This is another in a series of blogs on the basics of estate planning. Last week, we looked at the taxation of trusts. This week, we’ll look at some of the reasons we use trusts.There are many reasons to use a trust. Here are a few: Probate avoidance. This is not the most important reason, […]

With the recent headlines regarding sexual misconduct allegations against public figures like Matt Lauer and Harvey Weinstein, along with the continuing investigations of other prominent celebrities and the #MeToo campaign, discussion of sexual harassment is at an all-time high. Since more women have come forward with stories of sexual harassment in the workplace, companies are […]

There are many changes for 2018. Congress passed a last-minute tax law, which the President signed the last business day before the Holidays. Congress Passes New Tax Law Last week the Senate passed the new tax law, (which had been called the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” and due to Senate parliamentarian objections is now […]

It’s that time of year again, already! It’s time to pull out the goals you set before 2017 started. Hopefully you’ve had them visible all year long and tracked the progress as the year rolled by. Check to make sure ALL the goals were home runs. Gross revenue… how close were you? Owner’s Compensation… did […]

Google My Business is a powerful tool made available by Google to allow your law firm to control what appears when people either search for your business or search for law firms like yours. Google continuously adds new features to Google My Business to give your firm new opportunities to share information with viewers— and […]

Would you like a charitable deduction this year? There can be many reasons why you’d prefer a deduction this year but not actually want to make the distribution until the future: A donor advised fund is a unique way to donate now and then distribute later. With a donor advised fund, you make a contribution […]

To stand out from their competition and stay in business, funeral homes need to engage the growing number of people choosing cremation over burial. Exhibitors at the 2017 National Funeral Directors Association convention and expo in Boston indicate change is in the wind. These three first-time exhibitors illustrate some of the personalization trends in the […]

Last week I broke down my walls, got a little vulnerable, and admitted something that was long overdue: I’m a Podcast Junkie.While I knew you guys would be supportive of my confession, I had no idea so many of you out there were podcast enthusiasts, as well! So many people responded telling me they too […]

The Problem: The tax bills passed by the House and Senate would both nearly double the income tax standard deduction for individuals (to $12,000) and couples (to $24,000) and would eliminate deductions for state income taxes. The impact of this: Most people will not be able to itemize their deductions. It’s expected the percentage of […]

A 70-year old man arrived at a Miami hospital. He was alone and unconscious, with no ID, a high blood-alcohol level and multiple chronic conditions. He also had a tattoo on his chest that read “Do Not Resuscitate,” along with his (assumed) signature. Despite treatment by hospital staff, the man continued to be incapable of […]