extremely) brief summary of the Supreme Court’s involvement with crafting civil rights in this country. Legal scholars will surely scoff at my generalities, but this is meant to be a summary for the masses not some sort of scholarly article. So, without further introduction, here’s my attempt at summarizing civil rights jurisprudence in 1000 words:
1896:...
The deadline for filing your income tax return with the IRS is just over 4 weeks away. If you haven’t filed yet, there are a number credits that can lower your total tax bill or maximize your refund. Unlike a deduction, which reduces the amount of your income subject to tax, credits actually reduce taxes you owe on a dollar-for-dollar basis, which means that they are great tools to limit your tax bill or maximize your refund. If you’re interested in minimizing your tax liability, then here are five credits you should be aware of before filing your 2012 federal income tax return:
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