Michael Bensal, through his investment LLC, obtained a bank loan guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration to open a fast food business. Bensal personally guaranteed repayment. The business failed and Bensal’s LLC defaulted on the loan. The bank sued…

Dick Magney knew that drawing up an advance health care directive was the best way to protect his desire for a natural death with minimal discomfort. He named his wife, Judith, to see that his wishes were carried out. This…

The federal estate tax is a tax on the date of death value of a person’s assets in excess of about $5.5 million. It is designed to redistribute wealth. Donald Trump promised significant tax reduction and repeal of the federal…

…………….. Valuation Discount Planning The U.S. Treasury Department has proposed regulations that will make it more difficult for families to engage in valuation discount planning as soon as January 1, 2017. This could potentially make this the last opportunity to…

Privacy Lessons of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Author Harper Lee As the daughter of a country lawyer in Alabama, Harper Lee was able to bring fictional defense attorney Atticus Finch vividly to life in her classic Pulitzer Prize-winning 1960 novel…

When inimitable superstar Prince died in April at the age of 57, he left behind millions of grieving fans and a majestic artistic legacy. But it’s still unknown whether he left a will indicating who inherits his estimated $250 million…

“No-contest” clauses are designed to discourage beneficiaries from contesting wills and trusts by specifying that those who do so forfeit what they would have received under the will or trust. A “no-contest clause with teeth” contains a defense provision, authorizing…