Posted on February 28, 2019
by
Sandi Perez
Married couples considering a divorce in 2019 should first meet with their tax advisors and accountants to ensure their settlement negotiations reflect the way in which the new federal tax law treats alimony payments beginning this year. For more than 75 years, alimony was treated as a tax deduction for the payor and taxable income […]
Posted on October 30, 2017
by
Joanie Stein
Among the many financial and emotional issues that couples will encounter on their road to a divorce are the implications that a final dissolution of marriage will have on their taxes. Following are some important tax-related issues for separated and divorcing couples to keep in mind. Tax Filing Status Legally separated and divorced couples have […]
Posted on May 14, 2015
by
Rick Bazzani
The lives and deaths of celebrities offer practical lessons in the dos and don’ts of estate planning. Consider musician Jimi Hendrix, who died without a will, leaving his estate in a perpetuate state of litigation for more than 30 years. Actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman passed away in 2014 without updating his will to include his […]
Posted on May 12, 2015
by
Joanie Stein
Saying “I do” is a significant life event that will lead to many changes along the road to happily ever after. Among these changes are a range of legal and financial issues that couples should address as early as possible. Change in Name Individuals who elect to take the last name of their new […]
Rarely is estate planning a one-time endeavor. As the world evolves, so too do families and their circumstances. Grandchildren are born, children divorce and remarry, and decisions made yesterday may not be applicable tomorrow or into the future. Additionally, with the passing of time, new laws are enacted that affect the intended tax and legacy […]
Business owners who underrate the importance of formally valuing their businesses during estate planning are doing themselves and their beneficiaries a disservice. Rather, business owners should look to their estate planners to involve business valuators early on in the process to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their estate plans. Oftentimes, the dollars at risk […]
Florida’s July 2013 adoption of the federal Daubert standard governing the admissibility of expert testimony ushers in a new era for Florida Courts as well as a parade of challenges for the courts, legal counsel and the experts testifying on behalf of individuals and business clients. Prior to the legislature’s adoption of Daubert, Florida […]
Posted on March 20, 2014
by
Sandi Perez
Proper estate planning requires more than allocating money and other assets to beneficiaries in the event of one’s death. It also demands ongoing planning and thorough analysis of a series of “what-if” scenarios that address potential life events, such as marriage, divorce, childbirth and death, that can affect the way in which one’s wishes are […]
Posted on March 03, 2014
by
Edward Cooper
On Feb. 10, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder issued a policy memo detailing how the Department of Justice will implement the Supreme Court’s Windsor decision and extend to lawfully married same-sex couples the same full and equal recognition it provides to married couples of the opposite sex. Among the broad privileges, protections and rights that […]
Posted on October 15, 2013
by
Edward Cooper
In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court on June 26 struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as a violation the right to equal protection under the law in the U.S. Constitution. DOMA directed agencies of the United States to enforce regulations hinging on marital status as if “the word ‘marriage’ […]
