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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
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766 news posts

Civil Judgments and NC Probate: What Families Face

Civil Judgments and NC Probate: What Families Face

A pre-death civil judgment can become an estate claim in NC, reducing what beneficiaries receive and complicating probate administration.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 13, 2026
Living Trusts and Privacy in New Jersey Estates

Living Trusts and Privacy in New Jersey Estates

A NJ elder law attorney now cites privacy as a key reason for living trusts, especially for blended families navigating public probate records.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 13, 2026
Delaware Asset Protection Trusts: What Families Should Know

Delaware Asset Protection Trusts: What Families Should Know

Delaware's Court of Chancery and professional trustee industry make it a strong choice for asset protection trusts. Here's what families need to know.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 11, 2026
Special Needs Trusts in Colorado: What Families Need to Know

Special Needs Trusts in Colorado: What Families Need to Know

Colorado special needs trusts protect SSI and Medicaid eligibility while managing assets for beneficiaries with disabilities.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 11, 2026
Leaving a House to Multiple Children: What Happens Next

Leaving a House to Multiple Children: What Happens Next

Leaving a home to multiple children equally sounds fair—until siblings disagree on selling, living there, or covering costs.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 11, 2026
Wisconsin's $19,000 Gift Tax Exclusion in 2026

Wisconsin's $19,000 Gift Tax Exclusion in 2026

Wisconsin families can give $19,000 per recipient in 2026 tax-free, but Medicaid rules and marital property laws add critical complexity.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 10, 2026
When to Review Your Georgia Estate Plan

When to Review Your Georgia Estate Plan

Georgia estate plans need regular reviews. Divorce, fiduciary changes, and federal tax shifts can all make an existing plan work against your family.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 10, 2026
Digital Assets in a Georgia Estate Plan

Digital Assets in a Georgia Estate Plan

Georgia estate plans regularly miss digital assets. Here's what the gap costs families and how Georgia law addresses it.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 10, 2026
When Georgia Estates Skip Full Probate

When Georgia Estates Skip Full Probate

Georgia law provides several paths to settle estates without full probate. Here is what families need to know about each option.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 10, 2026
Special Needs Trusts in Virginia: Protecting Benefits

Special Needs Trusts in Virginia: Protecting Benefits

Virginia families can protect a disabled child's SSI and Medicaid eligibility by using a special needs trust instead of a direct inheritance.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 10, 2026
Preventing Family Conflict Over Aging Parents in Arkansas

Preventing Family Conflict Over Aging Parents in Arkansas

Family disputes over aging parents often start quietly. Arkansas families can take concrete steps to protect loved ones and preserve relationships.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 9, 2026
IRAs, Trusts, and Wisconsin Estate Plans: Aligning All Three

IRAs, Trusts, and Wisconsin Estate Plans: Aligning All Three

Wisconsin families often hold IRAs, trusts, and beneficiary forms that conflict. Here's how to align all three under state law.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 9, 2026
AI Tools and Estate Data: What Alabama Families Need to Know

AI Tools and Estate Data: What Alabama Families Need to Know

Alabama attorney warns families about AI privacy risks when researching estate planning, special needs trusts, and Medicaid online.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 8, 2026
Safe-Deposit Box Access After Death in Wisconsin

Safe-Deposit Box Access After Death in Wisconsin

Wisconsin families face legal hurdles accessing safe-deposit boxes after death. Learn how probate authority, affidavits, and estate size affect access.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 8, 2026
How Maryland Families Avoid Guardianship Court

How Maryland Families Avoid Guardianship Court

Maryland families can avoid court-supervised guardianship with a power of attorney, advance directive, and funded revocable trust.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 8, 2026
Illinois Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Estate Planning Guide

Illinois Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Estate Planning Guide

Illinois grandparents raising grandchildren face dual legal crises at death. Here's what the absence of a plan means for the child.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 7, 2026
What Idaho Living Trusts Do and Don't Do

What Idaho Living Trusts Do and Don't Do

Idaho living trusts avoid probate and protect privacy, but won't reduce taxes, qualify you for Medicaid, or shield assets from creditors while you live.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 4, 2026
What Happens When Your Guardian Can No Longer Serve?

What Happens When Your Guardian Can No Longer Serve?

When a named guardian can no longer serve, courts decide. Here's why naming backup guardians and updating plans matters.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 3, 2026
DNA Testing and Missouri Estate Planning Risks

DNA Testing and Missouri Estate Planning Risks

DNA test discoveries can threaten Missouri estate plans when documents use vague beneficiary language. Here's what families need to know.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 3, 2026
Life Insurance and Estate Plans Must Work Together

Life Insurance and Estate Plans Must Work Together

Life insurance proceeds follow beneficiary forms, not wills or trusts. Here's what families need to know about coordinating both.
News
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust EditorialSeptember 3, 2026
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