In a previous post, I discussed the importance of having a life insurance policy analysis done on a regular basis. I was recently reminded of the importance of policy reviews when I received correspondence from a life insurance carrier whose policy expenses exceeded what was necessary to support the death benefit. Though the mistake was […]
Overcome Obstacles to Effective Healthcare Directives
July 21, 2015
Are improvements to healthcare directives necessary and possible? The answer is an emphatic YES! As a trusted advisor, you can blaze the trail for your clients. In the past three decades, a relatively low percent of adults have completed a healthcare directive. So what shortcomings are impeding the national acceptance of advance care planning? 10 […]
What You Need to Know about Minnesota’s UTC Part III: The Trustee’s Duty to Inform and Silent Trusts
May 11, 2015
This is the third post in a series discussing different aspects on Minnesota’s new statute, the Uniform Trust Code (UTC), which becomes effective January 1, 2016. While this series will be useful information for all Epilawg readers, it is geared towards those readers that are attorneys, fiduciaries and their clients. See Part I here and […]
What You Need to Know about Minnesota’s Uniform Trust Code Part II: Trust Administration Involving Co-Trustees
April 27, 2015
This is a second post in a series discussing different aspects on Minnesota’s new statute, the Uniform Trust Code (UTC), which becomes effective January 1, 2016. While this series will be useful information for all Epilawg readers, it is geared towards those readers that are attorneys, fiduciaries and their clients. As noted in my […]
7 Tips for the 706
April 21, 2015
As tax season is wrapping up I’ve found myself busy with a few estate tax returns, and wanted to share 7 Tips to keep in mind when completing a United States Estate (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return – aka the 706. The federal form (coming in at 31 pages before any schedules and supporting documentation […]
What You Need to Know about Minnesota’s Uniform Trust Code Part I: Dual-Track Jurisdiction
April 2, 2015
This is a first in a series of posts discussing different aspects on the new statute, Minnesota’s Uniform Trust Code (UTC), which becomes effective January 1, 2016. While this series will be useful information for all Epilawg readers, it is geared towards those readers that are attorneys, fiduciaries and their clients. At long last, Minnesota […]
How to Collect Your Final Wages
March 23, 2015
Collecting Final Wages from Your Employer Most of us don’t work for free. If your employer hasn’t paid you all of the wages you’ve earned, then that’s exactly what you’d be doing. What follows is a quick guide on what to do if your employer owes you wages. The rules for wages due to an […]
Painless Probate: Closing Informally
March 19, 2015
I really don’t know how probate got such a bad reputation, but in my experience it isn’t that bad. As other contributors to Epilawg have noted (see for example: Estate Planning Myth #6: I Must Avoid Probate), Probate can be a pretty painless process. Closing an Informal Probate illustrates that point perfectly. In 3 easy […]
Tax Season Considerations: 1099 and Tangible Property
January 22, 2015
The month of January, of course, brings the start of the tax filing season. As such, there are a couple of items to think about. These two particular items are mainly directed at businesses, however, individuals who own rental properties or who are sole proprietors may be impacted as well. 1099 Reporting First, 1099 reporting […]
What to do When You Get a Traffic Ticket
January 5, 2015
At some point in your life, you’re bound to get a traffic ticket – most likely a speeding ticket. If you are smart (and lucky) enough to avoid this, take a bow. But for the rest of us, what to do next may be an unknown. So here is a quick article that can hopefully […]
Year End Tax Planning Part 4: Minnesota Changes
December 30, 2014
In addition to changes intended to align Minnesota tax with Federal calculations, the state also made several additional benefits available. If any of these may apply to you, please a tax professional for more in-depth information. Dependent Care Credit As part of the federal update legislation, the federal credit computation the Minnesota uses was updated […]