Archives for August 2022

Five Ways Life Insurance Can Help With Estate Planning

When you pass your loved ones can face many expenses, which may include funeral expenses, debts that may reduce the assets for your heirs and final taxes, which can include back taxes and taxes for the year in which you die. Life insurance can help your loved ones cover these expenses, which can be very advantageous if the estate holds real estate or other assets that take time to be liquidated to cash. As reported by moneygeek.com, even though over 70% of Americans surveyed think life insurance is a necessity, only about half of Americans actually have some kind of life insurance. As with other types of estate planning, the statistics often show that there is more commitment to the idea that it needs to get done than to the effort to follow through, but in the case of life insurance, the work to get it is often fairly minimal, with some sites offering instant policies . This article will highlight some of the ways life insurance can be part of an estate plan.

  • Payment of Estate Taxes

Federal estate tax applies to the gross estate of the person who has died and must be paid within 9 months after the death of an owner. Proceeds of a life insurance policy can pay these taxes. Life insurance policies are generally not subject to income taxes.

  • Estate Equalization

A life insurance policy can help fill in the gap where there are assets that are not liquid but you want each child to get an equal share. For example, if one child received a farm or a home, where the child receiving that asset does not want to sell it or break it up, then the life insurance policy can help the other child or children get an equal share, where liquidating the asset would have a negative consequence to its value.

  •  Business Asset Coverage

If you die, the surviving business owners will receive death benefits and your family will get the payment for your interest in the company.

  •  Quicker Payouts.  

The death benefit of a life insurance policy can be claimed immediately, which makes is helpful for paying out expenses and lessening the financial burden on your family.

  •  Special purposes

Life insurance proceeds can be dedicated for a special purpose, like divorce obligations for spousal or child support or to providing continuing support for a minor, a child with special needs or an aging adult.

CONSULT THE LAW OFFICE OF DAVID KNECHT

Life insurance is one of many estate planning tools to choose from, so it is important to create a customized plan that is right for your goals, assets and loved ones. If you want to get started on an estate plan, contact the Law Office of David Knecht. Call us at 707-451-4502. We have extensive experience in estate planning.

 

Filed Under: Estate Planning, Estates

How to Get Your Separate Property Down Payment Back

A situation that arises fairly often in a California divorce is when separate property is used for a down payment of a house and then community property funds is used to pay the mortgage, and the question arises how to get that separate property down payment back. Section 2640 of the California Family Code answers this question.

 

What types of contributions are covered by Section 2640?

  • Down payments
  • Payments for improvements
  • Payments that reduce the principal of a loan used to finance the purchase or improvement of the property

What types of contributions are not covered by Section 2640?

  • Payments of interest on the loan
  • Payments made for maintenance, insurance or taxes on the property

What is the process?

 

  • The law requires tracing, which means that you need to prove that the funds came from either separate property or were inherited, which can be shown various ways such as bank statements or providing the will. 

 

 What are the exceptions?

  • The exceptions are a transmutation in writing (agreement between the spouses about the character of the property)  or a written waiver of the right to reimbursement. 

 

  • The amount reimbursed must be without interest or adjustment for change in monetary values and cannot exceed the net value of the property at the time of the division. 

 

Consult the Law Office of David Knecht

If you need help getting your separate down payment back in a California divorce, or if you need assistance in any other aspect of divorce in California, contact us at the Law Office of David Knecht at 707-451-4502. We have extensive experience in family law.  

 

Filed Under: Contract Law, Criminal Law

High Profile Estate Cases

There have been some very interesting high profile estate cases lately, and this article will highlight a few that have been in the news. They show the importance of estate planning and also good communication with loved ones. 

 

Prince’s estate is finally settled after 6 years.

  • Prince did not leave a will, which lead to a legal battle over his estate.
  • Prince’s lawyer, L. Londell McMillan, is quoted as saying that he is “relieved and thrilled to finally be done with the Probate Court system and bankers who do not know the music business and did not know Prince.”
  • The Estate was valued at 156.4 million dollars. 
  • A Minnesota judge has approved a deal that will divide the estate evenly between two legal entities, one of which is controlled by Prince’s half siblings

 

  • Read the full story here: 

 

Country singer, Naomi Judd left her daughters out her will. 

  • Naomi Judd, of the Grammy-winning duo, the Judds, died at 76 of suicide. 

 

  • The Judds were soon to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame at the time of her death. 

 

  • The country music singer named her husband as executor of the estate with full authority and discretion to do as he sees fit with the estate. 

 

 

The Estate of Michael Jackson has made $2 B in 13 years since his death

  • As reported by the Sun, Michael Jackson’s estate has made 2 billion dollars in the years since his death, despite being homeless in some of his final months. 

 

  • What is the reason for the turn around? Recall that at the time of Michael Jacksons death, Neverland was facing foreclosure. As per estate lawyer Jeryll S. Cohen: “The Executors have been able to create exceptional and unique opportunities that did not exist at the time of Michael Jackson’s death to generate substantial revenue…”

 

Consult the Law Office of David Knecht

The mishaps and successes of the rich and famous highlight the need for proper estate planning when many assets are involved, but estate planning is also important for the average person who wants to make sure that their loved ones know their wishes and properly divide what they leave behind. If you are interested in getting started on an estate plan, or if you need help updating an existing plan, please contact the Law Office of David Knecht at 707-451-4502. We have extensive experience in estate planning and can help you make decisions that are right for your loved ones and you. 

Filed Under: California Estate Plan

2022 Estate Planning Statistics

If you have not yet made time for estate planning or if you have put off updating an existing plan, you are not alone. Recent research published at caring.com indicates that although more than half of Americans think a will is important, less than 33% have a will or a trust in place. That means 2 out of 3 Americans are not covered with an estate plan. This article will highlight other interesting findings from the caring.com research and suggest ways to move forward with estate planing. 

What are some of the most interesting findings from the 2022 study? 

  • 50% more young adults now have estate planning documents since pre-pandemic
  • The typical reason cited for not estate planning amongst young people is lack of assets
  • Other reasons cited for not estate planning are 
    • Not knowing how to do a will 
    • Concerns that the process is too expensive
  • For those with the highest earnings, the main reason for delay is just simply procrastination – not getting around to it
  • Higher education correlates with seeking estate planning – about half of those with a postgraduate degree have a plan in place

 Inflation concerns may be another key factor for estate planning delay in 2022.

 What does the research show are the first steps to estate planning? 

  • The most common first step that respondents indicated was talking to a loved one. 
  • Online research was also an initial step.

What are the three main estate planning documents highlighted in the caring.com research? 

  • Wills – this is the most common type of estate document according to the survey. It can be used to divide property, guardianship, debts and more. 
  • Trusts – according to the caring.com article, trusts are useful to avoid probate, provide more support than wills for larger estates or for those who might expect a disability. A trust can take effect during life, as opposed to a will, that determines rights at death. A trust is typically more complex and expensive than a will.   
  • Advanced directives – this provides a person’s wishes regarding end of life or what happens in the event of incapacity. They are intended to take effect during life, not at death. The survey found that only 1 in 5 people knew what an advanced healthcare directive is, which indicates lack of education on this important estate planning component. 

Consult the Law Office of David Knecht

If you are one of the many people in California who need to get started on estate planning, then you would benefit from using an attorney with experience in estate planning in California. Contact Law Office of David Knecht. Call us at 707-451-4502. We have extensive experience with estate planning and can help you. 

Filed Under: Contract Law, Estate Planning, Estates