Estate Planning Blog

Cryptocurrency in Estates and Trusts

Gabriel Katzner - November 30, 2023 - Estate Planning

Digital assets such as cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens are increasingly important when estate planning. Unlike physical assets, cryptocurrency, with its decentralized and borderless nature, presents unique challenges but also opportunities for people looking to secure and maximize their wealth and pass it on to future generations. The cryptocurrency market is estimated to exceed $3 trillion. […]

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Immutable Asset Ownership Records

Gabriel Katzner - November 27, 2023 - Estate Planning

When physical property that has a significant value is transferred from one person to another, the title is also transferred to indicate that the property is wholly owned by the new owner. Some digital assets, such as cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens, may also be of significant value, so how is digital ownership transferred? Digital technologies […]

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Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT): Preserving Assets for Your Spouse and Family

Gabriel Katzner - November 16, 2023 - Estate Planning

Ken, age 65, a widower, has recently married Kellie, age 49. Ken has two adult children who are both very active in their family business. Kelly has an adult daughter, who is married with two children and currently lives in Europe. Ken’s estate is valued at approximately $35 million. He wants to ensure that Kellie […]

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Creating a Charitable Legacy With a Charitable Lead Annuity Trust

Gabriel Katzner - November 10, 2023 - Asset Protection

A charitable lead annuity trust (CLAT) is an irrevocable trust that allows donors to make yearly contributions to the charitable organization of their choice while reducing their estate tax liability and transferring assets to their beneficiaries. This split-interest trust makes it possible to fulfill charitable giving and family wealth transfer goals. You can establish a […]

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Equity Stripping: Leveraging Mortgages to Protect Real Estate Holdings

Gabriel Katzner - October 25, 2023 - Asset Protection

Equity stripping is a set of financial strategies used to protect assets, such as real estate, from creditors. The goal of equity stripping is to reduce the equity in the property to the smallest possible, to make the property less appealing to potential claimants. Home equity is the difference between your home’s market value and […]

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Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs): Preserving Family Wealth Through Strategic Ownership

Gabriel Katzner - October 15, 2023 - Estate Planning

Families who operate a business or jointly own real estate or other assets may take advantage of a family limited partnership (FLP) or a limited liability company (LLC) to protect their family’s assets, reduce estate taxes, and transfer wealth between generations while maintaining control of the business or other assets. What is a family limited […]

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Domestic Asset Protection Trusts: Safeguarding Your Wealth Within the United States

Gabriel Katzner - October 13, 2023 - Asset Protection

How can you be a beneficiary of your trust and protect your assets in the trust simultaneously? Generally, if you place your assets in a trust and name yourself as a beneficiary, you cannot also benefit from asset protection. If you have a say in how the assets in your trust can be used, then […]

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Legacy and Charitable Giving: Leaving a Lasting Impact on the World

Gabriel Katzner - October 4, 2023 - Estate Planning

While charitable contributions or donations can help you lower your taxable income, they also enable you to positively impact society by addressing a specific need you have an interest in. Charitable contributions can consist of donated money, time, resources, or other assets that are given to charitable organizations to improve the overall well-being of people, […]

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Estate Planning Must Haves

Gabriel Katzner - September 15, 2023 - Estate Planning

Do you have a Last Will and Testament? Only about half of U.S. adults have one, according to a Gallup poll. Writing a will is a great start in drafting an estate plan, but an estate plan is much more comprehensive than drafting a will or even having a trust. Consider for a minute the […]

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Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT): Protecting Your Primary Residence

Gabriel Katzner - September 14, 2023 - Trust Administration

Jackie, a 70-year-old widow, has an $18 million estate. She owns a home valued at $3 million. She has two married daughters and 12 grandchildren. Jackie wants to reduce her estate taxes and pass her home to her daughters as joint owners. She would like to live in the home until she dies. Qualified personal […]

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