Though most people are aware of the need to have a will in advance of their death, there are many who neglect to do so, leaving their loved ones unsure as to what their wishes were regarding their estate. Even the estates of those individuals who have planned carefully and…

There are a number of circumstances in the course of daily life when you may have need of a Power of Attorney, including when you need to sell a car or your home. Generally speaking, the paperwork that is signed in these types of scenarios is limited to those specific…

Few people like to think about their own mortality, or what will happen after they are gone, but doing so is an important part of the responsibility of being an adult. If you own assets and do not have a plan in place for how you would like them dispersed…

When planning for the long term future, many people are interested in making sure that their philanthropic interests are addressed and the charities that they are passionate about receive a portion of their assets. There are a variety of ways to address this while working on an estate plan, but…

The IRS recently announced the inflation adjusted figures for gift and estate tax exemption amounts for 2016 as well as other related tax numbers. End of year tax planning is a good time to review your overall estate and income tax plan to make certain you are on the right…

Last week, we published the first in a series offering expertise and guidance about how to protect your loved ones as they age. This week’s post offers advice on how to have an important conversation with your elderly loved one about estate planning. As always, contact Rothamel Bratton with any…

Planning for how your assets will be distributed and passed on after death is difficult enough without having to worry about how your online assets will be transferred. The world we live in today is constantly evolving, with more and more people relying on the Internet in their daily lives….

We get the question all the time, what about these online “do it yourself” estate planning websites? Seems enticing right? Our answer is always simple…they breed mistakes! These generic online documents are designed for a “one-size-fits-all” scenario, however, we all know every situation is unique. We recently came across an…

There are at least three certainties in life: death, taxes and change. As we age and experience change, or laws change, it’s critical to reevaluate our plans for the future and where our loved ones or our goals (old and new) fit into them. This begs the question: when was…

Attorney Charles “Chris” Bratton recently earned a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree in Estate Planning and Elder Law from Western New England University School of Law. The LL.M designation is an internationally recognized postgraduate law degree, indicating advanced legal training; in this case in Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Taxation….