The One Big Beautiful Bill introduced major tax changes that create new opportunities for business owners—but only if you know how to use them. From permanent 100% bonus depreciation and the Section 199A deduction to improved business interest deductions and immediate expensing for domestic research and development, these changes affect far more than your tax return. They can influence your entity structure, insurance coverage, financial decisions, and long-term planning. Learn what changed, what it means for your business, and the steps you should take now to make sure every part of your plan works together. READ MORE
Posts Categorized: Trusts
Trump Accounts: What Every Parent of a Baby Born 2025–2028 Needs to Know
The new Trump Account gives eligible children born between 2025 and 2028 a federally funded $1,000 investment account—but that’s only the beginning. Learn how these new accounts work, who qualifies, and why they should be coordinated with your family’s estate plan to help protect your child’s future. READ MORE
Asset Protection Trusts for Business Owners: Getting It Done Before the Window Closes (Part 3)
The best time to protect your business and personal assets is before a lawsuit or creditor claim ever appears. Learn how an asset protection trust works across the legal, insurance, financial, and tax systems—and why waiting too long can leave everything you’ve built exposed. READ MORE
When Your Spouse Won’t Get on Board with Estate Planning: What to Do Now
When one spouse is ready for estate planning and the other isn’t, it’s easy to feel stuck. Learn why spouses resist planning, what legal risks come with waiting, and the practical steps you can take now to protect your family—even before you’re fully aligned. READ MORE
Asset Protection Trusts for Business Owners: Who Needs One and When to Act (Part 2)
Not every business owner needs an asset protection trust – but for those with growing personal wealth and increasing liability exposure, planning before a claim arises can make all the difference. Learn who should consider a lifetime asset protection trust, what life events should trigger the conversation, and why timing is one of the most important parts of protecting what you’ve built. READ MORE
What Happens to Debt When You Die: What Families Must Know
Many families assume they automatically inherit a loved one’s debt – but that’s not usually how it works. Learn when debt belongs to the estate, when survivors may be responsible, and how a comprehensive estate plan can help protect your family from unnecessary financial stress after a loss. READ MORE
Asset Protection Trusts for Business Owners: How They Work (Part 1)
Business success can also bring greater legal and financial risk. Learn how an asset protection trust may help business owners safeguard assets from future creditor claims and why proactive planning matters. READ MORE
Succession Planning: New Tax Law Limit Hits Small Trusts.
The new tax law permanently increases the federal estate tax exemption, but it also introduces a lesser-known rule that may increase taxes for many trusts. If your business succession plan includes a trust, now is the time to review whether it still works the way you intended. READ MORE
Your Heir Is Already in the Building: What Has to Be in Place Before the Transition Happens.
Many business owners assume their child will naturally take over the family business. But without proper succession planning, ownership disputes, probate delays, tax issues, and family conflict can threaten everything you’ve built. Learn what needs to be in place before the transition happens. READ MORE
Divorce Doesn’t Update Your Estate Plan: Here’s What Does
Many divorced parents assume their divorce decree takes care of everything. It doesn’t. Learn why estate planning after divorce is essential to protect your children, update beneficiaries, and ensure your wishes are carried out. READ MORE
Blended Families, Family Businesses: Why the Plan Has to Be Intentional
Business owners in blended families face unique planning challenges. Without a coordinated estate and succession plan, default legal rules can create unintended consequences, family conflict, and uncertainty about the future of the business. Learn why intentional planning is critical to protecting the people and the legacy you’ve worked so hard to build. READ MORE
The Father the Law Doesn’t See: What Stepfathers and Father Figures Need to Know
Many stepfathers and father figures spend years raising, supporting, and loving children who are not legally their own. Yet without proper estate planning, the law may not recognize the family they’ve built. Learn how wills, guardianship designations, healthcare authorizations, and trust planning can help protect your role and ensure the people you care about are provided for. READ MORE
The Business Your Dad Built: What Happens to It When He Can’t Show Up?
Many business-owner fathers spend years building a successful company but never create a plan for what happens if they can no longer lead it. Without proper business succession planning, families can face probate, ownership disputes, lost business value, and uncertainty during an already difficult time. Learn how the right legal, insurance, financial, and tax strategies can help protect your business and the people who depend on it. READ MORE
The Question Every Father Thinks He’s Answered (But Hasn’t)
Most fathers believe they’ve answered the question of who would raise their children if something happened to them. But unless that decision is legally documented, it may ultimately be left to a court. In this article, an estate planning attorney explains why naming guardians, planning for the first 72 hours after an emergency, and creating a comprehensive Life & Legacy Plan® are some of the most important ways a parent can protect their children and preserve their future. READ MORE
The 1099 You Shouldn’t Send: The Summer Hiring Mistake That Follows You Into April
Many business owners hire seasonal help during the summer and assume a 1099 solves everything. But worker classification is based on the actual working relationship, not the label on the paperwork. As an attorney, I help business owners understand the legal, insurance, financial, and tax consequences of worker misclassification before a temporary hire turns into a costly problem months later. READ MORE