Our Blog - Surety Matters

Given the relative ease of set-up and their flexibility, revocable trusts are a popular and convenient estate planning tool. Despite the scarier name and implications, however, irrevocable trusts can also turn out to be useful,…
Read Moreabout Irrevocable Trust: Pros and Cons

One of the most important aspects of estate planning is the designation of fiduciaries: the people entrusted to manage our affairs, in accordance with our intentions. Because life takes twists and turns, attorneys advise naming…
Read Moreabout Back Up Plan: Fiduciaries!

Courts frequently require the person appointed to handle the affairs of the deceased to obtain a probate bond, which acts as a guarantee that debts and assets will be properly handled in accordance with state…
Read Moreabout Probate Bonds Explained

When a will is created, an in terrorem clause, also referred to as a no-contest clause, can be included to prevent disputes about the provisions made in the will. Because disputes can drain time and…
Read Moreabout In Terrorem Clause?

Retirement plan sponsors may find some consolation from knowing that they are not alone in their fears of being swept up in ERISA litigation, despite their diligence. Unfortunately, analysis finds that when fear results in…
Read Moreabout Plan Sponsor Fears: Litigation!

Plan sponsors will be heartened to know that not all the news is bad when it comes to retirement readiness: some studies find that retirement saving rates have been holding steady this year, with balances…
Read Moreabout Retirement Readiness: Persistent Gaps

The process of probate is somewhat like a funnel: upon death, assets pass through, so that decisions about where they end up are formalized, publicly and on the record. However, if beneficiaries have been named…
Read Moreabout Probate Vs NonProbate Assets?

Good news still happens, and sometimes in very unexpected ways, as folks in Hinsdale, New Hampshire learned, upon the death of Geoffrey Holt, a long time resident, who lived in a mobile home park. When…
Read Moreabout Heartwarming Estate Plan

The changes on the recently released Form 5500, for use when reporting on 2023, are significant. Expert analysis concludes that successive revisions to Form 5500 are sharpening its use as a tool for oversight and…
Read Moreabout Form 5500 Updated For 2023 Reporting