REVOCABLE TRUST NO LONGER NECESSARY TO HIDE ASSET VALUES IN LOUISIANA (“Sealed” Inventory Now Required Upon Request)

REVOCABLE TRUST NO LONGER NECESSARY TO HIDE ASSET VALUES IN LOUISIANA ("Sealed" Inventory Now Required Upon Request) BY THEUS LAW OFFICES Mrs. Ethel Merman received an invitation to a free educational seminar about estate planning. At the seminar, the promoter suggested that the probate process in Louisiana is: (1) expensive, (2) protracted / burdensome, (3) often [...]Continue reading

Preserve Wealth for Yourself and Your Heirs Using Asset Protection Strategies

There are many techniques you can use to protect your assets, from giving them to loved ones to placing them in offshore trusts. It’s important to understand that asset protection isn’t about evading legitimate debts, hiding assets or defrauding creditors. Rather, it’s about preserving your hard-earned wealth in the face of unreasonable creditors’ claims, frivolous […]Continue reading

Making the Right Choice About Your Office Space

For many companies, there comes a time when owners must decide whether to renew a lease, move on to a different one or buy new (or pre-existing) space. In some cases, it’s a relatively easy decision. Maybe you’re happy where you are and feel like such a part of the local community that moving isn’t […]Continue reading

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Key Provisions Affecting Estate Planning

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) is a sweeping revision of the tax code that alters federal law affecting individuals, businesses and estates. Focusing specifically on estate tax law, the TCJA doesn’t repeal the federal gift and estate tax. It does, however, temporarily double the combined gift and estate tax exemption and […]Continue reading

First Time for Strategic Planning

As a business owner, you know that it’s easy to spend nearly every working hour on the multitude of day-to-day tasks and crises that never seem to end. It’s essential to your company’s survival, however, to find time for strategic planning. Lost in the Weeds Business owners put off strategic planning for many reasons. New […]Continue reading

7 Steps to Choosing a Successor for Your Family Business

There’s an old saying regarding family-owned businesses: “Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.” It means the first-generation owner started in shirtsleeves and built the company up from nothing but, by the third generation, the would-be owner is back in shirtsleeves with nothing because the business failed or was sold. Although you can’t guarantee your company […]Continue reading

Properly Planning for Incapacity Requires Specific Estate Planning Strategies

Most estate plans focus on what happens after you die. But without arrangements for what will happen in the event you become mentally incapacitated, your plan is incomplete. If an accident, illness or other circumstances render you unable to make financial or health care decisions — and you don’t have documents in place to specify […]Continue reading

Appointing the Right Trustee for Your Living Trust Provides Peace of Mind

A living trust is a cornerstone of many estate plans. During your life, you can serve as the trustee and manage the assets just as you would if you owned them outright. However, you must choose a trustee to oversee and administer the trust after your death (and during your lifetime, should you become unable […]Continue reading

Make New Year’s Resolutions to Improve Profitability

Many people scoff at New Year’s resolutions. It’s no mystery why — these self-directed promises to visit the gym regularly or read a book a month tend to quickly fade once the unavoidable busyness of life sets in. But, for business owners, the phrase “New Year’s resolutions” is just a different way of saying “strategic […]Continue reading

Address Your Pet in Your Estate Plan Using a Pet Trust

If you’re an animal lover, a pet is a member of the family — sometimes even more so than flesh-and-blood. So you want to ensure that your beloved pet is cared for after you’re gone. One way to do so is to make provisions for your pet through a trust. This legally sanctioned arrangement allows […]Continue reading

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