Blog - "Altman Speaks"

Good, Bad or Indifferent, Restrictions of Trust Distributions Remain Valid!

In an article entitled “The Power of Proper Estate Planning: You Are In Control”, we maintained that how an individual wishes to dispose of their assets is the most important factor when administering an estate or trust. Recent case law continues to support this principle. Courts are unanimous in deciding that, “the right to receive […]

It’s Tax Planning, Not Tax Patenting

Years ago Professor Jeffrey G. Sherman wrote in a law review article that traversing the complicated and intricate Subchapter J of the Internal Revenue Code, which is the Subchapter that deals with income taxation of trusts and estates, paralleled Odysseus having to sail through a slim straight with monsters on both sides.[1] Prior to September […]

The Countless Pitfalls of Last Minute Estate Planning

I received a call the other day. It was from a woman whose father is in intensive care. Her father had gone to an attorney before he went in the hospital to have a power of attorney drafted and a new Will. While the power of attorney was prepared quickly, the Will was not. The […]

The Top Five Issues With Jointly-Titled Assets

It’s a common misconception by many parents that adding a child to their bank account is a good idea, when it comes to assisting with financial issues, for example. However, as a recent Forbes magazine article points out, there are major problems that come with jointly-titled assets. Here are The Top Five Issues With Jointly-Titled […]

Planning for Your Future...and The Future Itself

When sitting down to think about your estate plan you are often faced with choices like what type of trust to place your assets in; or whether to make gifts in life or at death. Furthermore, you face personal questions like who your beneficiaries or executor of your estate will be. In this process, you […]

The Greatest Gift You Can Give - An Estate Plan

“The greatest gift my mother ever gave me was doing her estate plan.” This was a recent quote from a client. Truer words were never said. However, it should be added that the estate was well thought out by her mother and her mother’s attorney, was clear and well written, and that her mother’s assets […]

What Should Your Estate Planning Attorney Know?

One of the estate planning list serves that I monitor recently had a post from an attorney who had a question about a testamentary generation skipping transfer tax trust and capital gains. He prefaced his question by acknowledging that he was “not a tax person”. From the question, it is clear that there is a […]

A Common Question: "Where Should I Keep My Will?"

I was recently asked by a local bank about how to get access to a decedent’s safe deposit box to find decedent’s Will. Ultimately, they had to go to the local probate court, obtain a court order, wait until court personnel could accompany them to the safe deposit box, pay for the cost of drilling […]

Federal Government Employee? What You Should Know About Thrift Savings Plans (TSP)

If you Google the phrase "died penniless," you'll get over 1,000,000 results. Famous people on the list include Oscar Wilde, Joe Louis and Judy Garland. While it's tempting to try to arrange things so you spend your last dollar the day before you die, it's almost impossible. Most of us will die with money in […]

As Temps Rise, Nuclear Families Take a Dive – Estate Planning for Unconventional Families Has Never Been More Important

Among the many articles covering the blazing heat wreaking havoc on the DC metro area as well as much of the U.S., was an interesting piece in yesterday’s Washington Post on nuclear families. According to the article, “Nuclear Family at Home in Northern Virginia,” new census figures show that marriage rates across the nation have plunged, while […]

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Recent Posts

Protecting the Ultimate Liquid Asset: Wine

Supreme Court Upholds the Constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

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Can a Trust Shield Your Assets from Your Creditors?

Beware of Crooked Financial Advisors

Estate Planning for Infants Genetically Conceived After Death

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