Power of Attorney: To Spring or Not to Spring? Powers of Attorney are essential estate planning tools that come with all of our estate planning packages. Whether you have a simple will or a multi-million dollar trust, your planning should include powers of attorney. These documents allow you to authorize another individual – a spouse,…
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Study: Most Americans Do Not Understand the Time and Expense of Probate A recent report conducted by Trust & Will found that the average American has no concept of how time-consuming and expensive probate can be. The survey found that more than half of Americans have no idea what probate costs, about half think that…
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Under Construction D.A. Davidson will be remodeling our 5th floor office space, starting next Monday, September 9th. We’re excited to get a face-lift, but the work will require that we temporarily move down the hall on the 5th floor still to the right of the elevator, but one door down. We’re told we should be…
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Pros and Cons of Transfer on Death Deeds Many of our estate planning clients’ top priority is to keep their estate out of probate. Everyone has been through, or heard about, horror stories involving probates, lawyers, and family fights. When our clients put their property into a trust, all of that property passes to their…
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What if I Want to Leave Property to a Minor? Many of our clients want to leave property to kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews who are not yet 18 years old. The concern is that minors can’t own property – you can’t put a child on a deed to a house. This is no problem!…
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Charity Partner of the Year: Great Falls Rescue Mission Each year, Montana Estate Lawyers selects a local charity to partner with. We have had great partnerships in the past and have done rewarding volunteer work, including with Special Olympics Montana and Meals on Wheels. This year, our firm has partnered with the Great Falls Rescue…
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Handshake Agreements Cause Problems Practicing law in Montana, I see handshake agreements all the time. An attorney in New York City would be used to detailed and complex written contracts, but we do things differently out here. For everything from employment to equipment rentals to grazing land leasing, handshake agreements are common. Montanans are good…
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New Laws Impacting Your Trust Funding Whether you created your revocable living trust this year or during the Nixon administration, laws are constantly changing, and it is a good idea to revisit your assets. The following are a few potential changes that our clients should consider discussing with our trust funding team. Contingent Beneficiaries on…
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Don’t Keep it a Secret – Share Your Estate Plan With Your Loved Ones. Many clients have a natural desire to keep all of their affairs private. I get it. I don’t want anyone in my business either. But, when it comes to your estate plan, that is not a good idea. Do you know…
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Be on the Lookout for New Scams – They Might Be Targeting You Be on the Lookout for New Scams Targeting Seniors Last year, the FBI warned that fraud crimes targeting senior citizens are rising drastically and getting more advanced. An estimated $28.3 billion is lost to elder fraud scams each year, and that number…
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