How do Entities Enter Estate Planning?
More and more families own property, assets, and businesses together. Using an entity to govern operations provides stability by allowing continued operation upon the death of an owner. When the governing agreement and estate planning documents of a deceased owner conflict, unintended, potentially litigious, results occur. Read on to learn more.
Drafting and Emergencies – Plan Proactively!
Individuals who undertake Estate Planning want to ensure that their plan works the way it’s intended. When clients neglect to consider Estate Planning on a regular basis, they set themselves up for failure. Waiting until an emergency arises almost guarantees that the plan will fail when needed the most. Estate Planning completed under duress can lead to unfavorable results. Read on to learn more.
Interest Rates and Estate Planning – Part II

As interest rates continue to climb, Estate Planning practitioners look to different planning techniques to take advantage of rising rates. Two common estate planning techniques work well in higher-interest rate environments.
Interest Rates and Estate Planning – Part I

Interest rates were at historic lows for many years. Those rates have begun to rise in recent months and may continue to do so. Practitioners need to monitor interest rates in order to advise clients regarding the most effective Estate Planning strategies in any environment.
Love and Your Estate

Instead of thinking about chocolates or flowers this Valentine’s Day, let’s focus on a practical way to demonstrate our love by creating an Estate Plan. If you don’t yet have an estate plan, now’s a great time to make an appointment with an Estate Planning attorney to talk about your particular situation, along with your goals and any long-term concerns that you may have. If you already have an Estate Plan, demonstrate your love by ensuring that the plan accomplishes your objectives. If the plan needs updating, make an appointment with a qualified Trusts and Estates practitioner to review the documents and make recommendations for you.
Lessons from Lisa Marie

Regular readers of this blog often see articles regarding the latest celebrity whose death created a mess because their Estate Plan failed to properly protect the celebrity’s family and loved ones. It seems that an individual with fame and money could easily avoid that result; however, that’s not always the case. The fallout caused by inadequate Estate Plans of celebrities provides great lessons for Estate Planning practitioners and their clients because the drama unfolds on a public stage. Tragically, Lisa Marie Presley died on January 12, 2023 and her death marks yet another celebrity Estate Plan gone wrong.
Jimmy Carter – What is hospice care? What are its goals?
We here at the Slaton Schauer Law Firm, PLLC were deeply saddened by the news that Jimmy Carter is in poor health. You may have heard that President Carter has gone home to live out his remaining months. For those who are unfamiliar with hospice care, it is a term for healthcare oriented more […]
The Not-So Transparent Corporate Transparency Act

Estate Planning attorneys need to understand multiple issues ranging from taxes to asset protection to create a comprehensive estate plan. Passage of the Corporate Transparency Act adds yet another layer to the already complex world of Estate Planning. Beginning on January 1, 2024, any company that qualifies as a Reporting Company needs to file a report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regarding its Beneficial Owners and individuals who helped register the Reporting Company. The provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act are designed to help prevent and combat money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption, tax fraud, and other illicit activity.