December 2012

Minnesota Estate Tax Changes May Be on the Horizon

by Jamie Held December 26, 2012 Estate Planning 101

The Minnesota Department of Revenue (“DOR”) is preparing a report that analyzes Minnesota’s current estate tax laws. The report will provide the Legislature with options to consider for changes to or elimination of the estate [...]

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Charlie Chaplin

by Jen Santini December 25, 2012 Obits

April 16, 1889 – December 25, 1977 It has been 35 years since the comedic actor, Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, died at the age of 88. Chaplin started performing at the of age 5 years [...]

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Valuing a gift

by Maggie Green December 22, 2012 Estate Planning 101

Scheduled to decrease January 1, 2013, the federal gift tax exemption will go from the $5.12 million to $1 million*. Many individuals have made substantial gifts this year to take advantage of the high exemption. [...]

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8 Advantages of 529 College Savings Plans

by Chris Hiestand December 17, 2012 Guest Articles

This year, total student loan debt has climbed over the $1 trillion mark and tuition continues to grow at double the rate of inflation. Starting a college savings plan has never been more important. The [...]

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PROFESSIONAL FIDUCIARIES: WHO NEEDS THEM?

by Lori Manning December 12, 2012 Guest Articles

People need fiduciaries for a variety of reasons, but this article is written with elderly people who are incapacitated by dementia in mind. Dementia is an umbrella term that describes a variety of diseases that [...]

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How a Guardianship for a Minor Works

by Jayne Sykora December 7, 2012 Estate Planning 101

We have had many posts related to choosing guardians for your children should something happen to both parents before their children reach the age of majority: Appointing a Guardian for Minor Children, How to Choose [...]

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Trust Protectors

by Jayne Sykora December 4, 2012 Trusts

When a trust is created, it is always important to choose the right trustee. Generally, a trustee should be an individual(s) or company that is detail-oriented and will follow all required fiduciary duties. In previous [...]

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Desi Arnaz

by Jen Santini December 2, 2012 Obits

March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986 Desi Arnaz died at the age of 69 of cancer. He was from Santiago, Cuba and move to the United States with his family when he was young. [...]

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