Estate planning techniques like the incentive trust can nurture healthy ambition while also ensuring that an inheritance will not interfere with children going on to lead meaningful lives of their own. According to Forbes money can enable children to have a financial cushion that helps them lead better and more fulfilling lives. Money can also suck the ambition and initiative out of children who are not prepared for the sudden influx of wealth. Is Inheriting Money Always a Bad Thing? CNN News … [Read more...]

While estate tax isn’t necessarily the “death” of a small business, it could result in a significant burden for a handful of small businesses. The estate tax is sometimes levied on an estate upon the death of the decedent. An estate is a collection of assets and monies left behind by someone who passes away. The estate tax is decried by political opponents for causing double taxation because the assets composing the estate are post-tax dollars. Proponents of the tax argue that the estate tax … [Read more...]

Parents sometimes leave unequal inheritances to their children and just because these amounts are uneven doesn’t necessarily mean they are not fair. Decisions are often based on the needs of adult children, their achievements, major gifts that were already given, and alternative forms of estate planning. The Unequal Situation Parents often create their wills with the current financial situations of their children in mind. The following is an example of a scenario that a Chicago will attorney … [Read more...]