Estate Planning Myth #4: Anyone can write a simple will


April 16, 2014
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This is somewhat correct: I clearly remember reading anomalous cases in law school about concepts like Holographic Wills and whether something as simple as “I leave everything to my wife” is a Will. A gentle reminder: I was reading these stories in a case book, which means these were matters that wound up being litigated. […]

Basics of Minnesota Medical Assistance


April 14, 2014
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Over half of the population will require long-term care at some point in their lives.  Paying for long-term care is a topic that many people avoid addressing until the last minute; however, due to the rising costs of skilled nursing care it should really be addressed sooner rather than later.  In Minnesota the average daily […]

Estate Planning Myth #3: All I need I can find on legal zoom


April 11, 2014
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Yes, there are forms out there, and yes, many documents that attorneys draft begin from a template or form. However, consider these two major points for discussion with this myth: first, the law is full of variation from state to state and forms may or may not be drafted with your state’s peculiarities in mind, […]

Estate Planning Myth #2: Death Taxes Only Affect the Super Wealthy


April 8, 2014
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One wonderful thing about the first session of the 113th Congress was its efforts to enact a taxing scheme allowing an exemption from estate taxes for those with less than $5 million (indexed to inflation), and making permanent the concept of portability. These codified changes taken together mean that married couples with a combined net […]

Epilawg Series: Top Ten Estate Planning Myths


April 1, 2014
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One of our great contributors here at Epilawg is Erika Stein Rosenhagen, an estate planning attorney practicing in Minnesota. Over the next month and a half we will be featuring a series of posts from Erika highlighting the top ten estate planning myths: what they are, why they are incorrect and items to consider about […]

Changes to Minnesota’s Estate & Gift Tax


March 27, 2014
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Late last week Governor Dayton signed into law a $440 million tax cut package aimed to put “more money in the pockets of Minnesota families and businesses.” Included in the package are changes meant to simplify Minnesota’s estate and gift tax law. The simplification of the estate and gift tax law is budgeted to save Minnesotans $43 million.

After Hours with Lindsey Manhart


March 25, 2014
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• Name: Lindsey Manhart • Employer: American Family Insurance • Position: I advise people on their insurance to ensure their policies are tailored to fit their needs. • Location: Minnetonka, MN • Education: B.A. in Sociology/Anthropology and Spanish How long have you been in your career field? 14 years What led you to work in […]

The Bitter End


March 19, 2014
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It’s a shocking and infrequently cited fact that the death rate among the human population in the United States is 100%. It will happen to all of us. When you think of it this way, the idea of having a Health Care Directive or Living Will is not so much a “what if” piece of […]

Don’t Leave Your Money Behind


March 13, 2014
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Recently, Joe Larson wrote about what to do when you’ve been terminated by your employer and what your rights are with respect to your personnel file. It raises a reminder that whether you have been laid off, terminated or voluntarily opted to leave your job you shouldn’t forget about your 401(k) when you move on. […]

Governor Dayton’s Estate & Gift Tax Simplification Proposal


March 11, 2014
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Last week, Governor Dayton issued proposed tax cuts of $616 Million. The tax cuts are aimed at middle class Minnesotans and businesses. The proposed tax cuts include simplifying the state estate tax and eliminating the state gift tax. The estate and gift tax proposals would yield $43 Million in tax relief for Minnesotans.