Do I Need a Tax ID for my Trust?
A very common question I hear when people sign their trust is, “Do I need to get a tax ID for my trust?” In most cases the answer is no. Let me explain why. In estate planning, the most common kind of trust is the revocable grantor trust (there are a few other names for it, but let’s...
Top Blog Posts of 2022
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. In keeping with tradition, this final blog post of the year highlights the blog articles that got the most attention this past year. I hope you enjoy this trip down Memory Lane! Top blog posts for 2022 How Do I Put a Copyright Into My Trust? (link: https://www.kawaylaw.com/news/how-do-i-put-a-copyright-into-my-trust/) Celebrity Horror...
What To Do When You’ve Been Disinherited?
I have been contacted on multiple occasions by prospective clients who learned after a loved one’s death that they would inherit nothing from the deceased person (decedent). This can be a very painful discovery, particularly if the decedent and the prospect were spouses or close family members. Not surprisingly, the prospect wants to inherit what they feel they...
Can I Reverse-Engineer this Design?
My sister inspired this blog article when she noticed a trend in the knitting world. She saw several social media posts where knitters saw a design they liked, reverse-engineered it, and then gave away the pattern or offered it for sale. She asked me about the legality of this practice, and it reminded me of stories I heard...
Estate Administration Basics: What to Do After a Loved One Dies
Estate Administration Basics: What To Do After a Loved One Dies Losing a loved one is one of the most emotional times a person can go through. Dealing with their material possessions (i.e. the estate) shouldn’t be an additional burden, but it frequently is. Most people have no idea where to begin the process of sorting through accounts...