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How Should I Plan My Out-of-State Real Estate Upon Death?

| Stephanie C. Smith |
In Virginia, most people’s estates are probated in the city or county in which they lived at the time of their death. For Vi…
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CTA Enforcement Temporarily Halted: Federal Court Issues Nationwide Injunction – December 2024 Update

| Nathan R. Olansen |
On December 3, 2024, a United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide, preliminary injun…
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What is the Difference Between Trustee, Executor, and Power of Attorney?

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Estate planning involves different types of documents, legal terms, and even roles to assign. As the testator (the person cr…
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Reasons Why You Should Hire a Professional Executor

| Nathan R. Olansen |
For clients with considerable wealth, the process of appointing an executor for their estate or trustee for their trust is a…
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Why Set Up a Trust for Your Grandchildren?

| Alison R. Zizzo |
Navigating Trusts and Estate Planning for Grandchildren Creating a trust for a grandchild requires not only an understanding…
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Understanding The Benefits of a Bloodline Trust

| Alison R. Zizzo |
Did you know that approximately 40 percent of marriages in the U.S. include at least one partner who has been married before…
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Are Powers of Attorney Responsible for Medical Bills?

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Understanding Your Financial Responsibilities as a Power of Attorney in Virginia According to a Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care…
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Top Reasons for Disputing a Trust in Virginia

| Nathan R. Olansen | ,
A trust is a valuable tool for saving your loved ones from the probate process and reducing disputes over inheritances. Unfo…
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Are You Responsible for Your Deceased Spouse’s Medical Bills?

| Ann H. Larkin |
After the death of a spouse, the surviving spouse will inevitably receive bills from hospitals and rehabilitation facilities…
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Know the Signs of an Employee Retention Credit Scam

| Nathan R. Olansen |
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The IRS has sounded the alarm repeatedly regarding a scam involving the Em…
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Can a Trustee Sue a Beneficiary?

| Nathan R. Olansen |
When you are named the trustee of a trust, it comes with responsibilities you need to be prepared to take. A trustee has a g…
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planning an estate

Understanding Intestate Succession and What It is

| Alison R. Zizzo | ,
According to a survey by WealthCounsel, more than one-third of Americans have experienced or witnessed family conflict due t…
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last will and testament paperwork

What is the Difference Between Intestate and Testate?

| Stephanie C. Smith |
Importance of a Last Will and Testament A last will and testament allows you to direct what happens to your assets after you…
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beneficiary paperwork

Can a Beneficiary Have Money Withheld by a Trustee?

| Todd J. Preti |
Are you a beneficiary of a trust? If so, you may spend a significant amount of time waiting as someone else takes care of th…
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How Long Do Creditors Have to Make a Claim Against an Estate

| Ann H. Larkin |
Many people assume that creditors have one year from the date of death to make a claim against an estate. However, in Virgin…
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Elderly couple speaking with an attorney

Guide to the Probate Process and How It Works

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Probate, the official process of authorizing a will, can take several months to a couple of years. If you have a large estat…
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elderly couple speaking with a lawyer

Transferring a Property With a Mortgage Into a Trust

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Most of the population who own homes are not yet “free and clear.” If you own one or multiple homes, when doing your estate…
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Domestic Partners Estate Planning in Virginia

| Nathan R. Olansen |
If you and your significant other are unmarried but live together, it is essential to know that you are not receiving the fu…
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Power of Attorney Fiduciary Duties

| Alison R. Zizzo |
A power of attorney (POA) is a document used in estate planning that gives someone agent’s authority to make decisions for a…
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How an Asset Protection Trust Protects Your Assets

| Nathan R. Olansen |
No matter how much money, real estate, and other assets you own, one of your goals will always be to protect those assets wi…
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Crypto Assets Estate Planning in Virginia

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Cryptocurrency has existed in various forms since the 1980s, but it only became widely popular about a decade ago. Now, ther…
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How To Fund Revocable Trusts At Death And Avoid Probate

| John T. Midgett |
How property is titled determines in large part the manner in which that property will be transferred upon the owner’s death…
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How Estate Planning Works

| John T. Midgett |
Life Insurance, Annuities & Trusts For most families, life insurance is an important tool in an estate plan. Its uses in…
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What You Should Know About Limited Liability Companies

| John T. Midgett |
Who can benefit most from an LLC? Generally speaking, everyone who is engaged in business or in a professional practice as a…
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The Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust

| John T. Midgett |
Most clients are shocked to learn that the death proceeds of their life insurance are subject to federal estate taxation. Th…
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Labor Department Withdraws Independent Contractor Rule

| Nathan R. Olansen |
The United States Department of Labor (the Department) has announced a final rule withdrawing the “Independent Contractor St…
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terminally ill father

Special Needs Trust: What Are They and How Do They Work?

| Todd J. Preti |
Purpose of Special Needs Trusts The SNT is an extremely useful planning tool for parents with a disabled child and the elder…
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New Law Relaxing PPP Loan Forgiveness Rules

| Nathan R. Olansen |
On June 5, 2020, the President signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 which makes additiona…
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House Passes Bill Relaxing PPP Loan Forgiveness Requirements

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Last night the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7010 (Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020) by a vote of…
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Treasury Issues the PPP Loan Forgiveness Application

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Hot off the press, Treasury has issued the PPP Loan Forgiveness Application (SBA Form 3508). The 11-page application (we kno…
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Coronavirus Updates

| Nathan R. Olansen |
We hope you and your families are remaining healthy and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rest assured, we remain open and…
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Dealing with Social Security during a Disability

| John T. Midgett |
People who have executed a durable general power of attorney think that “anything I can do, my agent can do as well”. While…
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COVID-19; Have a Hospital Bag Ready To Go

| Nathan R. Olansen |
If you must go to the emergency room and are admitted to the hospital forcoronavirus, you will be in isolation. You cannot h…
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Individual Tax Relief Provided by the CARES Act

| Nathan R. Olansen |
You may be wondering about some of the recent tax changes meant to help everyone coping with the Coronavirus fallout.  We kn…
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FMLA and Emergency Paid Sick Leave Changes on April 2nd

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Changes to the FMLA and Emergency Paid Sick Leave Become Effective April – is Your Business Prepared? We hope that you and y…
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Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act

| John T. Midgett | ,
Key provisions affecting individuals: Repeal of the maximum age for traditional IRA contributions. Before 2020, traditional…
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