Fortunately, the Oklahoma legislature has passed a summary administration law with the goal of reducing the time and expense of a regular probate estate. This summary proceeding can be used for distributing real property and oil and gas interests. In order to qualify for summary administration, the decedent’s probate estate must meet one of the…Read More
Congratulations, your child is now an adult! It’s an exciting time in their lives. Many parents of an 18-year-old are unsure if they have prepared their child adequately for life as an adult. Also important is creating estate planning documents, because turning eighteen changes how the rest of the world, and how the law, now…Read More
Revocable living trusts help shelter estate assets from probate. They help to shield private finances from public scrutiny and provide additional control over the disposition of assets after their owner’s death. Trusts can also save money and minimize the time it takes to settle an estate. If you have a revocable trust as a part of your estate plan…Read More
A pour-over will is a legal document that ensures an individual’s remaining assets will automatically transfer to a previously established trust upon their death. These wills are normally created alongside a trust….Read More
Here is another reason why estate planning is never a one-and-done project. Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act — which took effect on Jan. 1, 2020 — created a mixed bag of benefits and new requirements for Americans saving for retirement. Starting in 2022, a new law, part of the SECURE Act,…Read More
The decision to buy long-term care insurance vs. self-insuring is a common conundrum. If you can afford to self-insure based on your estate planning, then the choice boils down to whether you would like to retain the risk or share the risk with an insurance company. What is long-term care insurance? Long-term care insurance covers…Read More
Estate planning is a difficult topic for families. However, it’s an important conversation to have. The best approach is to try and understand what you can do to help your loved ones prepare their estate plan or help them better receive it. Below are a few tips to include in your plans. Have difficult conversations before a…Read More
Before we consider the need for a trust, it’s important to understand exactly what a trust is. A trust is a legal document that is formed between two or more parties where one person, who is called a trustee, holds property on behalf of another, called a beneficiary. More specifically, a trust is created when property…Read More
The recent struggles with inflation began in 2021, on the heels of the Covid pandemic. While persistently high inflation is hardly cheerful news, a set of annual adjustments from the IRS that are tied to an inflation index could provide relief in one unexpected area — taxes. Last October, the IRS announced the adjustments for…Read More