Estate Planning Attorney and Probate Lawyer Blog
3 things I hate about Community Property Agreements
3 things I hate about Community Property Agreements. At CMS Law Firm we do estate planning, we do it well, and we’d love to talk to you about how you can protect your family, protect yourself, and protect your money. Good news for you is, that’s easy to...
Estate Planning Client Profile #173 | Married Couple | $30M+ estate
These clients came to us from a referral. They were interested in generally making sure their assets when where they wanted them to go and avoiding WA state and federal estate taxes if possible. They didn’t have much of a plan to begin with, so we focused on...
The Queen plays the game!
The Queen plays the game!
Estate Tax vs Capital Gains Tax.
Estate Tax vs Capital Gains Tax.
5 Estate Planning Attorney Red Flags.
5 Estate Planning Attorney Red Flags
Revocable Living Trust Maintenance.
Revocable Living Trust Maintenance.
Estate Planning if you are a Green Card holder
Estate Planning if you are a Green Card holder.
What is in a basic estate plan (and why is it important)?
What is in a basic estate plan (and why is it important)? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to use a general power of appointment.
How to use a general power of appointment. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
5 estate planning attorney red flags.
5 estate planning attorney red flags. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Probate is easy…
Probate is easy… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
3 components of a valid will (plus a bonus!)
3 components of a valid will (plus a bonus!) Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is a QTIP trust?
What is a QTIP trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is probate and why do people want to avoid it?
What is probate and why do people want to avoid it? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Do you have to pay off the mortgage when you inherit a property?
Do you have to pay off the mortgage when you inherit a property? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to transfer real estate with no probate, no trust, and no tax.
How to transfer real estate with no probate, no trust, and no tax. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Why should you avoid probate?
Why should you avoid probate? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How Bad Information Can Cause Higher Taxes
Here’s how bad information can cause higher taxes! 40% vs 20% Which would you rather pay?
What is estate planning?
What is estate planning? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Avoid 20% tax to pay 40%?
Avoid 20% tax to pay 40%? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Downsides of a SLAT.
Downsides of a SLAT. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is a SLAT?
What is a SLAT? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What to do if your executor is behaving badly.
What to do if your executor is behaving badly. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to avoid probate without a trust.
How to avoid probate without a trust. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The WORST place to store your estate plan.
The WORST place to store your estate plan. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to create sub-trusts.
How to create sub-trusts. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
3 reasons to create a trust.
3 reasons to create a trust. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Limitations of a Will.
Limitations of a will. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The WRONG way to update your estate plan.
The WRONG way to update your estate plan. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Fancy estate planning binders are a distraction.
Fancy estate planning binders are a distraction. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Do you need a business power of attorney?
Do you need a business power of attorney? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate taxes explained.
Estate taxes explained. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
An alternative to probate when transferring real estate.
An alternative to probate when transferring real estate. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to avoid probate if you have real estate.
How to avoid probate if you have real estate. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is portability?
What is portability? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to transfer NFTs to heirs.
How to transfer NFTs to heirs. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How much asset protection do you need?
How much asset protection do you need? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The biggest creditor your estate will face.
The biggest creditor your estate will face. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
When are you entitled to look at a will?
When are you entitled to look at a will? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
When do estate planning documents stop working?
When do estate planning documents stop working? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is a dynasty trust?
What is a dynasty trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate planning document storage.
Estate planning document storage. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Don’t give your house to your kids to beat Medicaid.
Don’t give your house to your kids to beat Medicaid. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Why I’m rethinking my stance on Medicaid trusts.
Why I’m rethinking my stance on Medicaid trusts. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How much should you pay your executor/trustee?
How much should you pay your executor/trustee? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
It’s a bad idea to give money to people to use for other people.
It’s a bad idea to give money to people to use for other people. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
5 signs your estate planning attorney is not good.
5 signs your estate planning attorney is not good. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
WA state estate tax change that MATTERS.
WA state estate tax change that MATTERS. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The 2 limitations of a will.
The 2 limitations of a will. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Should I get a testamentary trust?
Should I get a testamentary trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The trust doesn’t actually own anything.
The trust doesn’t actually own anything. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate planning and divorce..
Estate planning and divorce. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT) explained..
Grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT) explained. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to gift out to reduce estate taxes.
How to gift out to reduce estate taxes. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Why are revocable living trusts so long?
Why are revocable living trusts so long? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
3 reasons not to give your kids an inheritance.
3 reasons not to give your kids an inheritance. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Credit Shelter Trust in pictures.
Credit Shelter Trust in pictures. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Welcome to 2022!
Welcome to 2022! Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to Fund a Testamentary Trust.
How to Fund a Testamentary Trust Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Another IRA + Estate Tax Strategy.
Another IRA + Estate Tax Strategy Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to “stretch” an IRA with a Charitable Remainder Trust.
How to “stretch” an IRA with a Charitable Remainder Trust Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is the Unlimited Marital Deduction?
What is the Unlimited Marital Deduction? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Real estate in trust. How to sell/refi?
Real estate in trust. How to sell/refi? Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate Taxes and the Unlimited Marital Deduction.
Estate Taxes and the Unlimited Marital Deduction. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Foreign Assets and US Estate Planning.
Foreign Assets and US Estate Planning Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is a QTIP Trust and Can It Reduce Estate Taxes?
What is a QTIP Trust and Can It Reduce Estate Taxes? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Biden estate tax change proposal update.
Biden estate tax change proposal update. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The Right Way to Give Retirement Accounts to Charity After Death.
The Right Way to Give Retirement Accounts to Charity After Death Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is a Ladybird Deed?
What is a Ladybird Deed? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Trust Distributions Done Wrong.
Trust Distributions Done Wrong. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The Source of Info Matters.
The Source of Info Matters Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Business Succession Planning 101
Business Succession Planning 101 Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Because You Just Never Know.
Because You Just Never Know. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to Pick a Trustee.
How to Pick a Trustee. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Do Greencard Holders Lose in Probate?
Do Greencard Holders Lose in Probate? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Avoid Estate Planning Rabbit Holes.
Avoid Estate Planning Rabbit Holes Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What to do with Old Estate Planning Docs.
What to do with Old Estate Planning Docs Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Revocable Living Trust Maintenance Costs.
Revocable Living Trust Maintenance Costs. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Life Insurance and Estate Taxes.
Life Insurance and Estate Taxes Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How do you close a trust?
How do you close a trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Can You Put Extra Assets Into a Trust?
Can You Put Extra Assets Into a Trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Power of Attorney vs Executor.
Power of Attorney vs Executor Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Does Marriage Help Estate Planning?
Does Marriage Help Estate Planning? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Taxes and Inheritances.
Taxes and Inheritances. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What Happens if You Die Without a Will?
What Happens if You Die Without a Will? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to Own Real Estate Anonymously
How to Own Real Estate Anonymously Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Tax Implications of Gifting Real Estate.
Tax Implications of Gifting Real Estate. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Where Should You Store Your Estate Plan?
Where Should You Store Your Estate Plan? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Why Would a Single Person Want a Trust?
Why Would a Single Person Want a Trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
It’s Not Your Money.
It’s Not Your Money Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Gifting in Washington State.
Gifting in Washington State. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How Can You be Sure the Trustee Will Do Their Job?
How Can You be Sure the Trustee Will Do Their Job? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How Long do You have to Contest a Will?
How Long do You have to Contest a Will? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate Planning for Non-Married Couples.
Estate Planning for Non-Married Couples. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What if an Heir Dies While Probate Still Ongoing?
What if an Heir Dies While Probate Still Ongoing? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is a Dynasty Trust?
What is a Dynasty Trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Are Mutual Wills a Good Idea?
Are Mutual Wills a Good Idea? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
General Power of Appointment vs Limited Power of Appointment.
General Power of Appointment vs Limited Power of Appointment. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Can Joint Account Holder Change a Pay on Death Designation?
Can Joint Account Holder Change a Pay on Death Designation? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Do Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts Work Together?
Do Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts Work Together? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
When Someone Dies do You HAVE to Liquidate Investments?
When Someone Dies do You HAVE to Liquidate Investments? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Should You Worry About Biden’s Estate Tax Proposals?
Should You Worry About Biden’s Estate Tax Proposals? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Hold Property in Joint Tenancy or Tenancy in Common?
Hold Property in Joint Tenancy or Tenancy in Common? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What Happens to IRAs if they are Probated?
What Happens to IRAs if they are Probated? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Is Do Not Resuscitate Part of Estate Planning?
Is Do Not Resuscitate Part of Estate Planning? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What if You Have No Beneficiary Listed on Your Account?
What if You Have No Beneficiary Listed on Your Account? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Revocable living trust vs special needs trust (your questions answered!)
Revocable living trust vs special needs trust (your questions answered!)… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Do You Need a Will if You Have a Trust?
Do You Need a Will if You Have a Trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Do Beneficiary Designations in Estate Planning Negate Your Will?
Do Beneficiary Designations in Estate Planning Negate Your Will? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Estate Planning and Owning Real Estate with Non-Spouses
This is an estate planning attorney question I get quite often, so I thought I’d answer it here. The question centers around one thing generally – “how can I make sure my property goes to the right person when I die when I own it with someone who is...
Revocable Living Trusts Explained
Since I did the Estate Planning 101 post yesterday, I thought today would be a good day to tackle the next most used estate planning vehicle for most people – revocable living trusts. To begin with, there are certain people that will want to consider a revocable...
Estate Planning 101
It’s been a while since I just dove into the basics of estate planning, so let’s do it real quick. To begin, estate planning covers you in two scenarios: Scenario #1 – you are alive but incapacitated (think you are in a car accident or you have...
Estate Planning and Real Estate with Multiple Heirs
Looks like we’ve got a little bit of a real estate theme going on here the last couple of posts. That’s what people are asking us about, so that’s what we’re talking about. This time, we’re talking about real estate and estate planning...
Do You Have to Pay Excise Tax to Transfer Real Estate into a Trust?
I had a conversation with a potential client today that asked me about whether or not excise taxes had to be paid on a real estate transfer into a revocable living trust. So I thought I’d answer that question right here. First, let’s define excise tax. At...
Divorce and Estate Planning
Unfortunately not all marriages work out. When that happens all sorts of stuff needs to get updated, including your estate plan. Here’s the quick and dirty of what you need to think about updating, and why. FIRST, it’s important to know that if you die...
Revocable Living Trusts Do Not Provide Asset Protection
When people think about protecting their assets they often think of trusts. We always see in the movies how super rich people doing bad things or wanting to avoid taxes create trusts to shield their assets from lawsuits and the government. There are two truths we need...
Will a Revocable Living Trust Mess Up My Refi?
The chances of you living in your house forever are slim. Like, very slim. A question we get asked often by our estate planning clients, either during the estate planning process, or after their estate plan is complete, is what happens if they have a revocable living...
Do You Have to Record Your Revocable Living Trust?
A question I get asked often as an estate planning attorney is whether or not one has to record their revocable living trust once it is active. It’s a great question, and one that is important as many people create revocable living trusts in order to secure some...
Umbrella Insurance Policy Quick Tip
Umbrella policy quick tip. As an estate planning attorney I often get asked questions about asset protection. Particularly when it comes to ensuring rental homes and second homes. Should I use an asset protection trust? Should I create an LLC? For most people, those...
The Best Christmas Gift You Can Give
The best Christmas gift you can give is safety and peace of mind for you, your family, and future generations. Easiest way to do that is with an estate plan. Happy Holidays! Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE...
Three Ways to Challenge a Will or Trust
A common estate planning attorney question I get is “how can I make sure no one challenges my will?” I always tell everyone the same thing: “There is no way to prevent someone from challenging your will if they want to. If they have money and...
Don’t Quitclaim Deed Your Kids Your Real Estate
A common idea when people are thinking about estate planning is to quitclaim their home to their kids. The thinking is it will allow one to avoid probate and just make things simple. The problem, however, is that it can create a bunch of unintended problems....
Easy Revocable Trust Banking Solution
When my estate planning clients are done creating their revocable living trust I usually do two things: 1. I move all of their real estate into the trust; and 2. I counsel them to update all of their beneficiary and transfer on death designees to be the trust. This...
How Estate Planning Can Get Complicated Even When it Seems Simple
How estate planning can get complicated even when it seems simple. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Zappo’s CEO Tony Hseih didn’t have a will. Maybe he didn’t need one.
Zappos CEO Tony Hseih didn’t have a will. Maybe he didn’t need one. – <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to Plan for Large Estate
How to plan for large estates. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Reminder: You are not the Executor until the Court appoints you.
I get a lot of calls from people looking for help from a probate attorney who tell me something like this: “My (insert loved one’s relationship) died a couple of weeks ago and I am the named executor in the will. I’ve started doing a bunch of stuff...
Estate Planning and the “silent” Real Estate Owner.
Estate planning and the “silent” real estate owner. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is a Charitable Remainder trust?
What is a charitable remainder trust? <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to Approach a Complicated Estate.
How to approach a complicated estate. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The difference between: a Credit shelter trust and a Marital Trust.
The difference between a credit shelter trust and a marital trust. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
When to Worry about Estate Tax Laws changing.
When to worry about estate tax laws changing. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What “most” People Do for Estate Planning.
What “most” people do for estate planning. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate planning: How Many backups Should you Name?
Estate planning: how many backups should you name? <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.</a></strong>
Does a will Automatically Make you Executor of an estate?
Many people believe a will automatically makes you the Executor of an estate. Unfortunately that is not the case. In order to officially be named the executor of the estate you need to go through the formal probate process and have a judge appoint you to that...
“Probate estate” and small estate affidavit.
We often get calls for a probate attorney for people that are not sure if they even need a probate. Often they don’t because the “probate estate” is small enough that they can use a small estate affidavit to get access to the account they are trying...
Probate: Do I Owe Inheritance Tax?
A common probate question or concern is inheritance tax. Today I’m going to alleviate those concerns. To begin, in Washington State, there is no inheritance tax, either state or federal. BUT, the reason for that is because we’re not defining the obligation...
Spouse or Boyfriend/Girlfriend Dies – Do you Need a Probate?
We often get probate attorney calls for people wondering if they need to open a probate after their spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend dies. Today I thought I’d let you know where to start to figure that out. First things first, there’s a pretty big difference...
Probate Question: Do I Have to Follow the Will?
“Do I have to follow the will?” is a common probate attorney question, so I thought now would be a good time to address it. Before you think to yourself “of course you do!”, here’s a factual example. Let’s say Fred dies with a will....
A simple (but not easy) Way to avoid WA State Estate Taxes.
A simple (but not easy) way to avoid WA State estate taxes. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to gently let down your second choice for guardian of your Kids.
How to gently let down your second choice for guardian of your kids. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Important trust funding reminder.
Important trust funding reminder. <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession”>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How Does Trust Administration Work?
People often think Trust Administration is a lot more difficult than going through a probate. But the truth is, Trust Administration is often much EASIER than probate administration for one simple reason – there’s no court involved. But other than that,...
In probate, What happens if there is no will?
As a probate attorney, we often get calls from people that died with no will. When that happens, people generally want to know what the process is like. This article (and video) will give you everything you need. First, when there is no will essentially ANYONE can...
How does the probate process work?
How does the probate process work? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Do blended families NEED a trust?
Do blended families NEED a trust? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
In Probate, What are “Letters”?
In probate, what are “letters”? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Probate: What’s its cost?
Probate: what’s it cost? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Probate – How much does it cost?.
Probate – how much does it cost? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
In probate: Is the executor personally responsible for the debts of the estate?
In probate is the executor personally responsible for the debts of the estate? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
When is probate REQUIRED?
When is probate REQUIRED? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is probate?
What is probate? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
I just bought/sold a house. Do I need to update my estate plan?
I just bought/sold a house. Do I need to update my estate plan? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Who can open a probate?
Who can open a probate? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Do you need to update your will when you have another kid?
Do you need to update your will when you have another kid? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How are retirement accounts treated for non-spouses in estate planning?
How are retirement accounts treated for non-spouses in estate planning? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Considerations for gifts to the elderly.
Considerations for gifts to the elderly. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Can you name different people to different estate planning positions?
Can you name different people to different estate planning positions? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The first step when updating your estate plan.
The first step when updating your estate plan. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Purchasing property when you have a trust.
Purchasing property when you have a trust. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Estate planning for police Officers.
Estate planning for police officers. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
If you’re going to be the Personal Representative, prepare to do the work.
If you’re going to be the Personal Representative prepare to do the work. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Do you need to update your will when you get married?
Do you need to update your will when you get married? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Beware the estate planning rabbit hole.
Beware the estate planning rabbit hole. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Does my revocable trust give me asset protection?
Does my revocable trust give me asset protection? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to handle grumpy beneficiaries.
How to handle grumpy beneficiaries. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Should I try to replace my parent’s power of attorney?As our loved ones age, caring for them becomes emotional and creates issues among family members that often are able to linger out of sight.
Should I try to replace my parent’s power of attorney? As our loved ones age, caring for them becomes emotional and creates issues among family members that often are able to linger out of sight. But what happens when those issues surface? And what happens when you...
To build a sound house, start with the foundation.
To build a sound house, start with the foundation. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The kind of legacy money can’t buy.
The kind of legacy money can’t buy. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What’s the asset minimum for needing a trust?
What’s the asset minimum for needing a trust? <strong>PS – <a href=”https://cmslawfirm.com/strategysession“>Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to give access to bank accounts.
How to give access to bank accounts. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Blended family estate planning considerations.
Blended family estate planning considerations. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Estate planning stress test?
Estate planning stress test? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Thinking of giving money to someone to take care of someone else? Think again.
Thinking of giving money to someone to take care of someone else? Think again. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What if you’re named executor and you don’t want to do it?
What if you’re named executor and you don’t want to do it? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Why I don’t like testamentary trusts (and what to do about it)
Why I don’t like testamentary trusts (and what to do about it). PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Can you create a will if you’re under 18?
Can you create a will if you’re under 18? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Passing down safety deposit boxes.
Passing down safety deposit boxes. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Tip for real estate in trusts.
Tip for real estate in trusts. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Do you REALLY have to follow the trust?
Do you REALLY have to follow the trust? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is a Crummey letter?
What is a Crummey letter? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The importance of structuring your bequests prudently.
The importance of structuring your bequests prudently. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Be careful of looking too far out when estate planning.
Be careful of looking too far out when estate planning. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Is it ever too late to do estate planning?
Is it ever too late to do estate planning? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The dangers of holding real estate in one person’s name.
The dangers of holding real estate in one person’s name. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How often should you update your estate plan?
How often should you update your estate plan? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Can You Hand Write Changes On Your Will?
Can you handwrite changes on your will? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Business Owners and Estate Planning – Two Considerations
Business owners and estate planning – two considerations. Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is a Step-Up in Basis (and why is it important in estate planning)?
What is a step-up in basis (and why is it important in estate planning)? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is the Generation Skipping Tax?
What is the generation skipping tax? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Don’t Forget the Final Step for Your Revocable Living Trust!
Don’t forget the final step! Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Should I Even Start Estate Planning Right Now Given the “Shelter at Home” Order?
Should I even start estate planning right now given the “shelter at home” order? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The WRONG Time to Create Your Estate Plan.
The WRONG time to get estate planning. Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Why is it so Hard to Create an Estate Plan?
Why is it so hard to create an estate plan? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Who Needs Estate Planning?
Who needs estate planning? Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
5 Things a Revocable Living Trust Can do that a Will Cannot
5 things a revocable trust can do that a Will can’t. Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Does everyone need a power of attorney?
Does everyone need a power of attorney? . https://estatemeeting.com
What is Probate and Why Do People Want to Avoid It?
People call us to talk about Probate all the time. We are, after all estate planning and probate lawyers. Some people call hoping to avoid probate via estate planning. Some people call after a loved one has died hoping they don’t have to go through probate. But...
Do I need to worry about estate taxes?
Do I need to worry about estate taxes? . https://estatemeeting.com
Does a revocable trust give you asset protection?
Does a revocable trust give you asset protection? . https://estatemeeting.com
What goes into a basic estate plan?
What goes into a basic estate plan? . https://estatemeeting.com
How to keep your trust private.
How to keep your trust private. . https://estatemeeting.com
Important tip if divorced but still want to give your ex something when you die
Important tip if divorced but still want to give your ex something when you die . https://estatemeeting.com
Why estate planning is important if you’re not married but have a significant other.
Why estate planning is important if you’re not married but have a significant other. . https://estatemeeting.com
Rental properties and estate planning.
Rental properties and estate planning. . https://estatemeeting.com
Do handwritten wills work?
Do handwritten wills work? . https://estatemeeting.com
How to get your inheritance faster.
How to get your inheritance faster. . https://estatemeeting.com
Caronavirus just another reason to get your estate plan done.
Caronavirus just another reason to get your estate plan done. . https://estatemeeting.com
Can a will be witnessed after the fact?
Can a will be witnessed after the fact? . https://estatemeeting.com
Estate planning and non-citizen spouses.
Estate planning and non-citizen spouses. ....
I’d changing trustees of a trust hard?
I’d changing trustees of a trust hard? . https://estatemeeting.com
Do I have to explain my estate planning choices?
Do I have to explain my estate planning choices? . https://estatemeeting.com
Do o have to update my trust when I buy new property?
Do I have to update my trust when I buy new property? . https://estatemeeting.com
Life insurance beneficiary unintended consequences.
Life insurance beneficiary unintended consequences. . https://estatemeeting.com
How do you sell your home if it’s in a trust?.https://estatemeeting.com
How do you sell your home if it’s in a trust? . https://estatemeeting.com
Are pet trusts a real thing?
Sometimes you just want a trust.
Sometimes you just want a trust. . https://estatemeeting.com
Stop listening to people that don’t know what they are talking about.
Stop listening to people that dint know what they are talking about. . https://estatemeeting.com
What to do if your PR (executor) dies..
What to do if your PR (executor) dies. . https://estatemeeting.com
What makes an estate insolvent? And why does it matter?
What makes an estate insolvent? And why does it matter? . https://estatemeeting.com
One way to make your estate planning easier.
One way to make your estate planning easier. . http://estatemeeting.com
Three elements of a valid will.
Three elements of a valid will. . https://estatemerting.com
Does everyone need a will?
Does everyone need a will? . https://estatemeeting.com
An easy way to pay for Washington State estate taxes.
An easy way to pay for Washington State estate taxes. . https://estatemeeting.com
The copter crash isn’t the point.
The copter crash isn’t the point. . https://estatemeeting.com
Don’t worry about what other people are doing.
Don’t worry about what other people are doing. . https://estatemeeting.com
A Will is not enough.
A Will is not enough. . https://estatemeeting.com
How many backups should you name in your estate plan?
How many backups should you name in your estate plan? . https://estatemeeting.com
Probate is not a bad thing.
Probate is not a bad thing. . https://estatemeeting.com
Make sure you fund your revocable living trust!
Make sure you fund your revocable living trust! . https://estatemeeting.com
Can a trust give you asset protection?
Can a trust give you asset protection? . https://estatemeeting.com
Does a revocable living trust need its own tax ID number?
Does a revocable living trust need its own tax ID number? . https://estatemeeting.com
What is ancillary probate (and how to avoid it)?
What is ancillary probate (and how to avoid it)? . https://estatemeeting.com
Watch out! Inherited IRA rules are changing!
Watch out! Inherited IRA rules are changing! . https://estatemeeting.com
How to transfer guns to your family.
How to transfer guns to your family. . https://estatemeeting.com
Why did I choose estate planning?
Why did I choose estate planning? . https://estatemeeting.com
Can you have a guardian for your kids that lives outside the US?
Can you have a guardian for your kids that lives outside the US? . https://estatemeeting.com
What is a life estate (and should you create one)?
What is a life estate (and should you create one)? . https://estatemeeting.com
Why isn’t my property specifically listed in my will or trust?
Why isn’t my property specifically listed in my will or trust? . https://estatemeeting.com
How does a backup power of attorney take over?
How does a backup power of attorney take over? . https://estatemeeting.com
Three ways to contest a will (and an important lesson intertwined).
Three ways to contest a will (and an important lesson intertwined). . https://estatemeeting.com
5 reasons to have a revocable living trust (and why not everyone needs a trust)
5 reasons to have a revocable living trust (and why not everyone needs a trust). . https://estatemeeting.com
A classic estate planing mistake
A classic estate planing mistake. . https://estatemeeting.com
Simple (and cheap) way to ensure assets secure for kids with blended family.
Simple (and cheap) way to ensure assets secure for kids with blended family. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the...
Don’t just sign stuff.
Don’t just sign stuff. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the world to me if you hit...
No will does NOT mean no rules.
No will does NOT mean no rules. . https://estatemeeting.com — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It...
How does a trust help you avoid probate?
How does a trust help you avoid probate? ....
Their biggest regret…
Their biggest regret… . https://estatemeeting.com — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It...
What happens to your bitcoin when you die?
What happens to your bitcoin when you die? . https://estatemeeting.com
How can I make sure a romantic partner doesn’t get part of my estate?
How can I make sure a romantic partner doesn’t get part of my estate?
Do you have to formally “read” the Will after someone dies?
Do you have to formally “read” the Will after someone dies? . https://estatemeeting.com
What is a living will (aka health care directive)?
What is a living will (aka health care directive)? — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would...
A story about a successful estate plan
A story about a successful estate plan. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the world...
Living Trust Tax Identification Numbers
Living trust identification numbers. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the world to...
Estate planning and bank accounts
Estate planning and bank accounts. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the world to...
Two reasons to do your estate planning now (warning – sad, but for different reasons)…
Two reasons to do your estate planning now (warning – sad, but for different reasons)… — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what...
The most important estate planning document if you’re over 65 years old.
The most important estate planning document if you’re over 65 years old. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video…...
Benefits and costs of a living trust.
Benefits and costs of a living trust. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the world...
If something seems too good to be true then it’s probably a scam…
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
How to get property you loaned to someone that dies?
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
“People do it because they love their kids”, I said in sarcasm (sort of)…
“People do it because they love their kids”, I said in sarcasm (sort of)… — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the...
New kid! Update estate plan?
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
Why I don’t do testamentary trusts.
Why I don’t do testamentary trusts. . https://estatemeeting.com
Will beneficiaries get taxed on their inheritance?
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
Where should you store your will?
Where should you store your will? The options are endless: filing cabinet; safe; fireproof safe; safety deposit box; freezer… but where is the RIGHT place? ....
I don’t understand legal jargon!!!
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
Do you have to know all of your assets to create an estate plan?
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
Avoiding probate when you have out of state property..
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
Elder law vs estate planning..
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
Are your people growing?
Are your people growing? . https://estatemeeting.com
An important function of wills..
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
When does a power of attorney end?
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
How to make sure your people can get to your electronic stuff if they need to…
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
4th of July thoughts…
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
How much do you actually love your family?
How much do you actually love your family? — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the...
Thoughts on controlling your guardians from the grave…
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
How to take care of your non-biological peeps
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
When can I start using my trust?
When can I start using my trust? — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the world to me...
Estate taxes explained quick and dirty.
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
Execution is everything.
Execution is everything. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the world to me if you...
Estate planning and retirement accounts
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
Is your power of attorney up to date?
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
An easy way to avoid Washington State Estate taxes
An easy way to avoid Washington State Estate taxes. . https://estatemeeting.com
One way to make sure your kid’s crazy spouse doesn’t spend all of the inheritance..
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
One big reason to do estate planning….
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Instagram answer! Can you switch out a note for assets in a decedents trust?
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
What are you really paying an estate plannng attorney for?
What are you really paying an estate plannng attorney for? — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It...
5 ways to avoid probate that don’t include a trust….
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
The biggest mistake you can make with your trust.
The biggest mistake you can make with your trust. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean...
What happens if you don’t have a will?
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
How to get anonymity with your personal residence
How to get anonymity with your personal residence. . https://estatemeeting.com
A tragic story and lessons learned…
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
The fallacy of “fair.”
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Estate planning for marijuana business owners.
Estate planning for marijuana business owners. — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean...
How to avoid excise tax AND capital gains tax by gifting your house while you’re alive
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Where should you store your will?
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Why do you have a will when you create a trust?
Why do you have a will when you create a trust? — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean...
How to make someone do something after you’ve given it to them via your will…
————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for...
When does a power of attorneys authority end?
When does a power of attorneys authority end? . https://estatemeeting.com
How to make someone do something after you’ve given it to them via your will…
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Are living trusts just for rich people?
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
What if I lose my will?
What if I lose my will? — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would mean the world to me if you...
The best way to approach estate planning (i.e. how to actually get it done!)
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
We just had another kid. Do we need to update our will?
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Make sure your beneficiary designations are up to date!
Make sure your beneficiary designations are up to date! . https://estatemeeting.com
Why parents that aren’t together BOTH need estate plans…
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Is setting up a trust just to avoid probate worth it?
Is setting up a trust just to avoid probate worth it? . https://estatemeeting.com
Medicaid planning is NOT estate planning…
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
How to transfer real estate without probate AND with a step up in basis…
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
What is tax basis anyway? A special income tax due date special!
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Do you need a tax ID number for your trust?
Do you need a tax ID number for your trust? . https://estatemeeting.com
Your first line of defense when it comes to asset protection (it’s not what you think)….
Click to watch this estate planning video. ————————————— We do estate planning. We do probate. And we do it well. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of...
Am I on the hook personally for trust debts?
Am I on the hook personally for trust debts? https://estatemeeting.com
Traveling without the kids? Don’t forget this….
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
How to keep your kids from blowing your retirement when you’re gone.
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Something to consider with transfer on death deeds….
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Trusts aren’t just for rich people….
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
What happens if you lose your will?
What happens if you lose your will? . https://estatemeeting.com
Estate tax approach (stop worrying about the what if’s)….
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
The downside of asset protection..
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Can you be taxed in WA State for your out of state property? Yes you can (sometimes)…
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Probate tip: stop paying (most) bills after death.
Probate tip: stop paying (most) bills after death. . https://estatemeeting.com — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the...
How to gift money to your young kids…
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Should you wait to have the baby to create your estate plan?
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Stop putting your kids on your deeds!
Stop putting your kids on your deeds! . https://estatemeeting.com — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and...
Asset protection 101 – how to keep your real estate from ruining your personal life…
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Does retitling your house in the name of your spouse give it to them?
Does retitling your house in the name of your spouse give it to them? . https://estatemeeting.com
Taking care of kids on vacation…
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
When should you refresh your Power of Attorney?
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Are you SURE my single member LLC provides asset protection?
Are you SURE my single member LLC provides asset protection? — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It...
What is the point of the health care directive (or living will)?
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Can you move your rental home into an LLC if it has a mortgage on it?
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
I don’t know everything…
I don’t know everything… . https://estatemeeting.com — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It...
Why we do all of this.
Why we do all of this. . https://estatemeeting.com — I love comments. I make these videos specifically to help people with no expectations. Please take a second and say ‘Hi’ in the comments and let me and know what you thought of the video… and p.s. It would...
How to give gifts to people you don’t trust with the gift?
How to give gifts to people you don’t trust with the gift? . https://estatemeeting.com
Estate planning is NOT death planning..
Estate planning is NOT death planning. . https://estatemeeting.com
Should you update old beneficiary designations?
Should you update old beneficiary designations? . https://estatemeeting.com
Look to the document for the answers..
Look to the document for the answers. . https://estatemeeting.com
What happens if my estate plan burns up in a fire?
What happens if my estate plan burns up in a fire? . https://estatemeeting.com
Are testamentary trusts a scam?
Are testamentary trusts a scam? . https://estatemeeting.com
Do you need $10 million in assets to create a trust?
Do you need $10 million in assets to create a trust? . https://estatemeeting.com
The two situations estate planning covers.
The two situations estate planning covers. . https://estatemeeting.com
If something seems too good to be true then it’s probably a scam…
If something seems too good to be true then it’s probably a scam… . https://estatemeeting.com
How to get property you loaned to someone that dies?
How to get property you loaned to someone that dies?
New kid! Update estate plan?
New kid! Update estate plan? . https://estatemeeting.com
Will beneficiaries get taxed on their inheritance?
Will beneficiaries get taxed on their inheritance?
I don’t understand legal jargon!!!
I don’t understand legal jargon!!! . https://estatemeeting.com
Do you have to know all of your assets to create an estate plan?
Do you have to know all of your assets to create an estate plan? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Avoiding probate when you have out of state property.
Avoiding probate when you have out of state property. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Elder law vs estate planning.
Elder law vs estate planning. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
An important function of wills.
An important function of wills. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
When does a power of attorney end?
When does a power of attorney end? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
how to make sure your people can get to your electronic stuff if they need to…
How to make sure your people can get to your electronic stuff if they need to… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
4th of July thoughts…
4th of July thoughts and a tip on how to win an argument with someone you don’t agree with… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Thoughts on controlling your guardians from the grave…
Thoughts on controlling your guardians from the grave… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to take care of your non-biological peeps
How to take care of your non-biological peeps… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Estate taxes explained quick and dirty.
Estate taxes explained quick and dirty. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Estate planning and retirement accounts
Estate planning and your retirement accounts. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Is your power of attorney up to date?
Is your power of attorney up to date? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
One way to make sure your kid’s crazy spouse doesn’t spend all of the inheritance.
One way to make sure your kid’s crazy spouse doesn’t spend all of the inheritance. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
One big reason to do estate planning…
One big reason to do estate planning… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Instagram answer! Can you switch out a note for assets in a decedents trust?
Instagram answer! Can you switch out a note for assets in a decedents trust? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
5 ways to avoid probate that don’t include a trust.
5 ways to avoid probate that don’t include a trust… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What happens if you don’t have a will?
What happens if you don’t have a will? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
A tragic story and lessons learned…
A tragic story and lessons learned… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The fallacy of “fair”
The fallacy of “fair.” PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to avoid excise tax AND capital gains tax by gifting your house while you’re alive (even if you have a mortgage).
How to avoid excise tax AND capital gains tax by gifting your house while you’re alive (even if you have a mortgage). PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Where should you store your will?
Where should you store your will? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
There is only one definition of fair | Estate Planning Daily 037
Hey everybody, good evening. It’s Chris Small with CMS Law Firm. It is late, it’s like midnight, I’ve got the TV on on the side, that’s what you’re seeing on my face. But I wanted to hop on here real quick and talk about something...
Biggest mistake people make when estate planning | Estate Planning Daily 036
Hey, everybody, what’s going on? It’s Christopher Small from CMS Law Firm coming to you live again just like yesterday and the day before that and tomorrow. One of the things that I wanted to talk to you about today was something that I was just hired for...
Should you transfer your house to your kids for Medicaid eligibility?
Should you transfer your house to your kids for Medicaid eligibility? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Community property step-up in basis | Estate Planning Daily 035
Hey everybody, what’s going on? It’s Chris Small from CMS Law Firm. I’m going to do this real quick, because Facebook was broke today, so I didn’t have a chance to get to it when I was at the office, but now my phone is about to die, so...
Estate planning with a non-US Citizen spouse (aka what is a QDOT?)… | Estate Planning Daily 034
Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of Estate Planning TV. I am Christopher Small. I’m the owner of CMS Law Firm. I’m your host and this is the internet’s most passionate show about estate planning. We are also, by the way, going live right now...
Can I appoint a non-citizen non-resident to be the guardian of my kids?
Can I appoint a non-citizen non-resident to be the guardian of my kids? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is basis for income taxes? | Estate Planning Daily 033
Hey, everybody, it’s Christopher Small from the CMS law firm and today we’re going to talk about a fascinating, fun subject that I’m sure all of you are interested in … tax basis. Hopefully you’re excited about that. By the way,...
The first thing to STOP doing when a loved one dies… | Estate Planning Daily 032
Hey, everybody. Christopher Small here from CMS Law Firm, and today I’m going to talk about something I don’t know if I’ve ever talked about here on Facebook, which is where we’re at right now at least, and that is probate, a probate question....
Asset protection device number two (ie the lawyery one you all are thinking about)….Want the full inside scoop on this? Sign up for my newsletter and I’ll let you know when I’m talking about it.
Asset protection device number two (ie. the lawyery one you all are thinking about)… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to pick guardians for your kids if you can’t agree… | Estate Planning Daily 030
Hey everybody, it’s Christopher Small from CMS Law Firm and today I wanted to talk to you about something that comes up all the time and that is how to choose a guardian for your kids if you can’t agree with your spouse. And before we get there by the way,...
The estate planning documents you need if you’re going into surgery…
The estate planning documents you need if you’re going into surgery… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
5 easy to spot signs your talking to a bad estate planning attorney | Estate Planning Daily 029
Hey everybody, welcome. Not Welcome. I was done my podcast intro. Hey everybody, this is Christopher Small. I am Christopher Small. I own CMS Law Firm and I want to hop on here real quick and talk to you about what five easy ways to spot a bad estate planning...
Step 1: If asset protection is your goal.
Step 1 if asset protection is your goal… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to make someone do something after you’ve given it to them via your will.
How to make someone do something after you’ve given it to them via your will. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Are living trusts just for rich people?
Are living trusts just for rich people? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Estate planning considerations after a divorce | Estate Planning Daily 028
Hey everybody, it’s Christopher Small from CMS Law Firm. Back again to talk to you about some estate planning. Before we dive in though, the things that I’m talking about today are going to be great. They’re going to apply to you potentially, and...
Are pet trusts a real thing? | Estate Planning Daily 027
Hey everybody. What’s going on? Christopher Small here from CMS Law Firm, and I’m back with another Facebook Live, answering your frequently asked questions, talking about things that we’re talking about here at the firm. Remember, we do estate...
Sunday prep day broken down… | Estate Planning Daily 026
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
The best way to approach estate planning (i.e. how to actually get it done!)
The best way to approach estate planning (i.e. how to actually get it done!) PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
One reason avoiding estate taxes might not be your best bet… | Estate Planning Daily 025
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
New Estate Tax Legislation? The 99.8% Act Review | EPTV 065
Bernie Sanders has proposed a new federal estate tax called the 99.8% Act. In this video, I give you a quick break down of what the proposal entails and how it might affect you. Enjoy! ————————– We do estate...
We just had another kid. Do we need to update our will?
We just had another kid. Do we need to update our will? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to take care of someone that owes you money in your will… | Estate Planning Daily 024
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Why parents that aren’t together BOTH need estate plans.
Why parents that aren’t together BOTH need estate plans. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What makes up a foundational estate plan? | Estate Planning Daily 023
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Medicaid planning is NOT estate planning.
Medicaid planning is NOT estate planning. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Do you have to pay taxes on a property transfer… | Estate Planning Daily 022
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
How to transfer real estate without probate AND with a step up in basis.
How to transfer real estate without probate AND with a step up in basis. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Revocable Living Trust vs. Special Needs Trust | Estate Planning Daily 021
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
What happens if you die without a will? | Estate Planning Daily 020
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
What is tax basis anyway? A special income tax due date special!
What is tax basis anyway? A special income tax due date special! PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Your first line of defense when it comes to asset protection (it’s not what you think)…
Your first line of defense when it comes to asset protection (it’s not what you think)… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Do new estate planning documents revoke old ones? | Estate Planning Daily 019
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Traveling without the kids? Don’t forget this…
Traveling without the kids? Don’t forget this… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to keep separate property separate with trust planning | Estate Planning Daily 018
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
How to keep your kids from blowing your retirement when you’re gone.
How to keep your kids from blowing your retirement when you’re gone. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Five trust distribution considerations… | Estate Planning Daily 017
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Typical RLT distribution schedule… | Estate Planning Daily 016
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
What do you REALLY need to create your estate plan… | Estate Planning Daily 015
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Something to consider with transfer on death deeds…
Something to consider with transfer on death deeds… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
I don’t care what you want in your estate plan… | Estate Planning Daily 014
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Trusts aren’t just for rich people…
Trusts aren’t just for rich people… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What kind of asset protection do you get with RLT | Estate Planning Daily 013
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Estate tax approach (stop worrying about the what if’s)…
Estate tax approach (stop worrying about the what if’s)… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
How to pick a guardian for your kids when you can’t agree… | Estate Planning Daily 012
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
The downside of asset protection.
The downside of asset protection. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Can you be taxed in WA State for your out of state property? Yes you can (sometimes)…
Can you be taxed in WA State for your out of state property? Yes you can (sometimes)… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Why you should tell your kids the contents of your estate plan (even the $$$!)… | Estate Planning Daily 011
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
How to gift money to your young kids.
How to gift money to your young kids… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Fun things living trusts can do… | Estate Planning Daily 010
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Should you wait to have the baby to create your estate plan?
Should you wait to have the baby to create your estate plan? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The biggest limitation of a will… | Estate Planning Daily 009
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
What is a will anyway? | Estate Planning Daily 008
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
The hidden side of estate planning… | Estate Planning Daily 007
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Asset protection 101 – how to keep your real estate from ruining your personal life.
Asset protection 101 – how to keep your real estate from ruining your personal life… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Should one sibling be the trustee for another sibling? | Estate Planning Daily 006
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Taking care of kids on vacation.
Taking care of kids on vacation… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The “right” choice for Estate Plan Distributions | Estate Planning Daily 005
When people think about estate planning they often think about what is “right” or what is “fair.” Well, I’m here as an estate planning attorney to throw all of those ideas out the window (if you want). The fact is, “right” and...
When should you refresh your Power of Attorney?
When should you refresh your Power of Attorney? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is the point of the health care directive (or living will)?
What is the point of the health care directive (or living will)? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Can you move your rental home into an LLC if it has a mortgage on it?
Can you move your rental home into an LLC if it has a mortgage on it? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
There is only one definition of fair (and you might not like it).
There is only one definition of fair (and you might not like it)… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The biggest mistake people make when it comes to estate planning that could save them thousands of dollars and hours and hours of time.
The biggest mistake people make when it comes to estate planning that could save them thousands of dollars and hours and hours of time… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is the perfect estate plan for you? | Estate Planning Daily 004
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Community property step-up in basis.
Community property step-up in basis. PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Does a power of attorney take effect RIGHT when I sign it? | Estate Planning Daily 003
We do estate planning and probate, and we are GOOD at it. Our firm rests on three core pillars: 1. Family protection 2. Elimination of barriers to entry (we make it easy for you) 3. Estate tax reduction/elimination If you need estate planning or probate help, we...
Estate planning with a non-US Citizen spouse (aka what is a QDOT?)
Estate planning with a non-US Citizen spouse (aka what is a QDOT?)… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Why Even Do Estate Planning (the selfish reason…)? | Estate Planning Daily 002
I thought we’d get a little woo woo today, a little high level, and talk about why we should even do estate planning at all. There’s a selfish reason to do it, several selfish reasons, really, that I outline in the podcast (just click the play button at...
Why does estate planning matter anyway (the selfish version…)?
Why does estate planning matter anyway (the selfish version…)? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
What is basis for income taxes and what’s a HUGE estate planning mistake people make related to basis?
What is basis for income taxes and what’s a HUGE estate planning mistake people make related to basis? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is the perfect estate plan for you?
What is the perfect estate plan for you? PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The first thing to STOP doing when a loved one dies.
The first thing to STOP doing when a loved one dies… PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
Does a power of attorney take effect RIGHT when I sign it?
Does a power of attorney take effect RIGHT when I sign it? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Can your power of attorney change your will?
Can your power of attorney change your will? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is Estate Planning Daily? | EP Daily 001
If you know anything about us, you know we’ve got Estate Planning TV, a weekly estate planning show and podcast. But that just didn’t give me enough time to talk estate planning, so I started estate planning daily. The way it’s going to work is,...
How to pick guardians for your kids if you can’t agree.
How to pick guardians for your kids if you can’t agree… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to Pick a Guardian for Your Kids if You Can’t Agree | EPTV 064
To learn more about what a great estate plan looks like, go to http://estateplanningvideo.com. One of the biggest challenges to getting an estate plan I hear from clients is an inability to agree on who the guardians for their kids should be if they both die. In this...
5 easy-to-spot signs that you’re talking to a terrible estate planning attorney.
5 easy to spot signs you’re talking to a terrible estate planning attorney. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate planning considerations after a divorce.
Estate planning considerations after a divorce… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate Planning from A to Z (everything you need to know to get started) | EPTV 063
In this episode of Estate Planning TV I cover everything I would cover in a traditional estate planning potential client meeting, including: 1. Power of attorney 2. Medical power of attorney 3. Minor power of attorney (temporary guardian paperwork) 4. Minor medical...
Are pet trusts a real thing?
Are pet trusts a real thing? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Sunday prep day broken down.
Sunday prep day broken down… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
One reason avoiding estate taxes might not be your biggest estate planning priority.
One reason avoiding estate taxes might not be your biggest estate planning priority… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Five Revocable Living Trust Distribution Considerations | Estate Planning TV 062
This episode is all about revocable living trust distribution considerations… or more specifically, some of the things to think about when planning for the distribution of your assets to the next generation (usually kids). These are the revocable living trust...
How to take care of someone that owes you money in your will.
How to take care of someone that owes you money in your will… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What makes up a foundational estate plan (what should EVERYONE have)?
What makes up a foundational estate plan (what should EVERYONE have)? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Do you have to pay taxes on a property transfer to a revocable living trust?
Do you have to pay taxes on a property transfer to a revocable living trust? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What happens if you die without a will?
What happens if you die without a will? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Do new estate planning documents revoke old ones?
Do new estate planning documents revoke old ones? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to keep separate property separated with trust planning.
How to keep separate property separate with trust planning… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Five trust distribution considerations.
Five trust distribution considerations… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Typical revocable living trust distribution schedule.
Typical revocable living trust distribution schedule… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What you REALLY need to create your estate plan.
What you REALLY need to create your estate plan. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
I don’t care what you want in your estate plan…
I don’t care what you want in your estate plan… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What kind of asset protection do you get with revocable living trusts?
What kind of asset protection do you get with revocable living trusts? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How to pick a guardian for your kids when you can’t agree with your spouse.
How to pick a guardian for your kids when you can’t agree with your spouse. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Estate Planning for Blended Families | Estate Planning TV 061
Note: this is the transcript of the video. Please excuse the casual tone – it’s just my style! Hey, everybody, welcome to another episode of Estate Planning TV. I’m your host, Christopher Small, and I’m the owner of CMS Law Firm and this is the...
Why you should tell your kids the contents of your estate plan (even the $$$!).
Why you should tell your kids the contents of your estate plan (even the $$$!). Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Fun things living trusts can do.
Fun things living trusts can do. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The biggest limitation of a will.
The biggest limitation of a will. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What is a will anyway?
What is a will anyway? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning attorney.
The hidden side of estate planning.
The hidden side of estate planning. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Should one sibling be the trustee for another sibling?
Should one sibling be the trustee for another sibling? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The “right” choice for estate plan distributions.
The “right” choice for estate plan distributions. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Why you shouldn’t be worried about someone contesting your will (if you do it right…) | Estate Planning TV 60
This is the transcript of the video… enjoy!Everybody, Christopher Small here from CMS Law Firm and today I wanted to hop on here real quick and talk to you about a question that I get actually quite often when I’m doing estate planning, consultation and...
Why you shouldn’t be worried about someone contesting your will (if you do it right…)
Why you shouldn’t be worried about someone contesting your will (if you do it right…) Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
The Estate Plan EVERYONE Should Have | Estate Planning TV 059
Today I want to talk to you about the foundational estate plan that everyone should have in an estate plan. Often people just wonder, “Okay, what kind of plan should I have? Do I need a plan? Why?” And today what I really wanted to do was just break down...
How to Protect Your Kids if You Are in a Car Accident (Minor Power of Attorney) | Estate Planning TV 058
One of the things we all think about when it comes to protecting our kids is what happens if we die? That’s great. And it’s important (it’s called guardianship – and you do that via your Will), BUT it’s not everything. What people often...
How the Trump Family Avoided Millions in Estate Taxes | Estate Planning TV 057
Note: these are my show notes – a general outline of the episode. If you want all of the information, you MUST listen to the episode. “Anyone may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern...
Estate Planning is a lot Like Potty Training
Estate planning is a lot like potty training. I know this for two reasons. First, I know estate planning. I’m an estate planning attorney. That’s all we do here. Second, I know potty training. I just started potty training my third kid. The similarities...
Everyone Has An Estate Plan | Estate Planning TV 055
Whenever I get up and speak about estate planning the first question I always ask the crowd is “who here has an estate plan?” Usually about a third of the hands go up. I let that sink in for a while (because we all know we need one) and then break the bad...
How to Choose a Guardian for Your Kid if You Can’t Agree | Estate Planning TV 054
How to Choose the Right Long Term Guardian When it comes to estate planning and kids, a common hurdle that has to be overcome is choosing the right guardian. Often one spouse wants one person, the other spouse wants another, and the stalemate results in no decisions...
Revocable Living Trust Reason #3 – IRA Trusts | Estate Planning TV 053
Revocable Living Trust Reason #3 – IRA Protection and Legacy Before we get going, the first thing I want to point out is that WHILE YOU ARE ALIVE keeping your IRA in your IRA account in your name is, in most cases, going to be the smart thing to do. Your IRA,...
Why estate planning is like potty training.
Why estate planning is like potty training. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
Revocable Living Trust Reason #2 – Divorce Protection | Estate Planning TV 052
Revocable Living Trust Reason #2 – Divorce Protection We’re continuing our discussion of reasons you might want to have a revocable living trust and today we’re going to talk about the big D. Divorce. Before you get too uneasy, though, we’re...
Biggest estate planning mistake I see people making every day (probably even you!)
Biggest estate planning mistake I see people making every day (probably even you!). Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What if You Find a Will After Probate is Opened? | WA State Probate TV 007
What if You Find a Will After Probate Opened? When people pass away they don’t always do so with a high level of organization. Sometimes it’s not planned. Sometimes they are just disorganized. Whatever the reason, sometimes it is difficult to find the...
Revocable Living Trust #1 – You Love Your Kids | Estate Planning TV 051
Revocable Living Trust Reason #1 – You Love Your Kids I was doing a will signing with a client yesterday and they asked me why other people get revocable living trusts. I spouted off about 10 different reasons and while I was doing so I thought to myself...
How Do I Keep My Spouse from Cutting the Kids Out of My Trust After I Die? | Estate Planning TV 050
Will My Revocable Living Trust Protect My Assets for My Kids if I Die First? This is a question I get often and was specifically asked this week by a “faithful listener” of the Estate Planning TV Podcast (thank you for that!). The question is this,...
Three Types of Death Taxes | WA State Probate TV 006
Three Types of Death Taxes When someone dies they aren’t just facing the possibility of paying estate taxes. There are two other additional taxes to consider. Here is a rundown of the taxes, and when you will want to consider planning to have to pay them. 1....
I Do Not Care What You Want | Estate Planning TV 049
Estate Planning: I Don’t Care What You Want Whenever people come into my office to talk about their estate plan I always tell them something up front: I don’t care what you want. Yep, I actually say that. But not in the context that you might be thinking....
What is a Probate Beneficiary Waiver and Consent | WA State Probate TV 005
What is a Beneficiary Waiver When someone dies in the family and there are assets to be distributed amongst family members, there is almost always at least a minor amount of tension created. First, most people don’t know the rules surrounding probate so they...
Business Succession 1/2 – Power of Attorney for Business | Estate Planning TV 048
Business Succession 1/2: Power of Attorney for Your Business This is the second installment of the HOB series “Succession” summary and takeaway. The theme of this episode was the Power of Attorney for business succession planning. This episode was all...
Succession 1/1 – Five Estate Planning Takeaways | Estate Planning TV 047
Succession 1/1: 5 Estate Planning Takeaways A new show recently debuted on HBO called “Succession” and it combines two things I love: Estate planning and business. I thought it would make a great topic for the show, and give me something to break up the...
Tax Implications of a Revocable Living Trust | Estate Planning TV 046
Tax Implications of a Revocable Living Trust When people think about avoiding taxes they often think of using trusts as shelters. Unfortunately, those assumptions about trusts as tax shelters are wrong. Today I wanted to clear the air and lay out precisely the tax...
What is a Probate Disclaimer? | WA State Probate TV 004
What is a Probate Disclaimer? The other day I had a potential client call me up with some very sad news. His grandmother had recently passed away and he needed help probating her estate… but there was a twist. The grandmother had raised the grandson from birth...
Do I Even Need probate? | WA State Probate TV 003
Do I even need probate? When someone in your life passes away one of the first questions that’s going to come up is “Do I need a probate to take care of my loved one’s property?” The answer is “it depends.” And, hopefully, by the...
What is a Personal Representative? | WA State Probate TV 002
What is a Personal Representative? First, let’s just get this out of the way – in the context of probate “Personal Representative” and “Executor” are the same thing. In Washington State for some reason we’ve just decided to...
What is Probate? | WA State Probate TV 001
What is Probate? I think that everyone kind of knows what probate is. But, until we actually have to deal with it we don’t REALLY know what it is. If you are here then you’re probably at a point in your life where you’re trying to figure out the ins...
What are you willing to invest? | Estate Planning TV 045
What Are You Willing To Invest? This is a little bit of a ranty kind of an episode. I see so many people making bad decisions when it comes to their family and protecting their legacy because they fail to have the proper perspective when it comes to the money that is...
The Cost of Not Choosing a Guardian for Your Kids | Estate Planning TV 044
Cost of NOT Choosing a Guardian for Your Kids When you have kids something changes in your mind. Priorities change. Thoughts change. Actions and reactions change. The fulcrum of this change is your new child. Something biologically drives us to want to do whatever we...
Should I Use My Full Federal Estate Tax Exemption Now? | Estate Planning TV 043
Should I Use My Full Federal Estate Tax Exemption Now? At the end of 2017 some pretty significant tax legislation was passed. It changed around the income tax brackets, changed the way businesses were taxed, and significantly increased the federal estate tax...
How Much Power Does the Personal Representative Have When Distributing Assets? | Estate Planning TV 042
How Much Power Does the Personal Representative Have When Distributing Assets? This definitely falls under the “estate planning attorney frequently asked questions category” so I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about at and put your fears to rest. One...
25% of 2018 is Already Over | Estate Planning TV 041
25% of 2018 Is Already Over… Can you believe we are already one-quarter of the way through 2018? Believe it. Time flies when you’re having fun, when you’re having a bad time, and whether you want it to or not. This week’s episode is all about...
How My Hole in One is Like Estate Planning | Estate Planning TV 040
How My Hole In One Is Like Estate Planning Last week I achieved something that not many people do: I had a hole in one on the golf course. It was pretty cool and pretty fun, and a long time coming. But thinking about this hole in one and how it relates to estate...
The Give and Take of Estate Planning | Estate Planning TV 039
The Give and Take of Estate Planning Estate planning is like most anything else… For every give, there is a take. Today I wanted to focus on that and remind you that no matter what you do there will be benefits and consequences. This discussion came from a...
Be Selfish… | Estate Planning TV 038
Be Selfish… I can’t tell you how many people come into my office wanting to talk estate planning and immediately try to do everything they can to live as poorly as they can to leave as much as they can to their family. I tell them all the same thing: BE...
How Should I Distribute Trust Assets To The Kids? | Estate Planning TV 037
5 Ways To Distribute Your Trust Assets To Your Kids A question I often get from clients is “how should I distribute my assets to my kids via my trust when I die?” I thought everyone might want to know about the different options so here we go with this...
Estate Planning with Assets Under $100K | Estate Planning TV 036
The Estate Plan For People with $100k of Assets If you have $100k or less of assets and you don’t think you need an estate plan, you are wrong. It’s not a question of whether you have enough assets to need an estate plan because everyone needs an estate...
Three Estate Planning Lessons From “Gifted” | Estate Planning TV 035
Three Estate Planning Lessons from “Gifted” I am a sucker for movies with cute kids in them, particularly when they face real struggle and overcome it. “Gifted” is just such a movie, so I wasn’t surprised when I liked it after watching...
What Does a Probate Attorney DO Exactly?
“Why do we even NEED a probate attorney?” Debbie asked about 30 seconds into our phone call. I knew I was going to like Debbie right away. She wasn’t afraid to ask the questions that really mattered. Now that the question was asked, however, I was...
New Trustee? Do This First | Estate Planning TV 034
New Trustee? Do This First. People are rarely ready to become the trustee of a trust. It’s not something that usually has a specific start date. For that reason, when it does happen one is often thrust into a new role. There is often little guidance, little...
3 Reasons to Use a Professional Trustee | Estate Planning TV 033
3 Reasons to Use a Professional Trustee Whenever a client decides to create a trust we talk about who they’d like to name as the successor trustee (the person that becomes the trustee after they die). Often people aren’t sure who to name. They consider...
The Biggest Estate Planning Mistake I See | Estate Planning TV 032
The Biggest Estate Planning Mistake I See I am a huge golfer. HUGE. And my enthusiasm for the sport tends to rub off on people. That means I get to hear about their lessons. Remarkably, often their experience dovetails nicely with people’s meetings with estate...
Protecting Your Kids While You’re On Vacation (and they’re at home) | Estate Planning TV 031
Protecting Your Kids While You’re on Vacation (and they’re at home) As I write this post I am flying over California with my wife on the way to Cabo San Lucas to celebrate my brother-in-law’s 40th birthday. And we are alone! This is our first vacation...
The Hard Truth About Estate Tax Planning | Estate Planning TV 030
The Hard Truth About Estate Tax Planning Believe it or not a lot of people come to me to ask me estate tax advice and I end up telling them to do nothing… That is the hard truth about estate tax planning (at least the first one). You would think as an estate...
How to Make 2018 Your Best Year Ever | Estate Planning TV 029
How to Make 2018 Your Best Year Ever This is one of those episodes that isn’t directly related to my role as an estate planning attorney. This is related to my role as someone that actually cares about you and your life and your ability to get the most out of...
How to Choose a Guardian When You Can’t Agree | Estate Planning TV 028
How to Choose a Guardian When You Can’t Agree From the moment you have a kid one thought tends to inhabit your mind: Who will take care of my kids if something happens to me? It’s such an overwhelming thought and the feelings to protect our kids are so...
Should I Add Someone to My Safety Deposit Box? | Estate Planning TV 027
Should I Add Someone to My Safety Deposit Box? I had someone come into the office the other day with a problem. Their mom had passed away and owned a safety deposit box. As mom fell ill, she wanted to make sure she had continued access to the safety deposit box even...
3 Benefits of Trust Planning (Other Than Avoiding Estate Taxes) | Estate Planning TV 026
3 Benefits of Trust Planning (Other Than Avoiding Estate Taxes) We’ve spent a lot of time talking about trust planning as it relates to estate tax avoidance and reduction, and I wanted to take a little time to talk about some benefits of trusts outside of the...
A Simple Way to Avoid Paying Estate Taxes | Estate Planning TV 025
Don’t Let Your Feelings Get In The Way of Probate This is a little rant based on a meeting I had a couple of weeks ago with someone I’m helping out with a probate. They are unhappy, not because the probate is progressing poorly, but because they are...
How to Find a Cheap Estate Planning Attorney | Estate Planning TV 024
How to Find a Cheap Estate Planning Attorney Finding a cheap estate planning attorney is easy – just start calling around until someone gives you a super low price without even learning about you, your family, or what you want. This episode isn’t so much...
A Simple Way to Avoid Paying Estate Taxes | Estate Planning TV 023
A Simple Way to Avoid Paying Estate Taxes If you live in Washington State your estate tax burden starts at $2.129 million dollars. That might sound like a lot, but when you factor in the price of real estate AND the fact that life insurance counts in that calculation,...
The Goldilocks Method To Acting On Estate Tax Law Changes | Estate Planning TV 022
The Goldilocks Method To Acting On Estate Tax Law Changes Earlier this week the House of Representatives unveiled proposed tax law changes that could have an effect on the federal estate tax if passed. It sounds as if they want to greatly increase the exemption amount...
Why Naming Your Kids’ Guardian in a Will Isn’t Enough | Estate Planning TV 021
Why Naming Your Kids’ Guardian In Your Will Isn’t Enough When most parents think about guardians they think about long term guardians – who will watch their kids if they die. What most people fail to think about is a scenario that is probably more...
Estate tax repeal? Not so fast my friend…
Estate tax repeal? Not so fast my friend… Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
How a Bad Estate Plan Can Cost You Dearly | Estate Planning TV 020
How an Estate Planning Mistake Can Cost You Dearly I had a client come into my office recently to talk to me about probate. Their parent had just passed away and they needed help with the process of administering the estate. The good news was there was a will. This...
Should I Give My House Away While I’m Alive Or Wait Until I Die? | Estate Planning TV 019
Should You Give Your House To Your Family While You Are Alive or Wait Until You Die? This is a question I’ve been getting a lot recently, so I figured I’d take some time today and break down for you some of the things you should be thinking about if you...
Step 1 of Creating an Estate Plan | Estate Planning TV 018
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO DO? That is the first step to estate planning. It’s not talking to an estate planning attorney (though I wish it was). It’s not learning about estate taxes. It’s not about any of that. Step one is simply thinking about...
What Kind of Estate Plan Does An Estate Planning Attorney Have? | Estate Planning TV 017
Ever wonder what an estate planning attorney has for their own estate plan? Well, today is your lucky day, because I’m going to tell you what I’ve got set up for my own family today on the show! And, I’d love to tell you all about it right here, but...
What Estate Planning Attorneys Should NOT Be Doing | Estate Planning TV 016
I had a meeting with some potential clients the other day and they started off by telling me about a bad experience they’d had with another estate planning attorney. It wasn’t that the prices were high or that it wasn’t just a good fit. It went way...
Medicaid Trusts are a Scam | Estate Planning TV 015
Medicaid trusts are a scam, plain and simple. Ask any estate planning attorney worth their salt and they will tell you these truths about medicaid trusts: 1. There is a look back period of 5 years. Until that 5 years is up, your assets are not safe. 2. You will have...
Probate Q&A What Are Nonintervention Powers? | Estate Planning TV 014
If you are here to learn about probate and nonintervention powers, then you’ve likely recently lost a loved one. I want to first say I’m sorry for your loss. Now, though, it’s time to get down to business so you can focus on remembering the life and...
Three Ways to Contest a Will | Estate Planning TV 013
A lot of people come into my office for estate planning and they are worried about someone contesting the will and messing everything up. They are worried about someone thinking their will is unfair and trying to get more. They are worried about someone thinking they...
How to Protect Your IRA with Estate Planning | Estate Planning TV 012
For many people their IRA is the biggest asset that will be given to their family when they die. What most people don’t know is that for many families, inheriting an IRA is the worst thing that can happen to them. Today I wanted to talk about why that is, the...
Why You Should Talk to Your Kids About Money | Estate Planning TV 011
There are people who are afraid to talk to their kids about their money and their assets. It may be because they’re afraid because they’re afraid of where they are at or where they are going or they are afraid that their kids will take advantage of them. Traditionally...
How to Instantly Save $259,350 With Estate Planning | Estate Planning TV 010
Estate tax avoidance number 2: How to save $259,350 on your estate taxes with a little estate planning solution. There is a couple of things that need to be in place for this to work. Number one: you should live in Washington State because this is where estate tax...
Estate Tax Avoidance Tip #1: Gifting | Estate Planning TV 009
In Washington State, there are two taxes that you are potentially facing. There’s a Washington State tax and the federal state tax. The Washington State tax starts at 2.129 million dollars and that includes the value of your home, the value of your bank accounts, the...
Estate Taxes Explained | Estate Planning TV 008
In Washington State, there are two estate taxes that can potentially be imposed on you. It doesn’t mean you get taxed twice, it just means that there are two levels of taxation that exist. There is the state estate tax and the federal estate tax. The state estate tax...
Probate vs. Non-probate Assets | Estate Planning TV 007
There is a way to eliminate probate from many or almost all of your assets. That is by creating non-probate sort of structures to take care of them. Non-probate assets are essentially defined as any asset that pass to people outside of probate. Probate assets are...
Revocable Living Trust Tax Consequences | Estate Planning TV 006
What is a revocable living trust? Imagine a trust just like a box. You can pull whatever you want in the box. You can take anything out of the box anytime and while you are alive you are the person who is in charge of the box. You are the person who benefits from the...
3 Limitations of a Will | Estate Planning TV 005
The first limitation is ‘it does not eliminate probate’. In Washington State, eliminating probate is not a big deal. The fees are not based on the percentage of assets. It’s relatively flat and low. But it does take time, money and effort. If you’re interested in...
Everyone Has An Estate Plan | Estate Planning TV 004
Everyone has an estate plan even if you haven’t created one yet. If you haven’t created your own, the government is going to create or has created one for you. This means a couple of things: a) it’s more expensive if the government does it; b) you don’t get to get any...
4 Essential Estate Planning Documents | Estate Planning TV 003
Today, we talk about more basics to lay the foundation for Estate Planning greatness – The 4 Essential Estate Planning Documents. 1. Power of Attorney. this is the document that allows someone, a person that you name, to manage your financial affairs if you are...
Three Hidden Benefits of Estate Planning | Estate Planning TV 002
Most people think estate planning is just taking care of things when you die. Most people would be wrong. On this episode of Estate Planning TV I’m going to talk about the three primary jobs of estate planning. 1. It gives you protection while you are alive....
Estate Planning TV 001 | Welcome to The Show!
Welcome to Episode 1 of Estate Planning TV! If you’ve been a long time fan of CMS Law Firm then you know we’ve been doing the Rich Life Lawyer Show for about a year now. Well, I kind of got tired of that. While the show was good, it just wasn’t good...
The TRUE Function of Estate Planning | #RichLifeLawyer Show 86
Estate planning is not just about distributing your assets to the next generation. It can be so much more. With a well thought out estate plan you have the opportunity to create legacy and build true generational wealth. To find out what I’m talking about AND...
The Problem with Appointing Siblings as Trustees | #RichLifeLawyer Show 85
Choosing a trustee is often a difficult problem for my clients. They want someone they can trust, someone that is organized, and someone that actually wants to do the job. For many people the simplest choice is one of their kids. Often there is one kid that stands out...
Fairness and Estate Planning Attorneys | #RichLifeLawyer Show 84
I love being an estate planning attorney. I get to help people plan for the future and I also get to help them in a great time of need. And sometimes those two worlds collide. And then all sorts of interesting things start happening. Estate planning is a lot like...
How to Create Temporary Guardians for Children | #RichLifeLawyer Show 83
Date nights should be an enjoyable experience. There should not be any underlying stress involved. But, as parents, you know there is always that lingering thought in the back of your mind as to what would happen if something would happen to you while out on date...
Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship vs. Tenancy in Common | #RichLifeLawyer Show 82
I had someone come into my office a while ago with a question. His brother had just passed away and they owned a property together. He thought the property was going to go to him – that’s what the brother wanted – but he wasn’t sure. I told him...
Do Changes to the Washington Uniform Power of Attorney Act Mean I Need a New Power of Attorney?
Imagine a scenario that happens to you every day. You are driving to work. You pull out of your driveway just like you do every day. You get on the highway just like you do every day. You think about the coming day, the soccer practice you have to take the kids to...
Equally Dividing Up Your Business At Death Is A Terrible Idea | #RichLifeLawyer Show 81
Equal does not always mean fair. That’s what we’re here to talk about today, to think about your family dynamics when you are thinking about how you are going to pass down your assets so everyone in the family has the best chance to succeed. When it comes...
3 Reasons Not To Have Kids Inherit a Business | #RichLifeLawyer Show 80
I am the proud father of three kids. I think it would be really amazing if one, or all of them, one day wanted to run my business. But that isn’t the default outcome for me, and it shouldn’t be for you either. Today we talk about three reasons not to have...
2017 Estate Tax Rates | Are You Vulnerable To Paying Tax?
I had a client recently hire the firm because his father had passed away. He had a will and that was it. He thought it would be a simple probate to pay any outstanding debts and then distribute the assets. And I thought the same thing too, until he told me how big his...
When is the Right Time to Start Business Succession Planning? | #RichLifeLawyer Show 79
In you own a business and are wondering when the right time to start business succession planning the answer is NOW! There are several components you should have in place before you even start your business, including a buy-sell agreement and contingency plan for...
You Are Not Special | #RichLifeLawyer Show 78
Yes, we’re all snowflakes, special little creatures with our own special talents and eccentricities. But there is one thing we all have in common – we’re all going to die someday. I don’t mean this in a morbid sense, but in a biological one. No...
5 Tips to Make Estate Planning Easier
Estate planning can be frustrating and scary; a lot of people don’t want to talk about preparing for when they are no longer around. And while it can be upsetting to some (though not me – I see it as an aspirational opportunity), it’s a necessity, and it’s...
The Importance of Disability Insurance | #RichLifeLawyer Show 77
Most people think disability insurance is covered by their employers and by the taxes they pay. This is not true! While your employer may provide you with some coverage in the event you are disabled and cannot work, this coverage is usually poorly suited to cover your...
Why Your IRA Is At Risk For Your Beneficiaries | #RichLifeLawyer Show 76
Whether you know this or not, your IRA, while you are alive, is protected from most creditors. It is protected from most lawsuits. It is protected from almost everything. This is not the case, however, when your kids or others inherit your IRA when you die. The...
How to Turn Your IRA Into a Retirement Plan For Your Kids | #RichLifeLawyer Show 75
Many people don’t realize that their IRA, if they don’t spend it all down in their lifetime, can be used to create a “pension” for their kids if they take a few simple steps to secure that set up. That’s what we talk about in...
Five Reasons Probate Takes So Long!
Probate is the process of settling the estate of a deceased person or “decedent”. It’s not a complicated process, and in many ways Washington State has one of the more streamlined probate systems in the United States, but it still can be long and frustrating. After...
3 Reasons to Contest a Will | #RichLifeLawyer Show 73
I get two kinds of calls all the time in the office related to contesting a will. The first kind of call comes from someone who believes they have been wronged by someone in their will. Imagine someone doesn’t get something they thought they had something coming...
Springing vs Durable Power of Attorney | #RichLifeLawyer Show 72
Many people don’t realize there are actually two different types of power of attorney. One type, the springing type, doesn’t actually exist until the person whom the power needs to be used for is incapacitated. The other type, durable, exists the moment...
How Do I Put My House in My Revocable Living Trust?
Bonnie and Clyde created a trust to ensure that when they passed away they no one would have to worry about probate and the people they cared about the most used the money and assets they were going to inherit in a way that actually benefited their lives. Or so they...
Letters of Administration Explained | #RichLifeLawyer Show 71
When someone dies and they have to go through probate to transfer their property to their heirs the court will at some point issue something called Letters of Administration. Today we are going to talk about what those are. The non-technical definition of Letters of...
IRA Estate Planning Problems | #RichLifeLawyer Show 70
When it comes to estate planning and IRA’s most people think simply designating a beneficiary to take the IRA when you pass is good enough. But that’s not exactly the case. There are a few reasons why this is a problem. First, the beneficiary has complete...
Estate Planning and the Fallacy of Delaying the Inevitable | #RichLifeLawyer Show 69
I had someone call me today who was in some trouble. Their husband had Alzheimer’s and had finally gotten to the point that they were no longer had full mental capacity. It was at that time that they realized there were certain things they wanted to do with...
3 Reasons to Avoid The Do It Yourself Will | #RichLifeLawyer Show 68
A lot of people out there think the do it yourself will is the way to go. They think they will be saving money. They think “how hard could it be?” What most people don’t think about is, “what if you get wrong?” What if your kids...
Why are Estate Planning Attorneys So Expensive? | #RichLifeLawyer Show 67
We all know estate planning attorneys are expensive – at least the good ones are – and at least the good ones are when things start to get complicated. But why? Why are estate planning attorneys so expensive? It’s pretty simple really – good...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 66: Divorce and Estate Planning
Imagine a scenario where your brother or sister is getting divorced. They are going through the process when your brother is tragically killed in an accident. Wouldn’t it be terrible to get the news that on top of having to deal with the tragic loss of your...
Who May Make a Will?
Hey everybody! I just wanted to give you this quick introduction to let you know exactly what this is. Because we want to be the best estate planning attorneys in the world, we are intentional about learning something new every day. One of the ways we do that is by...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 65: How to Hand Down Your Seahawks Tickets
In case you are wondering, no, you did not miss episode 64. I just forgot to call out a show as number 64! So, enjoy 65! This was an interesting question today on the listserve. Someone had a client who passed down their Seahawks tickets and the estate planning...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 63: Ideals vs. Preferences in Estate Planning for Children
On this of the show I talk about the importance of ideals vs. preferences when thinking about estate planning for children… When we are thinking about estate planning for children we often get ideals and preferences mixed up. For example, the ideal might be to...
I Got All Choked Up…
I have a weakness. I’m not proud of it, but it exists, and I own it 100%. If I have the chance, and I’m interested, I will binge watch an entire season of a show without thinking twice about it. In fact, it just happened to me. The show? Containment. The...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 62: Estate Planning and Two Families’ Different Paths
Vanderbilts and Rockefellers. One family created wealth that has lasted 6 plus generations and more than ten x’d their wealth. One family has no millionaires in it only 3 generations later… There’s nothing to say for this one. Watch the video or...
Presidential Politics and How to Take Action
This is an email newsletter I recently sent out to my people. If you want don’t want to miss this type of content, please subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here. No, don’t worry, this isn’t a political post. We’ve had plenty of those...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 61: How To Protect Beneficiaries In Trouble
In a perfect world everyone in our family would be perfect. But this isn’t a perfect world. Today’s episode talks about how to deal with beneficiaries in trouble (to make sure they get what they should but don’t waste what they...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 60: Gifting a Gift to a Sibling
On today’s show we discuss what happens when a parent gives everything to one child and that child feels obligated to give to their siblings… I had an interesting conversation the other day with a client. She had been given everything from her mother,...
#RichLifeLawyer Rant: Trump and Estate Planning
On this episode of the show I talk about the effect of the Trump Presidency on estate planning… Here’s the short version of the show: if you are rich, you are going to love Trump and estate planning. He wants to completely repeal the federal estate...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 59: How To Give Your Assets Away With A Will
On this episode of the show we talk about how to give specific assets away with your will… An important thing to remember here is that when you give your possessions away you need to think about what you want to happen if that person dies before you do. Does...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 58: How Long Can Creditors Call in Probate?
Today we talk about how long creditors can submit bills on an estate in probate… Imagine a scenario where you are personal representative of an estate. You do your best to accumulate all the bills, you talk to everyone who is entitled to get everything. You pay...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 57: How to Pick A Good Trustee
Picking a trustee isn’t like choosing any other position within your estate plan. This person needs to have their stuff together. Here’s how to pick a good trustee… When people think about who will fill the roles within their estate plan they often...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 56: How Long Does Probate Take?
In this episode of the show we talk about how long probate takes… If you’ve had a loved one pass away and are facing the prospects of having to go through probate, it can seem pretty daunting. You probably googled around and saw answers ranging from 9...
#RichLifeLawyer 55: Estate Planning and Temporary Guardians
On this episode of the show we talk about the importance of identifying temporary guardians… Before we get started, an important note – technically temporary guardians don’t exist in Washington State. What I mean is, there is no statutory provision...
#RichLifeLawyer Rant: Don’t Be Selfish
In this special rant episode of the show, I implore you… please don’t be selfish. Here’s the bottom line – don’t be selfish. As an estate planning lawyer I can’t tell you what to do. I can’t tell you what to think. I...
#RichLifeLawyer 54: How Does Home Ownership Effect Medicaid?
On this episode of the show we talk about how home ownership effect Medicaid… I was at a happy hour the other day, and as is want to happen, people started asking me all kinds of estate planning and elder law questions once they found out I was an estate...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 53: How To Get A Will Out Of A Safety Deposit Box
On this episode of the will I give you two ways to get a will out of a safety deposit box… Getting a will out of a safety deposit box may seem like an impossible task. You are hitting roadblock after roadblock. The bank is telling you no, you access the...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 52: The One Place You DO NOT Want To Store Your Will
On this episode of the show I talk about the one place you do NOT want to store your will… I’ve done will signing after will signing after will signing. At the end of each session, I always ask my clients, “Now that we’re done, what are you...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 51: The ONLY Way To Appoint Guardians For Your Kids
On this episode of the show I talk about the only way to appoint guardians for your kids (and it’s not what you are thinking)… A note on a paper napkin. A form purchased off the internet. Instructions to a loved one. I’ve heard of these and many more...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 50: Estate Planning Year End Gifts to Avoid Estate Tax
I was at an event thrown by some financial planners the other day and the topic presented was gifting. The talk itself centered on the importance of gifting and giving to charity and the joy it can bring the person doing the giving, with just a little bit of talk...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 049: Downside Of Do-It-Yourself Estate Planning Services
I was having a meeting with a potential client the other day and he told me an interesting story. He was asking me about the benefits and consequences of using a service like Legal Zoom to prepare estate planning documents. I told him what I think is the truth,...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 048: What Happens if You Die Without a Will
What Happens if You Die Without a Will Most people just assume that if you die without a will your people get your stuff. They assume it’s a simple process. They assume the money saved by not making a will and using an estate planning attorney goes to their...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 047: Why You Need a Will
We all know we need a will. This is WHY you need a will. Do you know who is going to take care of your kids if tragedy strikes? Do you know who is going to take care of the kids’ finances is tragedy strikes? Do you know who is going to manage your finances if...
Estate Planning: Fail To Prepare Then Prepare To Fail
Estate Planning: Fail To Prepare Then Prepare To Fail Over the course of the last 5 days or so I’ve been bombarded with messages about the “Storm of the Century” coming to Seattle. I’ve seen news coverage speaking of downed power lines....
#RichLifeLawyer Show 046: Estate Planning and Funding Your Trust
Estate Planning and Funding Your Trust The number one problem estate planning attorneys see with trusts is funding your trust, hands down. In this episode of the show I talk about how to fund your trust to make sure that it actually happens. Before we get to how to...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 45: What is Portability in Estate Planning?
What is Portability in Estate Planning? I’m often asked about portability in estate planning, though it isn’t usually by using the word “portability,” it’s usually by asking about estate taxes. What’s important to remember at the...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 44: How to Pick a Guardian When No Good Choices
How to Pick a Guardian When No Good Choices Today’s show didn’t necessarily originally start out about how to pick a guardian when there are no good choices, but the message fits in just as good. The main point is this – even your “okay”...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 43: Is Inherited Property Separate Property or Community Property?
Is Inherited Property Separate Property or Community Property? I had an interesting conversation today with someone who asked a question I think a lot of you might be wondering. But before I get to the story, I’ve got to provide a little context. This person...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 42: Estate Planning is NOT Death Planning
#RichLifeLawyer Show 42: Estate Planning is NOT Death Planning When most people think of estate planning they think of death planning. They think of the 4 D’s. 1. Divide 2. Dump 3. Defer 4. Dissipate This is death planning at it’s core. And it’s a...
Why I Am An Estate Planning Attorney
I think the reason people do things is important. It gives you an insight into what kind of job someone will do from you, particularly when talking about something so personal as your legacy. So I wanted to share why it is that I decided to become an estate planning...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 041: 3 Ways Estate Planning Can Help You That You Might Not Know
#RichLifeLawyer Show 041: 3 Ways Estate Planning Can Help You That You Might Not Know I’ve talked before about what most people think of when they think of estate planning (and why that is dead wrong – pun intended). Today I wanted to talk to you about...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 040: Why You Should Consult a Financial Planner
#RichLifeLawyer Show 040: Why You Should Consult a Financial Planner A lot people are afraid of financial planners. And I get that. Hiring a financial planner for a consultation brings up a lot of demons. First, you have to be honest about your finances – what...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 039: A Question For Every Estate Planning Attorney
#RichLifeLawyer Show 039: A Question For Every Estate Planning Attorney I wish all estate planning attorneys were created equal, but they’re not. Most want to get it right, they really do. But there are many different definitions of what the term...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 038: Reason #2 to Have a Trust – Protecting Your Kids From Themselves
#RichLifeLawyer Show 038: Reason #2 to Have a Trust – Protecting Your Kids From Themselves This is the second in our installment of endless reasons to have a trust (that don’t include avoiding probate. The one I’ve got today is another doozie. Just a...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 037: Reason #1 You Should Have a Trust – Credit Shelter
#RichLifeLawyer Show 037: Reason #1 You Should Have a Trust – Credit Shelter Let me start by saying the belief that one should have a trust just to avoid probate is a bit misguided. In fact, it is wrong. But, there are many many other reasons why you should have...
Estate Planning: Important But Not Urgent
Estate Planning: Important But Not Urgent I don’t think there is any doubt that you know that estate planning is important. You understand that a will, a trust, a power of attorney, or a lack thereof could change your life and the lives of our family forever. So...
You Are Going To Die…
You Are Going To Die… I hate to break it to you, but you are going to die. We all are. That we know. What we don’t know is when, or where, or how. But that’s okay, because we have free will. We have the ability to make choices. We can choose to get...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 036: The Number One Problem With Trusts In Estate Planning
#RichLifeLawyer Show 036: The Number One Problem With Trusts In Estate Planning In the last episode of the #RichLifeLawyer Show I told you how to avoid probate without using a trust. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think trusts are useful (I just don’t...
#RichLifeLawyer 035: 5 Ways to Avoid Probate Without a Trust
#RichLifeLawyer 035: 5 Ways to Avoid Probate Without a Trust Talk to most estate planning attorneys and they are going to tell you you need a trust for one primary reason – to avoid probate. What they may not tell you (especially if they aren’t good or...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 034: What is a Trust and How Does It Work?
#RichLifeLawyer Show 034: What is a Trust and How Does It Work? I figured today was a good day to get it back to basics. We already talked about how the presidential race could effect estate taxes. And we talked about how traditional estate plans fail to do what they...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 033: Presidential Politics and Estate Planning
#RichLifeLawyer Show 033: Presidential Politics and Estate Planning Watching Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump go toe to toe last night in their first debate got me thinking about the effect that president’s can have on estate planning and the approach one takes...
#RichLifeLawyerShow 032: The 4 D’s of a Traditional (Bad) Estate Plan
#RichLifeLawyerShow 032: The 4 D’s of a Traditional (Bad) Estate Plan Contrary to what most estate planning attorneys state, much of what estate planning is today is the formulaic entry of information into a form that is then signed and stored away until...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 031: Who Needs Estate Planning Anyway?
#RichLifeLawyer Show 031: Who Needs Estate Planning Anyway? Many people think estate planning is just for the rich. You would be wrong. Estate planning is and can be for everyone. Rich. Poor. Single. Married. Gay. Straight. Black. White. It makes no difference. There...
Legacy Over Currency
Today’s topic is one that gets to the heart of what estate planning is really all about. At the end of the day, do you care where your money goes if it results in your kids and their kids contributing nothing to society? Is it all worth it for you if your kids...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 030: Estate Planning and Your New Home
#RichLifeLawyer Show 030: Estate Planning and Your New Home I get asked questions about home ownership and estate planning all of the time. One of the common questions centers around the belief that if and when one purchases a new home that estate planning changes...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 029: Washington Estate Taxes Explained
Washington Estate Taxes Explained I get asked about this all the time, so I thought it was about time I broke this down for you. The estate tax system in Washington State, at it’s core, is pretty simple. If you die and your estate has more than $2,012,000 in it,...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 028: Should I Prorate Estate Taxes?
#RichLifeLawyer Show 028: Should I Prorate Estate Taxes? A question we get often at the firm is “should I prorate estate taxes?” Because it is such a frequent question (and because it really matters) I thought today would be a great day to answer it. Here...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 027: Designate One Person for All Estate Planning Roles?
#RichLifeLawyer Show 027: Designate One Person for All Estate Planning Roles? A common question we get when it comes to naming people to take care of clients’ estate planning needs is whether or not one person can be named to fill all estate planning roles....
#RichLifeLawyer Show 026: Estate Planning and Transfer on Death Designations
#RichLifeLawyer Show 026: Estate Planning and Transfer on Death Designations I run around with a few financial planners and whenever we meet up they tend to pepper me with estate planning questions. Whenever they ask me something I always file it away to talk about...
10 Reasons Your Estate Plan Might Be Out Of Date
I was having a conversation with a couple of people the other day and we were talking about what our true missions are when it comes to our businesses. When my turn came up I said “Look, at the end of the day everything is perfect if the client is making an...
#RichLifeLawyer 27 LIVE! Can I name one person for everything?
#RichLifeLawyer 27 LIVE! Can I name one person for everything? Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 26 live – fun with transfer on death designations!
#RichLifeLawyer Show 26 live – fun with transfer on death designations! Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 025: Estate Planning Lawyer vs. Estate Planning Web Forms
I get asked this question quite often, and in fact I literally got it to day. “Chris,” the client said, “why should someone use an estate planning attorney instead of those estate planning web forms?” “Great question,” I said....
Why should people use a lawyer instead of a website for estate planning? Find out now!
Why should people use a lawyer instead of a website for estate planning? Find out now! Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 016: Estate Planning Prices
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 016: Estate Planning Prices Today’s show covers something that everyone wants to know: how much do estate planning services actually cost? That’s a very fair question, and I have a very fair answer, though it may not be exactly what...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 25! Making your own decision in estate planning and life!
#RichLifeLawyer Show 25! Making your own decision in estate planning and life! Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
What it Means to “Fund” a Living Trust
What it Means to “Fund” a Living Trust I was having lunch yesterday with a couple of guys and we got to talking about how trusts work, their benefits, and why people in Washington State might want to have a trust. We talked about avoiding probate, making...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 023: Estate Planning Beneficiary Designations for Minor Children
#RichLifeLawyer Show 023: Estate Planning Beneficiary Designations for Minor Children Brian asks: What to do for beneficiary designation if client has minor children. Of course, spouse is primary, but with little kids how do you make them secondary. My understanding...
Recording #richlifelawyer show! Estate planning lawyer Q&A.
Recording #richlifelawyer show! Estate planning lawyer Q&A. Cheers, Christopher Small Estate Planning Attorney PS – Click here to schedule a FREE strategy session with an estate planning...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 015: Lean Estate Planning Case Management
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 015: Lean Estate Planning Case Management There are some estate planning lawyers out there who believe that the best case management system is just in time management: they simply work on what is the most pressing need at the time. I hate that...
Everyone has an Estate Plan… (Even You!)
Whenever I speak to groups of people (which seems to be happening more and more often) the first question I always ask is, “who here has an estate plan in place?” Typically about forty percent of the room raises their hands. And then I do something a...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 022: Why IRA’s are Bad for Estate Planning
#RichLifeLawyer Show 022: Why IRA’s are Bad for Estate Planning Imagine this scenario: you are 80 years old. You’ve lived a great life. You’ve saved all of your hard earned money and invested it into an IRA (individual retirement account). For the...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 014: Estate Planning Phone Calls
#RichLifeLawyer Show 014: Estate Planning Phone Calls Most estate planning lawyers have a terrible reputation when it comes to returning phone calls. It’s almost as though it’s a badge of honor that they are difficult to get in touch with. As if that makes...
Legacy Over Currency
Legacy Over Currency When I first started thinking about getting into estate planning I knew from the beginning I wanted my message to be about more than just money. Money is nice, yes, but there is study after study out that says after a certain amount of money one...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 021: Will No Contest Clauses Explained
Will No Contest Clauses Explained Whenever I have a hard time coming up with something to write about or talk about here I look to what’s happening with my clients. I think about their fears. I think about their decisions. I think about what’s important to...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 013: Estate Planning Law Firm Email Newsletter
Estate Planning Law Firm Email Newsletter Today I want to talk a little bit about my email newsletter. If you come into contact with CMS Law Firm you are very likely going onto our weekly email newsletter list. When you first get on the list you are going to get a...
When Everyone is Greedy Be Fearful, When Everyone is Fearful Be Greedy
When Everyone is Greedy Be Fearful, When Everyone is Fearful Be Greedy The title of this post is a quote attributed to Warren Buffet. If you don’t know who Warren Buffet is he’s widely regarded as the best financial analyst and stock picker of all time. Why does this...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 020: How to Make Changes to Your Will – Codicil
How to Make Changes to Your Will – Codicil Estate planning documents are not meant to be static. Things change. You may lose touch with a friend, have a disagreement with a relative, or your views on politics, religion, or medicine may change. Whatever the case...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 012: Estate Planning Document Storage Solutions
Estate Planning Document Storage Solutions Most estate planning attorneys focus on one thing – getting your documents created and getting you out of the door. What they fail to realize is that most people leave their estate planning attorney’s office after...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 011: Importance of Estate Planning Law Firm Systems
Importance of Estate Planning Law Firm Systems There are several things lawyers are known for: poor communication; being extremely “busy”; and not giving great service once you’ve signed up and paid your bill. There is one primary reason for this: poor estate planning...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 010: The John Howie of Estate Planning Law Firms
This episode of the show is a little different than previous episodes, and is a preview of what is to come. I have decided that I didn’t just want to talk about estate planning issues and stuff like that all of the time. I know how mystical it can all seem and I...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 009: Rental Home Protection with an LLC Mistakes
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 009: Rental Home Protection if Not Owned By Your LLC In today’s episode I answer a question that was recently posed to me by a real estate agent friend of mine about protecting your rental home with an LLC and a common way that property...
Own a Rental Home? An LLC is a Must
Own a Rental Home? An LLC is a Must This is a copy of my weekly email newsletter. As you can see I always try to give you information you can use right now to make your life better. Hello! I hope you’re having a great week. I’m doing great, though still...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 019: How to Protect Yourself from Your Rental Property
#RichLifeLawyer Show 019: Protect Yourself from Your Rental Property I run into people all the time who own a rental property or two. For decades we’ve all heard what a good investment real estate is. Whether or not it is may be up for debate (that is a topic...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 008: Humility and Great Estate Planning Attorneys
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 008: Humility and Great Estate Planning Attorneys Every day we are confronted with decisions. Should we do this, or should we do that? Should we call this person, or should we call that person? Without values, it can be difficult to know which...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 018: How Long Does it Take to Get a Will?
How Long Does it Take to Get a Will? Today’s show definitely falls into that “frequently asked questions” category so I wanted to make sure I took the time to answer it. Many people understand the usual course of putting together estate planning...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 007: Protecting Your Kids After 18 Years Old
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 007: Protecting Your Kids After 18 Years Old A lot of the talk estate planning attorneys do regarding safeguarding your kids is related to guardianship. We all know it’s important to have a plan in place so if something happens to you...
Estate Planning Lawyer Definitions: A-B Trust
Estate Planning Lawyer Definitions: A-B Trust Talk to any estate planning attorney long enough and you are sure to hear them mention the A-B trust. Today, you get to find out what that is. The A-B trust actually is two trusts instead of one, though they work together...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 017: Estate Planning Lawyer Truth Exposed
#RichLifeLawyer Show 017: Estate Planning Lawyer Truth Exposed There is a truth about estate planning that most estate planning attorneys don’t want you to know. It’s not because they are trying to specifically hide anything from you, it’s just that...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 006: Qualities of a Good Executor
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 006: Qualities of a Good Executor Basic estate planning requires a couple of things, and one of those things is naming an executor. Instead of letting you run around in the dark, or, maybe even worse, googleing around to find out who you should...
Important But Not Urgent: The Perpetual Estate Planning Problem
A 2015 survey by CNBC showed that 38% of individuals with investable assets over $1 million or more have not consulted with an estate planning attorney to establish and estate plan. Among individuals with $1 million to $5 million that number held steady at 39%. Among...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 016: Five Habits of the Super Rich (and how to adopt them)
#RichLifeLawyer Show 016: Five Habits of the Super Rich (and how to adopt them) In this episode of the #RichLifeLawyer Show we talk about the five habits of the super rich. Why are we doing this? Is it so that we can all become super rich? Nope. Is it to make you feel...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 005: Estate Planning with a New Kid
#RichLifeLawyer Show 005: Estate Planning with a New Kid I have some big news. Huge. Last Monday, on May 2, 2016, I had my third kid. His name is Dillon. He’s awesome already. And, as is usual, my life makes excellent content when it comes to estate planning....
Did Prince Actually Make a Bad Estate Planning Decision?
In case you didn’t know, my wife and I just had our third kid, Dillon Steven Small, on May 2, 2016 at 8:29 a.m. You would think this would be a joyous occasion for all. But it wasn’t necessarily so. See, we had a c-section for Dillon, just like we did with...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 015: Three Qualities of Financially Successful People
#RichLifeLawyer Show 015: Three Qualities of Financially Successful People On this episode of the show we’re talking about how to become financially successful. I think what you’ll find as we go through these qualities is something surprising. First, there...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 004: How to Give Your Money Away to People You Don’t Like
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 004: How to Give Your Money Away to People You Don’t Like No, that’s not a misprint in the title of this show. Today we are going to talk about how to give you money to people you don’t like. Don’t think it’s...
Estate Planning Attorney Definitions: Executor
Estate Planning Attorney Definitions: Executor Most people have heard of the term “executor” as relates to estate planning. But do you really know what it is and what they do? Today you will! What is an executor? An executor is someone named in a will, or...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 014: Productivity Tips of Successful People
#RichLifeLawyer Show 014: Productivity Tips of Successful People Ever feel like you go all day, look up, and you’ve accomplished little of actual value? Feel like you are spending all of your time responding to emails, putting out fires, and doing what everyone...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 003: Three Cornerstones of a Rich Life
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 003: Three Cornerstones of a Rich Life Every conversation I have surrounding estate planning starts with one thing: the three cornerstones of a rich life. Now, these three things aren’t necessarily going to make you rich or make you...
Estate Planning Attorney Definitions: Testator
Estate Planning Attorney Definitions: Testator “Testator” is a term you will hear over and over again in estate planning. It is usually referred to when talking about wills. The reason you hear the word testator when you are talking about wills is because...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 013: Three Ways to Get Out of a Rut
I love talking about estate planning, about wealth creation, about legacy, and about family. But I also love learning about and talking about personal development. It all goes back to that safety warning you hear before your plane takes off. “If the oxygen masks...
Trusts: Everything You Need to Know
Trusts: Everything You Need to Know When it comes to trusts I think the best place to start is at the beginning. Let’s talk about what a trust actually is. The best way to describe a trust is like a separate box where you can put anything you want and create a...
Wills: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
Wills: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know Before we get going I want to warn you: this is going to be long. And, by the way, if you ever ask yourself “do I need an estate planning lawyer to put together my will?” then this post will probably demonstrate,...
Guardianship: If You Don’t Choose A Judge Will
Guardianship: If You Don’t Choose A Judge Will I have two kids, Blakely and Jackson. I have a third on the way (here VERY soon). I could not imagine a life without my kids. I can not imagine leaving my kids before I’m good and ready to. But tragedies...
Business Succession Planning: Leaving a Multi-Generational Legacy
Business Succession Planning: Leaving a Multi-Generational Legacy One of the reasons I decided to become an estate planning attorney was to help business owners leave more than a pile of rubble when they pass away. I am a business owner myself. I’ve owned this...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 002: How to Choose a Guardian for Your Children
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 002: How to Choose a Guardian for Your Children I’ve helped a ton of people with their estate plans and a question I often get, and in fact, a question that often holds people up from taking action at all is: How Do I Choose a Guardian...
Estate Planning Lawyer Definitions: Inter Vivos
Estate Planning Lawyer Definitions: Inter Vivos This is a little segment I’m going to do called “Estate Planning Lawyer Definitions.” It’s easy for us to throw around terms all the time and expect people to know what they mean when in fact they...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 012: Five Success Principles
#RichLifeLawyer Show 012: Five Success Principles Success is possible for all of us. As an estate planning attorney I’ve seen people go from nothing to everything by following a few simple ideas. These are those ideas. To get that and more, just listen to the...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 011: Five Ways to Get Cash Now
#RichLifeLawyer Show 011: Five Ways to Get Cash Now No one ever wants to be in a cash crunch. But it happens. Maybe the IRS handed you a bill you weren’t expecting, or your car suffered a catastrophic failure. No matter the reason, sometimes you just need cash....
Do You Know What Your Spouse Is Making? You Should.
We as human beings are so funny. We have so many personality quirks and eccentricities. We are all so different. One of the things that makes us different from one another are our pasts and the family values we were raised with. One of these family values is our...
10 Things Estate Planning Can Do For You
I know you know you need to have an estate plan together. We all know it. We all get that it’s important. Yet so few of us have it (including me until very recently, and quite truthfully, NOT at the time that I wrote this article). Why is estate planning so...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 010: How to Manage Your Accountant
On this week’s edition of the show we’re talking about how to manage your accountant. Remember, they are here to help you. To find out how to get the most out of your accountant, watch the video! Hello everybody and welcome to episode number ten of The...
What is Intestacy? Estate Planning Lawyer Definitions
What is Intestacy? Let’s start with the legal definition: Intestacy is the condition of the estate of a person who dies owning property whose value is greater than the sum of their enforceable debts and funeral expenses without having made a valid will or other...
What is an “Estate”?
We talk about estate planning all the time here at the office, but I don’t if I’ve ever taken the time to talk about or explain what an “estate” really is. I guess if you’re going to talk about estate planning, you should define the main...
#RichLifeLawyer Episode 009: How to Manage Your Financial Planner
As an estate planning attorney I know how easy it is to get blinders on when it comes to counseling my clients. It takes a special level of concentration to make sure each client is achieving their specific goals, not the ones I think they should be achieving. The...
Do It Yourself Will from a Kirkland Estate Planning Lawyer
A couple of days ago I talked about what a trust is. Here’s the deal – don’t try to do a trust on your own. You are going to mess it up. But, maybe you can do a will on your own. And I’m a kirkland estate planning lawyer, so you know I know...
Net Worth and Estate Planning – What You Need to Know
Here at Rich Life Lawyer we aren’t all about giving away your money when you die. We want you to build it up and spend a little of it on yourself while you’re here. Before you can do either of those things you need to have a baseline. You need to know...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 008: How to Manage Your Estate Planning Attorney
Managing your estate planning attorney is all about two things. First, it’s about picking the right estate planning attorney for you. Second, it’s about understanding what your estate planning attorney’s job really is (it’s not to specifically...
What is a Trust? A Kirkland Estate Planning Lawyer Explains.
If you have been thinking about doing some estate planning you have probably come across the trust. If you are here, then you probably aren’t sure exactly what it is. That’s okay. I’m here to help you out. The Easy Explanation as Told by a Kirkland...
What is an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT)? Kirkland Estate Planning Attorney Knowledge
Yes, this is another one of those informational posts. Today we’re talking about the irrevocable life insurance trust. Here’s the way I see these posts. Have you ever played a sport? Ever played an instrument? Ever really learned a subject really in depth?...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 007: Your Five Person Advisory Council (Estate Planning Lawyer Edition)
Have you ever seen the movie Entourage? The gist of the movie is this: the lead actor is an up and coming movie star and he’s got four buddies that are helping him get there, an advisory council. One buddy is his manager. Another is in charge of public...
10 Steps of the Washington State Probate Process
Note the “Washington State” in the title. Although this process is likely very similar in other states, each state has its own rules. Make sure you know the rules in your state before you get started. Either via some tragedy or the normal course of life,...
Estate Planning Attorney Milestone: Two Million Net Worth
Who cares about the two million net worth? If you live in Washington State, you do. Once you get over 2 million dollars in assets everything is taxed at 19%. Think that’s a long way away for you and your family? Guess again. Here’s how easy it is to get to...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 006: Pay Debt or Save? Which Should You do First?
Today we’re going to answer that universal question: pay debt or save? You’ve finally gotten that job that gives you a little extra money left over after taking care of your bills, food, etc., and you are thinking about what to do with it. You’ve got...
Want Your Loved Ones to Squander Their Inheritance? Do This.
When you think of think of what life will be like for your family when you are gone, what do you picture? Do you imagine a fulfilling life of success? Do you imagine your family taking the wealth you leave them and combining that with the lessons you’ve taught...
What is Probate?
If you’ve ever heard or any famous people dying in the news or have had a loved one close to you pass away you probably heard the term “probate” dished around a lot. Probate is the court-supervised legal procedure that: Determines the validity of...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 005: Three Ways to Keep From Losing Your Home
We all want to protect our families, and one of the most fundamental ways we do that is putting a roof over their heads. There is nothing that makes us feel safer than having a home to go to. But, if tragedy strikes, your home can be one of the first things to be...
Will Creation Minimum Net Worth?
Most people know they need to have a will at some point, but when? Is there a certain amount of money you should have to your name (net worth) before you have a will made? Is it a waste of money to have a will made if you don’t own many valuable things? If You...
How Can I Protect My Passwords and Give Access if Something Happens to Me?
One of the things we don’t often think about but that is critical to our existence is our online presence. It’s not just the bank account login that you have. Think about your electronic life. Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Email. Snapchat. Your iPhone....
#RichLifeLawyer Show 004: Five Financial Planning Mistakes You Are Making
If you are like most of the people I know you probably haven’t spent a ton of time thinking about financial planning. And because of that you are making these financial planning mistakes. Sure, you have thought about retirement and paid slight attention when the...
5 Ways to Keep Kids From Blowing Inheritance
“I’m not leaving my kids anything.” I wasn’t expecting to hear that from Tom, but I completely understood his point of view. “I don’t want them to waste all of my money, become lazy, and never amount to anything in their...
What is a Pay On Death Account?
A pay on death account is a special type of bank account that allows for all of the money in that account to pass to the named beneficiary of the account without having to go through the probate process. When the person who owns the account dies, the person named to...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 003: Three Ways You are Sabotaging Your Financial Success
We all deserve to live a rich life. We all deserve to achieve financial success (whatever that means to you). And we all do things every day to get in the way of reaching our financial goals and living a rich life. In this episode of the #RichLifeLawyer Show...
What is a Will (and Why do I Need One)?
Imagine this scenario. You are married, but your spouse has passed away. You are 75 years old. You have two kids, Jack and Jill. Jill is a great person. College graduate. Married. Has kids of her own. Has a career. You talk to her every week and visit at least three...
How to Make A Million Dollars Without Even Trying
Believe it’s impossible to make one million dollars in your lifetime? With the power of compound interest, anything is possible. There was once a man on his deathbed. He had two sons he loved very much. The man had been very successful in his life and had a lot...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 002: Read and Grow Rich
This is one of my favorite topics. I am a total bookworm, I cannot get enough of it. I’m reading books on everything. Law, obviously. Management. Leadership. Wealth. Strategy. Finance. Marketing. All of it. Those are the things I’m interested in. But you...
What Do You Need to Create Your Estate Plan?
There isn’t a lot of crazy information in this one. It’s just a list. One thing I do want to point out, though is that this list is not like other estate planning attorneys’ lists. We don’t just fill in blanks here. We create wealth and protect...
“Community Property” and Estate Planning
Washington State is a community property state. Most of the time that designation has no effect on your life. You can buy and sell whatever you want, move wherever you want, and do whatever you want. But it does matter sometimes in a HUGE way. Joey and Madeline and...
#RichLifeLawyer Show 001: Family Protection With No Savings
Hey everybody, this is Christopher Small and this is episode number one of the #RichLifeLawyer Show and I’m excited to be here with you today! If you’re here at the beginning, that’s great. If you’re here and you’re watching episode fifty...
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 001:Welcome to the Show!
#RichLifeLawyer Podcast 001:Welcome to the Show! Funny thing about this podcast episode – I actually created it on April 8, 2016. But, I had to backdate it to make it (hopefully) show up first in the podcast feed. These podcast episodes may or may not have a lot...
Do You Even Care What Happens to Your Family When You Die? Estate Planning 101
When you think about it, it’s really an interesting question, and so many people answer that question “no.” If you’re raising your hands in anger right now, let me ask you a few questions. Do you have a will? Do you have a trust? Have you done...
5 Reasons I Chose to Become an Estate Planning Attorney
I wasn’t always an estate planning attorney. I’ve practiced at small, general practice firms doing a little bit of everything. I’ve worked for the government. I’ve focused on criminal defense and personal injury. But I just can’t seem to...