Ten Strauss Troy attorneys have been named among The Best Lawyers In America©. Based solely on peer review, being selected by Best Lawyers® is a significant honor. For more than 30 years, Best Lawyers® lists have been regarded worldwide as the most trustworthy, unbiased source for legal referrals. “Year after year, a large group of our attorneys are named Best Lawyers®,” …Read More
Category: Trust | Estate Planning
How The 2012 Taxpayer Relief Act Impacts Your Estate Planning
The 2012 Taxpayer Relief Act Has Some Major Changes That May Affect Your Estate Plan While many articles describe the 2012 Act changes as “permanent,” I’m a bit more cynical. I never assume that anything is “permanent” where Congress and the Internal Revenue Code are concerned. This is especially true when major players in the …Read More
TAXMAGEDDON: What You Must Do Now In 2012 To Avoid Uncertainty In 2013
By now, you have no doubt heard about the looming “fiscal cliff.” However, there is another threat on the horizon that has an even more immediate impact… “Taxmageddon.” Taxmageddon is the term being used for the increase in marginal income tax and capital gains tax rates effective in 2013. Low tax rates enacted in 2001 …Read More
New Roth IRA Conversion Rules in 2010
If you have been unable to open a Roth IRA because of IRS income limits, you will have an opportunity to convert your traditional IRA into a Roth IRA starting in 2010. The $100,000 modified adjusted gross income limit that prevented conversions and rollovers to Roth IRAs by some workers has been lifted beginning this …Read More
New Estate Planning Developments
As of January 1, 2009, an estate valued up to $3,500,000 is exempt from federal estate tax. Current law provides that the federal estate tax will be repealed in 2010 and reinstated in 2011 with a $1,000,000 exemption and a higher tax rate. Most commentators believe that the new Congress will not permit the estate tax to be repealed …Read More
Take Advantage Of Asset Protection Opportunities Now
This may be the right moment to consider both protecting your assets from creditors’ claims and limiting your liability to persons who may be injured on your property. Estate planning techniques may be utilized to provide the added benefits of asset protection and limited liability. A fairly simple, but effective, step in the direction of asset protection is transferring ownership …Read More
Protect Yourself Against Investment Fraud
Worldwide, there has been a significant switch in retirement planning from “defined benefit plans” (where the company is in charge of investing and providing for retirement funds) to “defined contribution plans” like 401(k)s (where the employee is in charge of his or her own investments). With these changes, however, comes greater opportunity for abuse. Recent headlines reveal that some of …Read More
The Importance of Updating Your Estate Planning Documents
The recent publicity surrounding the death of Anna Nicole Smith serves as a valuable reminder about the importance of reexamining your estate planning documents on a periodic basis. News reports indicate that although Ms. Smith had a will, it did not make provisions for her only surviving child. The will was executed before the child …Read More