Category: Uncategorized
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Leaving an Inheritance to Your Grandchildren Takes More Planning Than You Think
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC For many grandparents, one of the most rewarding parts of estate planning is the opportunity to leave something meaningful to the next generation. An inheritance can help a grandchild attend college, purchase a first home, start a business, or simply begin adulthood with financial opportunities their grandparents may never…
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What Happens to Your Debt When You Pass Away?
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC People spend a great deal of time thinking about who will inherit their assets, but there is another side of the financial picture that receives much less attention: What happens to your debts when you die? A common misconception is that children automatically inherit their parents’ debts.…
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A Second Marriage Can Completely Change Your Estate Plan
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC Second marriages can bring tremendous happiness and a fresh chapter in life. They can also create some of the most complicated estate planning situations a family will ever face. When both spouses have children from previous relationships, separate assets, retirement accounts, real estate, or different financial histories, the…
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Why So Many Families Want to Avoid Probate
SPONSORED CONTENT By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC Probate is one of those legal terms almost everyone has heard, but relatively few people understand until their family actually has to go through it. At its simplest, probate is the court-supervised process used to administer certain assets after someone dies. Depending on the estate and…
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Should You Always Leave Your Children Equal Inheritances?
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC When parents begin estate planning, one of the most common instructions is simple: “Divide everything equally among my children.” In many families, that makes perfect sense. Equal shares are easy to understand and can reduce concerns that one child was favored over another. But equal is not…
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What Happens If You Are Alive but Cannot Make Decisions on Your Own?
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC Most people understand why they need an estate plan when they die. Far fewer think about what may happen if they are still alive but can no longer make decisions for themselves. In many ways, incapacity can create more immediate problems for a family than death. Imagine…
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The Estate Planning Assumption That Gets Married Couples Into Trouble
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC Many married couples make a simple assumption about estate planning: “If something happens to me, my spouse can just take care of everything.” It sounds reasonable. You are married, you share a home, you may share bank accounts, and you have probably made important financial decisions together…
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What Happens to Your Estate Plan When You Move to Another State?
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC Moving to another state can mean a new home, a different lifestyle, and an entirely new chapter. People carefully update their driver’s license, vehicle registration, insurance, mailing address, and voter registration. One important item, however, is frequently forgotten. Their estate plan. A common question is whether a…
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Your Beneficiary Designations Could Override Your Estate Plan
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC You can spend considerable time creating a thoughtful estate plan, carefully deciding who should receive your assets and how those assets should be protected. But there is a surprisingly simple detail that can completely change the outcome. Your beneficiary designations. Many people do not realize that…
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What Is a Revocable Living Trust?
By JASON GRAY Pinnacle Law PLLC Most people have heard the word trust. Many assume it is a financial tool reserved for the wealthy or for those approaching the end of life. In practice, a revocable living trust is one of the most versatile and widely used estate planning tools available, and it benefits…