Blog - "Altman Speaks"

New York District Court Says Same-Sex Spouses Can Use Federal Marital Deduction

In the battle between state and federal government to define “marriage,” a New York same-sex couple was victorious in Windsor v. U.S., a June 6, 2012 decision handed down by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Therein, Judge Jones ruled that Thea Spyer’s estate was not required to pay […]

Beneficiary Designations: An Integral Part of Carrying Out an Estate Plan

On March 3, 2012, a circuit court decided Estate of Kensinger v. URL Pharma Inc., a case with simple facts, a nuanced legal answer, and a practical reminder that filling out beneficiary designations on retirement and other financial accounts is an integral part of carrying out an estate plan. William Kensinger left his 401k plan to […]

Cash to Cover Up an Affair? Yep, That’s a Gift!

...Or at least it seems like it was considered a gift in the context of former Senator John Edwards’ affair with Rielle Hunter. Rachel Mellon, an heiress with billions in assets, gave Rielle $725,000 to keep quiet about her affair with John and their resulting baby. Because Mellon gave Rielle the money on John’s behalf, […]

Can a Trust Shield Your Assets from Your Creditors?

A “spendthrift clause,” enforceable in many states, is a provision written into an irrevocable trust document that restricts creditors of a beneficiary from reaching the trust’s property. The concept is far from new, but for over 100 years, drafting errors have been rendering such provisions moot. In 1910, Harry S. Langhorne learned this lesson the […]

Beware of Crooked Financial Advisors

Every since Bernie Maddoff made the news, there have been countless stories of investment advisors going rogue and not being a proper steward of their clients’ assets. I have read these stories with dismay as each one of these stories makes it more difficult for anyone to trust a financial advisor/planner or other investment professional. […]

Estate Planning for Infants Genetically Conceived After Death

Recent blogs have discussed planning for children genetically conceived after their parent’s death, and you’ll recall that the Maryland Governor recently approved legislation on that point. If you’re in a jurisdiction whose legislature has not addressed the issue, however, you can take the matter largely into your own hands through proper estate planning. The Supreme […]

A Memorial Day Message from the Altman Team

On behalf of the entire Altman & Associates team, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the Veterans and currently enlisted Servicemen and women of the United States Armed Forces. We are grateful for your service and sacrifice – both past and present. My wife comes from a long line of military service […]

The Heels of Recent Supreme Court Decision: Maryland Governor’s Determination of “Child” Now More Important than Ever

In a recent post, we discussed legislation passed by both the Maryland Senate (SB71) and House (HB101) to alter the definition of “child.” Today, the Governor approved the legislation, and it will take effect on October 1, 2012. “Child” now includes infants who are genetically conceived from an individual’s genetic material, if the individual consented […]

A Victory for Same-Sex Couples?

On Friday, May 18, 2012, the Court of Appeals ruled that Maryland will recognize same-sex marriages legally entered into outside the Maryland jurisdiction. The case was Port v. Cowan, a divorce case in which a same-sex couple sought a divorce in Prince George’s County. The couple was initially denied such right based upon the fact that […]

Jack of All Trades? Not In My Profession!

I am an Estate Planning Attorney. A recent case in Florida points out the dangers and pitfalls of attorneys wearing too many hats. An attorney who prepared various trusts and wills for a client, then sold the same client various annuity products. The attorney was eventually disciplined and sued for multiple charges of conflict of […]

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