Tag Archives: Estate Tax
Revocable Living Trusts: Are They Worth the Hype?
In many states, the use of a Revocable Living Trust has become increasingly popular as a viable estate planning option. But in Maryland, the ease of the probate process, among many other reasons, makes this option usually not worth the hype, money or time. A Revocable Living Trust is a written document that contains… Read More »
Beneficiaries Instead of Probate: Use Caution
The term “probate” refers to the court process whereby a decedent’s assets are gathered together and, after the payment of the decedent’s debts, distributed to the decedent’s heirs. One way to avoid probate is through the use of beneficiary designations. The only assets that pass through probate are assets the decedent owned in his… Read More »
5 Important Facts About the New Estate Tax
In December 2010 Congress enacted the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This law created an entirely new estate tax regime. To understand the extent of the change, it is important to remember where we were prior to the new law. In 2009, the maximum federal estate tax was… Read More »