by Lauren Jackson | Apr 14, 2017 | Attorney, Estate Planning, Life Insurnace
Recently, I watched a 60-minute news story about how some of the largest life insurance companies don’t pay benefits even when they know the policyholder has died. Insurance companies claim that it is up to policyholders’ beneficiaries to contact the insurance company...
by Lauren Jackson | Mar 23, 2017 | Estate Planning, intentionally defective grantor trust, Trusts
An intentionally defective grantor trust (IDGT) is a very interesting estate planning tool. It can be used to freeze certain assets for estate tax purposes, but not for income tax purposes. It is best used, for example, for a business that you own that is expected to...
by Lauren Jackson | Mar 16, 2017 | Divorce, Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills
In the aftermath of a divorce, updating your estate plan may not be at the forefront of your mind. You may still be distraught and emotionally and/or physically exhausted. However, many clients don’t realize what could result if they don’t update their...
by Lauren Jackson | Feb 28, 2017 | Billing, Estate Planning
When clients come to me for Estate Planning, one of their biggest concerns is what is it going to cost? Most attorneys will be very vague about their billing processes and one of the more popular complaints from clients is when they get their bill and they are shocked...
by Lauren Jackson | Feb 17, 2017 | Attorney, buying a home, Contracts, Real Estate
When the time comes for you to sell your home it may seem like a very daunting process. If you are using a realtor, he or she should have the contract properly filled out before you sign anything (if you are not using a realtor, I can make sure the contract is filled...
by Lauren Jackson | Oct 3, 2016 | Attorney, buying a home, Lawyer, Real Estate, real estate closing
A lot of people are attracted to the comfort of buying a brand new home. The homebuilder makes it so easy now. You get to pick the land and customize the house just the way you want it. They may even make the sale offer extra enticing with additional “discounts” if...
by Lauren Jackson | Aug 29, 2016 | Estate Planning, Lawyer, Revocable living trust
Updating one’s estate plan is usually not a complicated act when working with an estate-planning attorney. Depending on what has already been drafted, there are different options available. I recommend to all my clients that they should review their plans...
by Lauren Jackson | Jul 14, 2016 | Estate Planning, Life Insurnace
When sitting down with concerned parents, one topic that often arises: How do I protect my family if I have no savings? If you do not have a lot of savings in the bank but are concerned with, or just want to make sure that your family is taken care of (financially),...
by Lauren Jackson | Jun 7, 2016 | Attorney, buying a home, Contracts, Lawyer, Real Estate, real estate closing, selling a home
When you are buying real estate you have to sign a contract. Once the contract is signed by the seller time becomes of the essence. People believe that once you sign a real estate contract, everything in the contract is final. That is not true. Although I tell my...
by Lauren Jackson | May 19, 2016 | Estate Planning, Revocable living trust, Trusts
There really is no set dollar amount before it makes sense for you to incorporate a revocable trust into your estate plan. Whether you are married or single, old or young, have a small or large estate, just about everyone can derive some benefit from a revocable...
