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Personal Liability for Debts of a Deceased Family Member

| John T. Midgett |
Are you worried about the financial implications of the death of a parent or other family member? Have you received a call f…
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CFO Liable for Uncollected Payroll Taxes

| Nathan R. Olansen | ,
Many business owners, CFOs, and other persons with authority over payroll, are unaware that failing to properly withhold and…
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The Insolvent Probate Estate

| John T. Midgett |
One of the most important decisions to make after someone dies is how to administer their probate estate. Many times family…
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More Disaster Victims in Virginia Qualify for Tax Relief

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Victims of recent severe storms and flooding in numerous states have more time to make tax payments and file returns if they…
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Avoid Strife When Estate Planning for Blended Families

| Payton D. Cromwell |
For most married couples with no children from prior relationships, estate planning is a relatively uncomplicated process. T…
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IRS Installment Agreements

| Nathan R. Olansen |
When you owe money to the IRS, penalties and interest can add up, and eventually, the IRS can collect the money you owe with…
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Aretha Franklin’s Death Raises Issue of Dying Without a Will

| Stephanie C. Smith |
The world noted Aretha Franklin’s recent passing with sadness as well as fond memories of her amazing talent and career. The…
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VA Aid and Attendance: The Basics

| Ann H. Larkin |
If you served during active duty during a wartime period (WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War or Persian Gulf War) or if you are t…
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Planning for Education Expenses

| Todd J. Preti |
One of the largest expenses for a family is higher education expenses for their children. Education expenses continue to gro…
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Sometimes The Devil Is In The Details

| John T. Midgett |
Over the past 40 years I have prepared thousands of wills. Each time the wills are organized in articles and paragraphs, all…
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IRS Collection Alternatives Overview

| Nathan R. Olansen |
When you owe money to the IRS, penalties and interest can add up, and eventually, the IRS can collect the money you owe with…
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Termination and Modification of Irrevocable Trusts

| Todd J. Preti |
An irrevocable trust is one that by definition and design cannot be amended, modified, changed or revoked. Trusts can be mad…
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Doing Business Under a Fictitious Name

| Stephanie C. Smith |
For many different reasons, individuals and business entities can find it beneficial to conduct business under a name other…
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How to Make Money with Your Life Insurance Policy

| Todd J. Preti |
If you, a family member or a friend own a life insurance policy that is no longer wanted or needed then read this article as…
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Tax Benefits from Charitable Contributions Without Itemizing

| John T. Midgett |
The number of people who itemize could fall by more than half in 2018 because of changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (…
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If You Die Without a Will What Happens to Your Assets?

| Stephanie C. Smith |
Over the years, many clients, neighbors, friends, and family members have asked me what would happen to their assets if they…
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Creditor Protection: How Married Couples Should Own Assets?

| Todd J. Preti |
Tenants by the Entirety (T by E) is a form of ownership taken from “Common Law” (i.e., the law based on the legal traditions…
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Transferring a Guardianship to Another State

| Todd J. Preti |
If you’ve been appointed as a guardian or conservator for an incapacitated adult, you’ve petitioned the court and obtained a…
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Make Sure to Check the E-File Status of Your Tax Return

| Nathan R. Olansen |
This is the unfortunate case of John Spottiswood and Nancy Miyasaki, a married couple seeking an abatement and refund of pen…
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Are Irrevocable Trusts Truly Irrevocable?

| John T. Midgett |
From 1987 through 2003, the federal estate tax exemption amount was between $600,000 and $1,000,000. This prompted many peop…
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Must Retirement Accounts Be Used to Pay Debts After Death?

| Ann H. Larkin |
When a person dies owning a 401(k) or an IRA, must these accounts be used to pay the decedent’s debts, or are they exempt fr…
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Estate Planning With Addiction or Mental Health Issues

| Stephanie C. Smith |
Deciding what to do with your assets after you pass away can involve a series of difficult decisions. These decisions are ma…
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Termination or Modification of a Guardianship in Virginia

| Todd J. Preti |
As discussed in previous posts, for the purposes of guardianship and conservatorship, an “incapacitated person” means an adu…
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Why Everyone Needs an Estate Plan

| Alison R. Zizzo |
A number of surveys over the last few years report that between 55% and 70% of adults in the United States don’t have an est…
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How Often Should I Update My Will in Virginia?

| Stephanie C. Smith |
For individuals with substantial assets, the intricacies of estate planning become increasingly complex. The wealth you’ve b…
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Corporate Attorneys

Executive Compensation Plans For Employees Explained

| Todd J. Preti |
Many business owners struggle with the dilemma of how to retain their key employees without deluding their stock owner…
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DIY Estate Planning is No Bargain

| Nathan R. Olansen |
Over the last decade, the do-it-yourself (DIY) philosophy has grown exponentially and now has spread into estate planning. H…
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Beneficiary Designation for Federal Group Life Insurance

| Todd J. Preti |
It is always important to make sure the beneficiary designation for Life Insurance, Annuities and Retirement Accounts are cu…
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Key Provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

| Nathan R. Olansen |
As you might expect, I receive a ton of questions every day about how the new tax law is going to affect individual, busines…
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Frequently Asked Probate Questions

| Stephanie C. Smith |
Clients who are appointed to handle a loved one’s estate often feel overwhelmed upon the death of their loved one. The proba…
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Adult Guardianships and Conservatorships in Virginia

| Todd J. Preti |
What is a Guardian and Conservator? A guardian or conservator is appointed when a court determines that an incapacitated adu…
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Why to Create a Supplemental Needs Trust After Settlement

| Ann H. Larkin |
It may be hard for a prevailing plaintiff to imagine that winning a personal injury judgment or settlement could make it mor…
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Planning Your Estate: It’s Not Just About Taxes

| John T. Midgett |
So many people I have talked with have expressed some concern for my career as an estate planner.  They felt that the increa…
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How To Find A Competent Estate Planning Attorney

| John T. Midgett |
The following questions were designed to help individuals find competent tax and estate planning counsel in states such as V…
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How Much Does A Simple Will Cost?

| John T. Midgett |
We are frequently asked “How much do you charge for a Simple Will?” Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. Asking a lawye…
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Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning: Frequently Asked Questions

| John T. Midgett |
Where should I keep my will? Where you keep your will is not of great importance as long as it is in a safe place. Many peop…
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