Considering Alternatives to Disinheritance www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/alternatives-disinheritance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=alternatives-disinheritance One of the most emotional and potentially explosive estate planning decisions involves the disinheritance of a child.  While the immediate reaction to the the idea of disinheritance is likely to be visions of a disobedient, rebellious child who never followed the family rules, there are actually numerous reasons that a parent might consi

Tips for Personal Representative or Executor of Estate www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/tips-personal-representative-executor-estate/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tips-personal-representative-executor-estate When a loved one dies, the emotional aftermath will be the immediate focus.  But soon thereafter, the focus must shift to financial and legal matters.  And the person responsible for initiating and organizing those matters is the personal representative of the estate (also known as the executor).  So, when writing a will, the choice of

Unusual Will Provisions May Not Pass Court Scrutiny www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/unusual-will-provisions-pass-court-scrutiny/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=unusual-will-provisions-pass-court-scrutiny While it isn’t rare to hear of wills that leave directions for everything from pets to football tickets, some wills contain even more unusual will provisions.  For the most part, anything you want to put in a will can be enforced as long as it is legal.  But some provisions may be contested by other heirs to determine whether it is va

Health Care Documents Essential in Estate Plan www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/health-care-documents-essential-estate-plan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=health-care-documents-essential-estate-plan In this last of three posts about essential estate planning documents, we will look at critical documents related to health care and other legal documents that should be readily available to your loved ones when they need them.  These, combined with those identified in the first two posts in this series, should provide a good starting po

Estate Planning Should Go Beyond the Basics www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/estate-planning-basics-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=estate-planning-basics-2 This is the second in a series of posts that will help to identify documents that should be part of your estate plan.  Even the most basic estate plans should include much more than just a will. This post will look at some of the basic estate planning documents and some techniques that will make them easier for your survivors to find and

Comprehensive Estate Plan Crucial to Finding Assets www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/comprehensive-estate-plan-crucial-finding-assets/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=comprehensive-estate-plan-crucial-finding-assets Ask one hundred people what documents should be included in an estate plan and you will likely get about that many different answers.  Most answers will probably include documents like a will and maybe a living will.  But the elements of an estate plan extend far beyond what one would consider to be the “typical” documents. While th

Incorporating a Charitable Gift into Your Estate Plan [Infog www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/incorporating-charitable-gift-estate-plan-infographic/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=incorporating-charitable-gift-estate-plan-infographic Whether you give to your church, your local school system or another cause that is dear to you, your charitable gifts are likely important to you. If so, make sure that you also include charitable gifting in your estate plan to ensure that your philanthropic wishes are honored when you die. Click here to view a larger image.

Gun Trusts Can Help Solve Legal Issues Caused by Transfering www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/gun-trusts-solve-legal-issues-caused-transfer-firearms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gun-trusts-solve-legal-issues-caused-transfer-firearms People who own firearms for recreational activities such as hunting and target shooting, as well as those who use them for protection or just collect them, may want to pass those weapons on to their heirs when they die. But because of laws regulating firearms, the transfer to an heir or beneficiary must be done very carefully to avoid vio

Who Will Care for Your Pet When You Can't? www.slideshare.net/sextonlawar/who-will-care-for-your-pet-when-you-cant When you die, or are even temporarily disabled, your pet may not be cared for. A pet trust gives you a peace of mind knowing that your beloved pet will be cared for even if you can no longer do it yourself.

Doma Update's Impact on Tax Laws issuu.com/sextonlawar/docs/doma_update A look at the DOMA update and how same sex couples should make their estate plan to take advantage of the changes.

Post-Mortem Estate Planning Addresses Important Issues www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/post-mortem-estate-planning-addresses-important-issues/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=post-mortem-estate-planning-addresses-important-issues Most of the emphasis on estate planning is about having your affairs in order before you die.  But if you survive your spouse or partner, your estate planning needs have changed.  The protections that you and the deceased put in place together may not be the best options for you now as a single survivor, and some may even be legally voi

Advance Funeral Planning Can Save Your Estate Money www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/advance-funeral-planning-save-estate-money/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=advance-funeral-planning-save-estate-money Many people put off making a will or preparing other estate planning documents because they don’t want to think about the inevitable – their death.  So the idea of funeral planning while you are still quite healthy would definitely create some anxiety. But not only can this relieve your family and loved ones from having to make these

Advance Funeral Planning Can Save Your Estate Money www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/blog/uncategorized/advance-funeral-planning-save-estate-money/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=advance-funeral-planning-save-estate-money Many people put off making a will or preparing other estate planning documents because they don’t want to think about the inevitable – their death.  So the idea of funeral planning while you are still quite healthy would definitely create some anxiety. But not only can this relieve your family and loved ones from having to make these

Part 3: Celebrities with Alzheimer’s Disease- Glen Campbel www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/blog/uncategorized/part-3-celebrities-alzheimers-disease-glen-campbell-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=part-3-celebrities-alzheimers-disease-glen-campbell-2 Alzheimer s disease is a progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually inhibits the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. Experts suggest that as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer s disease. Alzheimer s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. It affects

Non-Traditional Families Require Specialized Estate Planning www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/blog/estate-planning/nontraditional-families-require-specialized-estate-planning/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nontraditional-families-require-specialized-estate-planning Estate planning is usually thought of as something “families” do, as in what does mom get when dad dies, and then what do the children get when both are gone?  But with the number of non-traditional families in our society today, such as blended families, single parents, unmarried couples who live together and same-gender couples, es

Techniques for Long-Distance Caregivers www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/blog/estate-planning/techniques-longdistance-caregivers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=techniques-longdistance-caregivers In today’s mobile society, it isn’t unusual for children to live far away from their parents.  But when you need to be a primary, or even secondary, caregiver for a parent, being even an hour away can seem too far.  The National Institute on Aging estimated that about 7 million elderly parents have long-distance caregivers. Unfortun

Part 2: Celebrities with Alzheimer’s Disease- Pat Summitt www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/blog/estate-planning/part-2-celebrities-alzheimers-disease-pat-summitt/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=part-2-celebrities-alzheimers-disease-pat-summitt According the National Institute on Aging, there are estimated to be between 2.4 million and 4.5 million Americans who have Alzheimer s. One third of all seniors in America die with Alzheimer s or some other dementia, according to the Alzheimer s Association. Deaths from Alzheimer s have risen by 68% from 2000 to 2010. Alzheimer s is a pr

Part 1: Celebrities with Alzheimer’s Disease- Ronald Reaga www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/blog/uncategorized/part-1-celebrities-alzheimers-disease-ronald-reagan-4/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=part-1-celebrities-alzheimers-disease-ronald-reagan-4 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 .r{} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name: Table Normal ; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent: "; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-

Mistaken Social Security Identity Can Affect Estate Planning www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/blog/uncategorized/mistaken-social-security-identity-affect-estate-planning/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mistaken-social-security-identity-affect-estate-planning In this country, a Social Security number basically creates your identity for life. Employment applications, bank accounts, veterans’ benefits, your credit rating, your estate planning documents and seemingly everything else that matters is tied to your Social Security number. So what happens when the Social Security Administration refu

Validity of Digital Wills Increasing in Estate Planning www.arkansas-estateplanning.com/blog/uncategorized/validity-digital-wills-increasing-estate-planning/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=validity-digital-wills-increasing-estate-planning In the last several years, there have been many articles written about the role of “digital assets” in estate planning.  These usually refer to Facebook accounts, online banking accounts and other things that create the online identity of the deceased.  But a recent case about wills has taken that a step beyond. In June, an Ohio cou