WHAT BLENDED FAMILIES SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ESTATE PLANNING – Begley Report
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., CELA What Are Blended Families? Blended families take several forms: Married couples in which one or both spouses have children from a previous marriage. Families with children who are in second or subsequent marriages and who have children from previous marriages. Families with children whose spouses have children from previous…
MODIFYING AN IRREVOCABLE TRUST
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., CELA Introduction Frequently, clients have established irrevocable trusts that they would like to modify or terminate. Historically, in New Jersey this has meant that a court order was required. This was a somewhat time-consuming and expensive process for the clients and the adoption by New Jersey of the Uniform Trust…
ESTATE PLANNING FOR DIGITAL ASSETS
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., CELA The Uniform Law Commission has proposed an Act titled “Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access as to Digital Assets Act” (Revised 2015). The Act has been adopted in 20 states.[1] The Act was introduced in 2016 in 12 additional states.[2] Under the Act, a fiduciary is defined as a person appointed…
NON-TAX REASONS FOR ESTATE PLANNING
by Thomas D. Begley, Jr., CELA In calendar year 2000, the exemption from federal estate tax was $675,000. Clients who owned a home, had a retirement plan, and even modest other assets, had to consider this tax. Beginning in 2002, the exemption gradually increased from $1,000,000 to the current level of $5,490,000. Only two-tenths of…