Many things are happening in the world of estate planning. Much depends on our elections in November, and I'll have more comments about that in the future. Here in the estate planning trenches, I thought I would share some things I have noticed recently you might have missed.
First, I hope you noticed that my law firm has merged with another law firm. The new firm is called KOKISH & GOLDMANIS, P.C. It is very exciting, we have a busy and vibrant office with some of the best lawyers around. It is wonderful for me to be able to continue my work specializing in estate planning and estate and trust administration, while also being able to offer a whole range of other legal services to my clients. Simply put, if you need a lawyer for anything, call me and I'll get you to the appropriate person who can handle your case.
Second, I am seeing an alarming number of people who either don't have a Will or estate plan of any type, or who haven't reviewed existing documents for a very long time. Since National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD),is April 16th, this is surprising. If you don't have documents, or don't have your plan yet, it's time to start.
Third, National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD), is April 16th. This day is sponsored by DocuBank and is all about making sure that your healthcare decisions are known and are carried out should something happen to you. It's about protecting yourself and not placing an undue burden on your family if you haven't communicated your wishes. Call me at 303-688-3535 and I'll help you get started.
Fourth and last, pretty much everyone I speak with is ignoring the estate tax asteroid aimed at them come January 1st of 2013. Under current law, millions more Americans will become subject to a 55% federal estate tax unless Congress and the President come up with a new solution. Whether that will happen is a subject for another article. For us, it means that if you rely on politicians to protect your assets and family, you are at risk. Again, call me and I can point you in the right directions to see how this tax law impacts you.
So that's the current view from the estate planning trenches. What do you see from your spot? Let me know, and please feel free to join our conversation, I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.
Bernie Greenberg
303-688-3535
