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Home→News→News for Planning Ahead

News for Planning Ahead

News that changes a plan made ahead of time: federal and state tax exemptions, will and trust law, powers of attorney, transfer on death rules, and the court decisions that reach them.

AllPlanning aheadSettling an estate
All topics911Probate and estate administration389Estate, inheritance, and gift taxes278Trusts114Wills36Powers of attorney and incapacity97Beneficiaries and inheritance349Medicaid and long-term care38Digital assets14
All statesAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDistrict of ColumbiaDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
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766 news posts

Charitable Remainder Trusts: Estate Planning Guide

Charitable Remainder Trusts: Estate Planning Guide

New 2026 rules change the tax math on charitable remainder trusts. Here is what families need to know before funding one.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 20, 2026
Wisconsin Cabin Inheritance: Estate Planning Guide

Wisconsin Cabin Inheritance: Estate Planning Guide

Wisconsin cabin owners face probate, ancillary proceedings, and co-heir disputes. Trusts and TOD deeds offer cleaner transfer paths.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 20, 2026
Dementia Planning and Estate Planning in Missouri

Dementia Planning and Estate Planning in Missouri

Rising dementia rates make incapacity planning essential. Missouri's POA and healthcare directive rules mean timing is everything.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 20, 2026
Estate Planning for a Child with a Disability

Estate Planning for a Child with a Disability

When a disabled child turns 18, parents lose automatic legal authority. Here's how a Special Needs Trust protects their future.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 20, 2026
Divorce and Estate Plans: What Hawaii Families Must Know

Divorce and Estate Plans: What Hawaii Families Must Know

Divorce does not automatically update wills, trusts, or beneficiary designations. Hawaii families face real risks when estate plans go unreviewed.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 20, 2026
Wisconsin Long-Term Care Planning: The Cost of Waiting

Wisconsin Long-Term Care Planning: The Cost of Waiting

Wisconsin families who delay long-term care planning face narrower options, Medicaid look-back penalties, and greater financial exposure to care costs.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 20, 2026
When to Update Your Wisconsin Trust

When to Update Your Wisconsin Trust

Wisconsin trusts need regular updates after life changes. Here's what triggers a review and what's at stake if you wait.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
Living Trust Benefits in South Carolina: 2026 Guide

Living Trust Benefits in South Carolina: 2026 Guide

South Carolina probate takes 9–18 months and costs 2–4% in attorney fees. A funded living trust bypasses the entire process.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
What a Last Will and Testament Actually Does

What a Last Will and Testament Actually Does

A will only governs orphaned assets—those with no joint owner or named beneficiary. Here's what that means for your estate plan.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
Idaho Aging Resources and Estate Planning Education

Idaho Aging Resources and Estate Planning Education

LEARN Idaho's education-first approach to aging and caregiving connects directly to Idaho's estate planning requirements and probate thresholds.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
AI Digital Afterlife: What California Families Must Plan For

AI Digital Afterlife: What California Families Must Plan For

AI can now recreate deceased people as digital personas. California families need explicit estate directives to control their digital afterlife.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
Estate Planning for College Students: What Parents Need

Estate Planning for College Students: What Parents Need

When a child turns 18, parents lose automatic medical and financial access. Three documents can restore it before college starts.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
Estate Planning for Young Ohio Families: What to Know

Estate Planning for Young Ohio Families: What to Know

Ohio's default intestacy and probate rules can leave young families unprotected. Here's what parents need to know about wills, guardianship, and more.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
Estate Planning for Stepfathers in Blended Families

Estate Planning for Stepfathers in Blended Families

Hawaii estate law does not recognize stepfathers as legal parents. A coordinated estate plan closes that gap for blended families.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
Life Insurance and Special Needs Trusts in New Jersey

Life Insurance and Special Needs Trusts in New Jersey

New Jersey families can use life insurance to fund special needs trusts, protecting SSI and Medicaid eligibility for children with disabilities.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
NC Power of Attorney: What Happens If You Wait Too Long

NC Power of Attorney: What Happens If You Wait Too Long

In NC, a parent must have legal capacity when signing a power of attorney. Once that window closes, families face court-supervised guardianship.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
North Carolina Power of Attorney: Execution Requirements

North Carolina Power of Attorney: Execution Requirements

North Carolina requires notarization for financial POAs and two witnesses plus a notary for healthcare POAs — before capacity is lost.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 17, 2026
Signing Power of Attorney While Seriously Ill in NC

Signing Power of Attorney While Seriously Ill in NC

A seriously ill NC parent can still sign POA documents if mental capacity remains. Here's what families need to know before time runs out.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 16, 2026
Power of Attorney for a Parent in North Carolina

Power of Attorney for a Parent in North Carolina

North Carolina requires separate documents for healthcare and financial authority. Timing is critical — a parent must have capacity to sign.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 16, 2026
Remote Power of Attorney in North Carolina: What Families Need to Know

Remote Power of Attorney in North Carolina: What Families Need to Know

North Carolina allows remote POA preparation, but capacity and proper signing requirements must be met before a parent loses the ability to act.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialJune 16, 2026
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