The Essence of Estate Planning: Let the Journey Begin (Updated September 2024)
At its most fundamental level, estate planning is about controlling the otherwise-uncontrollable. Death is inevitable; disability is increasingly probable as we age. When death or incapacity occurs, what happens to us, to our property, and to our loved ones? Planning in advance and taking advantage of our many applicable federal and state laws allows us to control what happens and name the person(s) who will effectively step into our shoes and make sure our plans are carried out as intended.
Many people think, “I need to get a Will, but estate planning is for those folks with more money than me.” However, estate planning does not involve simply getting a Will, a trust, or a power of attorney, and you don’t have to have vast wealth in order for estate planning to be both beneficial and critical. The essence of estate planning is figuring out what you want to see happen in the event of your death or incapacity, and then taking the necessary steps to ensure that your desired outcome actually happens. These steps usually include drafting and signing various legal documents, but the documents are simply tools used to carry out the plan. The plan itself should be the main focus.
Our firm’s philosophy is that our clients should be given the opportunity to control what happens during their lifetimes and after their deaths, to the extent desired, and make the right decisions for themselves and their loved ones based on their actual goals and desires, and situations. Our purpose is to educate and help our clients understand the issues they face and their many options for dealing with those issues. Our commitment to education cannot only be seen in our client consultations, but also in our newsletters and our website which contain detailed articles about the issues facing our clients. We encourage you to use our website to learn more about estate and long term care planning so you can make the right decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
Of course, in addition to education, you need experienced, knowledgeable, and passionate estate planning and elder law attorneys to assist you with considering and structuring your desired estate plan. We are here to help you with this very important process, offering complementary estate planning consultations, which are focused on helping you come to the right decisions for yourself. To schedule an appointment, please contact our Office Administrator at (678) 720-0750 or info@morgandisalvo.com.
For those that would like to explore and become more educated on estate planning related topics, let the journey begin. When we meet with an individual or family to help them develop an estate plan, here is a sample of the issues we may discuss, regardless of the size of their estates.
- Do You Need to Update Your Will and Other Estate Planning Documents If You Change Your State of Residence?
- A 2014 Handwritten Will of the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, Declared Valid by Jury
- Estate Planning – The Big Picture, but Critically Important, Issues.
- The Benefits of Proper Estate Planning
- “Do-It-Yourself” Wills & Other Estate Planning – If You Really Care, Beware!
- The Not-So-Obvious Reasons that Estate, Trust, Conservatorship, and Guardianship Related Disputes Are Going to Explode in Number in the Future
- Letter of Instructions: Significantly Reduce the hassle on your chosen fiduciaries (Updated 8/2022)
- (Video) What is Estate Planning?
- (Video) What Everyone Needs in Order to Create an Estate Plan
- (Video) Letter of Instructions
- (Video) You Should Review Your Estate Plan About Every 3 Years
- Fiduciary Selection – A Critical Part of Any Well-Prepared Estate Plan
- Corporate Fiduciaries for Estate & Trusts: Reliability, Prudence, Reasonableness, Protection and Peace of Mind
- Tips on Choosing your Estate Planning Team
- The Not-So-Obvious Reasons that Estate, Trust, Conservatorship, and Guardianship Related Disputes Are Going to Explode in Number in the Future
- (Video) Selecting a Fiduciary
- (Video) How to Avoid Destructive Post-Death Disputes
- Should I Use a Will or an RLT as My Primary Estate Planning Document? Separating Facts From Fiction (Updated July 2021)
- Don’t Forget This Important Step After Transferring Your Primary Residence to Your Revocable Living Trust!
- How to Fund an RLT (February 2019)
- What is a Trust?
- (Video) What Everyone Needs in Order to Complete an Estate Plan
- (Video) What is a Trust?
- (Video) Married Couples with Children: 3 Critical Questions
- (Video) Single Person with Children: 2 Critical Questions
- (Video) What is a Revocable Living Trust?
- (Video) Why Choose a Revocable Living Trust Over a Will as a Main Estate Planning Document?
- (Video) To What Extent Do You Need to Fund Your Revocable Living Trust During Your Life?
- (Video) How Do You Fund (Transfer Assets To) Your Revocable Living Trust?
- (Video) Revocable Living Trust – Tax Issues
- (Video) Miscellaneous Revocable Living Trust Questions
- (Video) Should You Use a Joint Revocable Living Trust?
- How to Pass Assets to Your Spouse Under Your Estate Plan (Updated January 2022)
- Estate Planning for Married Couples with Children from Prior Relationships (Blended Families) and for Couples without Children (Updated December 2022)
- Portability Can Now Be Elected Up to 5 Years After Date of Death Without the Need for Private Letter Ruling Where an Estate Tax Return (IRS Form 706) Was Not Otherwise Required to be Filed [Rev. Proc. 2022-32]
- Estate Planning and Related Issues for Same-Sex Couples in 2017: Obergefell v. Hodges Did Not Eliminate the Need for Extra-Careful Planning When It Created National Recognition for Same-Sex Marriages
- What is a Trust?
- NEWS ALERT: The IRS Just Confirmed That a QTIP Election Can Be Used With a Portability Election, Answering a Question That Has Existed Since 2010
- (Video) Married Couples with Children: 3 Critical Questions
- (Video) Married Couples: How to Pass Assets to the Surviving Spouse
- (Video) What is a Trust?
- (Video) Third Party Asset Protection
- How to Pass Inheritances to Your Children and Other Non-Spouse Beneficiaries
- Supporting Children with Special Needs Through Effective Estate Planning
- Common Pitfalls When Planning Estates for Families with Special Needs Children
- Special Needs Trust Accounts Created Under the ABLE Act
- NEWS ALERT: Federal Government Quietly Threatens Attorneys, Regardless of Practice Area, with Significant Penalties & Jail Time For Assisting Those with Special Needs Family Members
- Partnering with Medicaid to Receive Support to Remain at Home: Medicaid Waiver Programs
- (Video) Providing for Special Needs Beneficiary
- (Video) Considerations When Planning for Families with Special Needs Children
- How to Pass Inheritances to Your Children and Other Non-Spouse Beneficiaries
- NEWS ALERT: The 2019 Secure Act Becomes Law and Estate Plans Likely Need to be Modified! Yes, This is a Very Big Deal!
- SECURE Act Q&A: What You Need to Know (Updated April 2020)
- Significant Changes to GA Law Became Effective on July 1, 2018, and We Are Here to Educate and Help
- NEWS ALERT: Big and Important Changes to GA Law Become Effective on July 1, 2018!
- Estate Planning – The Big Picture, but Critically Important, Issues
- Possibly the Best Way to Pass Assets to Your Children or Other Loved Ones: GST Planning – Part One
- Possibly the Best Way to Pass Assets On to Your Children or Other Loved Ones: GST Planning – Part Two
- Perpetual Dynasty Trusts – Maximizing The Benefits Of Trusts By Structuring Them To Last Longer
- News Alert: US Supreme Court Says Inherited IRAS Are Not Protected…
- Back to the Basics: First Party vs. Third Party Asset Protection
- (Video) What is a Trust?
- (Video) Married Couples with Children: 3 Critical Questions
- (Video) Single Person with Children: 2 Critical Questions
- (Video) Passing Assets to Children
- (Video) Third Party Asset Protection
- (Video) Deeper Dive into Long-term Trusts
- Why All College Students Need Two Legal Documents
- Reconsidering Your End of Life: Quality vs. Quantity?
- Preparing for Incapacity: The documents you Need and the Traps to Avoid
- Georgia Powers of Attorney: Where Are We Now? (Updated March 2021)
- Georgia Has a New Uniform Power of Attorney Act Effective as of July 1, 2017! (Part 1)
- Georgia Has a New Uniform Power of Attorney Act Effective as of July 1, 2017 (Part 2)
- Georgia Has a New Uniform Power of Attorney Act Effective as of July 1, 2017 (Part 3)
- Should I Use a Will or a Revocable Living Trust as My Primary Estate Planning Document? Separating Facts From Fiction
- Planning for the Protection of the Elderly or Disabled
- (Video) Financial Power of Attorney
- (Video) Advanced Directives for Healthcare
- (Video) End of Life: Quantity vs. Quality
- (Video) College Students Need 2 Legal Documents
- (Video) You Should Review Your Estate Plan About Every 3 Years
- How to Pass Inheritances to Your Children and Other Non-Spouse Beneficiaries
- NEWS ALERT: The Power to Change an Otherwise Irrevocable Trust (HB121)
- Fiduciary Selection: A Critical Part of any Well-Prepared Estate Plan
- Corporate Fiduciaries for Estates & Trusts: Reliability, Prudence, Reasonableness, Protection and Peace of Mind
- Long-Term Trust-Based Planning Makes Focusing on Intent More Important
- Take Steps to Prevent Destructive Post-Death Disputes Over Your Estate Plan
- Estate & Trust Disputes: Common Types and How to Avoid Them
- Ethical Wills Revisited: What you really want to communicate to your loved ones
- The Not-So-Obvious Reasons that Estate, Trust, Conservatorship, and Guardianship Related Disputes Are Going to Explode in Number in the Future
- (Video) Third Party Asset Protection
- (Video) Providing for a Special Needs Beneficiary
- News Alert: The U.S. Supreme Court Case of Connelly v. United States Gives Closely Held Business Owners Another Important Issue to Consider!
- Corporate Transparency Act: A Big Deal for Anyone With an Interest in a Closely Held Company Beginning 1.1.2024!
- Planning – Especially Important for Business Owners
- Robin Williams Prohibits Exploitation of his Image…
- Estate Planning Attorney Richard Morgan Participated in Wealth Matters Radio Show
- A 2014 Handwritten Will of the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, Declared Valid by Jury
- Take Steps to Prevent Destructive Post-Death Disputes Over Your Estate Plan
- Estate Planning for Married Couples with Children from Prior Relationships (Blended Families) and for Couples without Children (Updated December 2022)
- Should I Use a Will or a Revocable Living Trust as My Primary Estate Planning Document? Separating Facts From Fiction (Updated May 2022)
- Estate & Trust Disputes: Common types and How to Avoid Them
- Dispute Resolutions Case Study
- Richard Morgan Speaks at GA State Law School (4/24/15)
- Estate Planning Attorney Richard Morgan Participated in Wealth Matters Radio Show
- The Not-So-Obvious Reasons that Estate, Trust, Conservatorship, and Guardianship Related Disputes Are Going to Explode in Number in the Future
- (Video) How to Avoid Destructive Post-Death Disputes
- (Video) How Assets Pass at Death
- (Video) Selecting a Fiduciary
- News Alert: The U.S. Supreme Court Case of Connelly v. United States Gives Closely Held Business Owners Another Important Issue to Consider!
- 2023 Tax Year Estate Planning Related Tax Exemption Figures as Adjusted for Inflation
- Portability Can Now Be Elected Up to 5 Years After Date of Death Without the Need for Private Letter Ruling Where an Estate Tax Return (IRS Form 706) Was Not Otherwise Required to be Filed [Rev. Proc. 2022-32]
- IRS Issues “Anti-Abuse” Clawback Proposed Regulations: Important for Those Attempting to Utilize the Temporarily Doubled Basic Exclusion Amount
- What Should You Do Now With Significant Federal Tax Law Changes Likely On Their Way
- How to Best Use the Temporarily Doubled Exemptions From the Wealth Transfer Taxes
- The Perfect Storm for Advanced Estate Planning (Part 1)
- The Perfect Storm for Advanced Estate Planning (Part 2)
- The Perfect Storm for Advanced Estate Planning (Part 3)
- Webinar: Navigating the Perfect Storm for Advanced Estate Planning
- NEWS ALERT: The 2019 Secure Act Becomes Law and Estate Plans Likely Need to be Modified! Yes, This is a Very Big Deal!
- SECURE Act Q&A: What You Need to Know (Updated April 2020)
- Top Six Estate and Tax Planning Steps to Consider Before the End of 2019
- Here we go again: Politicians Considering Radical Changes to the Estate Tax! What are the likely outcomes and what should you do about it?
- The 2019 SECURE Act: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!
- Have an Irrevocable Trust? You May Need to Meet With Your Accountant Before March 6, 2018!
- Creative Tax Planning Needs to be Able to Withstand Scrutiny in the Light of Day. Invisibility Can Only Give You a Sense of Ignorant Bliss
- Roth IRAs: Planning Beyond the Basics
- Tax Planning for Families Earning over $180K Per Year with Kids in College
- Courts Rule Against IRS in Defined-Value Transfer…
- Georgia 529 Plans Get Even Better For Married Couples
- News Alert: The IRS Just Confirmed That a QTIP Election Can Be Used With a Portability Election, Answering a Question That Has Existed Since 2010
- Non-Spouse Beneficiaries of Inherited IRAs & The 50% Penalty: Timing is Everything!
- Proposed Tax Reform – What Should You Do Now?
- The 2017 Tax Act: Lots of Changes, But What Does It All Mean?
- (Video) Portability Election
- NEWS ALERT: New Law in Georgia Allows Transfer-on-Death Deeds, Effective July 1, 2024
- Importance of Proper Asset Ownership and Beneficiary Designations
- NEWS ALERT: The 2019 Secure Act Becomes Law and Estate Plans Likely Need to be Modified! Yes, This is a Very Big Deal!
- SECURE Act Q&A: What You Need to Know (Updated April 2020)
- The 2019 SECURE Act: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!
- IRAs and Qualified Plan Accounts: Should You Pass Them to Beneficiaries Outright or in Trust?
- News Alert: US Supreme Court Says Inherited IRAS…
- Banks Wreak Havoc on Estate Planning…
- Digital Assets & Estate Planning
- Back to the Basics: How Do Assets Pass at the Death of the Owner?
- Non-Spouse Beneficiaries of Inherited IRAs & The 50% Penalty: Timing is Everything!
- SECURE Act Self-Assessment Tool / Full Discussion Version (Updated 4.21.2020)
- SECURE Act Quick Assessment Tool (Updated 4.22.2020)
- (Video) How Assets Pass at Death
- (Video) Critically Important Question of How to Own Assets and Name Proper Beneficiary Designations
- A 2014 Handwritten Will of the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, Declared Valid by Jury
- “Do-It-Yourself” Wills & Other Estate Planning – if You Really Care, Beware!
- The Not-So-Obvious Reasons that Estate, Trust, Conservatorship, and Guardianship Related Disputes Are Going to Explode in Number in the Future
- (Video) What is Estate Planning?
- (Video) What Everyone Needs in Order to Create an Estate Plan
- (Video) How Assets Pass at Death
- (Video) You Should Review Your Estate Plan About Every 3 Years
- The New Alternative Legal Process for Amicably Resolving Disputes
- Estate and Trust Disputes: Ways to Resolve Them and the Morgan & DiSalvo Approach
- Collaborative Process – The New Alternative Legal Process for Amicably Resolving Disputes
- Estate Trust Dispute Resolution Philosophy Options
- (Video) Pros & Cons of Mediation
- (Video) How to Avoid Destructive Post-Death Disputes
- Letter of Instructions: Significantly Reduce the hassle on your chosen fiduciaries (Updated 8/2022)
- Ethical Wills 2.0: Old School and Next Level Options to Communicate What is Really Important to Your Loved Ones
- (Video) Letter of Instructions
- (Video) Ethical Wills
- (Video)Why Should You Create an Ethical Will? – Richard Morgan Explains
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