Special Needs Planning: One Trust or Two

Article, Estate Planning

The importance of a Special Needs Trust was reviewed in a previous article in this paper. In that previous article, we noted that the purpose of the Special Needs, or Luxury Trust, is to provide assistance to the special needs child beyond that which is provided by...

Have Your Cake and Eat it Too with a Charitable Remainder Trust

Article, Estate Planning, wealth preservation

Here is a tasty estate planning recipe to consider: INGREDIENTS: 1 Cup Appreciated assets (rental or vacation property, or appreciated stock are good choices). 1 Charitable Remainder Trust. Can be for a single person or married couple. Can be a Uni-Trust or an Annuity...

The ABC’s of Health Care Directives, Part 2

Article

In our previous edition of McDowall News we explained what an Advance Health Care Directive is. In this edition we will talk about what is not an Advance Health Care Directive. Speci cally, we will discuss DNR’s and POLST’s. What is not an Advance Health Care...

Protecting My Life’s Work – Choosing the Proper Form of Business Entity

Article, Civil Litigation, Estate Planning, wealth preservation

PROTECTING MY LIFE’S WORK: CHOOSING THE PROPER FORM OF BUSINESS ENTITY “I’m a business owner (or soon to be one) what type of entity should I choose?” At McDowall Cotter, we make two classi cations: “non-asset protection” and “asset protection” entities. General...

What Does Life Estate Mean?

Article, Civil Litigation, Estate Planning, wealth preservation

I was asked by a “friend” about her step mother staying in her dad’s home after dad died. He had written a trust and in it he granted her a “life estate.” According to the terms of the trust, she was “entitled to remain and reside within our residence at 1122Boogie...