Insights

The Difference an Attorney Makes in Estate Planning
Estate planning is often overlooked until it is too late. Our recent article, Where There’s a Will, There’s a…Wait, discusses the negative effects of waiting too long to plan for the future. These include increased expense, court involvement, familial fighting, and your wishes ...Read More

Where There’s A Will, There’s A… Wait: Important Estate Planning Considerations Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
If I asked you to define “estate plan,” you would likely tell me that an estate plan is an arrangement for the distribution of your assets upon death. I would award you 1/3 credit. Truth is, all of my clients are generous, selfless individuals: ...Read More

Donor-Advised Funds: How to Stay Philanthropic Under Current Tax Laws
While the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) introduced new tax rules affecting high net worth individuals and multimillion-dollar companies, one major change directly affects the rest of us: the increased standard deduction. This article explores the impact of the increased ...Read More

Income Taxation of Trusts
With the federal estate tax exemption currently at $11.58 million for individuals ($23.16 Million for married couples) and the Minnesota estate tax exemption at $3 million, non-tax considerations generally prevail when selecting a particular trust arrangement for the transfer of wealth from one generation ...Read More

Intestate Succession—Dying Without a Will
Most people have never heard of Minnesota’s laws of intestate succession. Those who have heard of intestate succession probably don’t know exactly how it works. In essence, the laws of intestate function as a default, statutory will, determining how your property will be distributed ...Read More

Reality Check: Why Millennials Need an Estate Plan
According to a recent study conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, 78% of Millennials (ages 18-36) do not have an estate plan. One of the major reasons cited by Millennials for not taking the time to create even a basic Will is that ...Read More