Austin Probate Lawyer

If Congress does not act, the federal tax exclusion will fall to $1 million in 2011. However, most lawyers believe that Congress will compromise the amount will of exclusion will be raised above $3.5 million. It is currently at $2 million this year and will rise to $3.5 million next year.
Senator Obama would like a […]

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While most think of estate planning as writing up a will, there are actually steps you can take before drawing up a formal contract.  You might have already begun the process without realizing it.
When opening a bank account or starting a 401(k) you should be given a form asking to identify a beneficiary […]

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According to a survey conducted by FindLaw.com, 58% of adult Americans do not have a will, one of the most standard documents in any estate planning strategy. The study also found that age was a significant factor; Americans over the age of 50 were much more likely to have a valid will than those younger […]

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The estate tax relief instituted by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act in 2001 may be coming to an end. Under the current system, estates are granted an automatic $2 million exemption from estate tax, a threshold which will increase to $3.5 million in 2009.
However, all that may soon change - the Economic […]

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In many probate cases, bitter disputes over seemingly minor issues can tear apart families. Often, arguments over who gets what can drag on for years, even when the property at stake is worth less than the legal fees involved in fighting for it.
The family of former Hallmark executive Jane Frost Empie knows this firsthand, having […]

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