Estate Planning Overview
Estate Planning Resources
Related Practice Areas
Estate planning arranges for the transfer of an individual's estate at the time of death. An estate consists of all property owned at death before it is distributed by will, trust, or intestacy laws. An estate may contain both real property (real estate, including houses and investment properties) and personal property (all other property, including bank accounts, securities, jewelry and automobiles). Typically, the process of estate planning involves extensive consultation with a number of professional advisors, including lawyers, financial counselors, accountants and life insurance representatives.
Purpose of Estate Planning
Estate planning benefits those with large estates, as well as those with modest assets. Creating an estate plan ensures that all property will be distributed according to the personal wishes of the deceased, and that those who are benefiting from the estate receive the largest distribution possible with a minimum amount of delay. Specifically, estate planning allows an individual to decide exactly who will benefit from their estate, and to what extent. Estate planning also ensures that the estate will not be destroyed by taxes imposed on the transfer of assets at death. In addition to providing financial security, estate planning encourages individuals to make important decisions, such as appointing a guardian for minor children, choosing healthcare preferences, and securing funeral arrangements.
Show Extended SummaryLegislation 
- Bill Introduced: H.Con.Res.323 Expressing Congressional support for the goals and ideals of ...
Expressing Congressional support for the goals and ideals of National Health Care Decisions Day.
(April 6, 2008) - Bill Introduced: S.Con.Res.73 A concurrent resolution expressing Congressional support for the ...
A concurrent resolution expressing Congressional support for the goals and ideals of National Health Care Decisions Day.
(April 1, 2008) - Bill Enacted: S.J.Res.25 A joint resolution providing for the appointment of John W. ...
A joint resolution providing for the appointment of John W. McCarter as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution.
March 14, 2008: Became Public Law No: 110-197.
(March 12, 2008) - Bill Introduced: H.J.Res.77 Expressing Congressional support for the goals and ideals of ...
Expressing Congressional support for the goals and ideals of National Health Care Decisions Day.
(March 10, 2008) - Bill Introduced: S.J.Res.29 A joint resolution expressing Congressional support for the goals ...
A joint resolution expressing Congressional support for the goals and ideals of National Health Care Decisions Day.
(March 10, 2008)
Articles 
- Caregiving and the Case for Testamentary Freedom
UC Davis Law Review, Vol. 42, No. 1, 2008, SMU Dedman School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 00-22, U of Penn Law School, Public Law Research Paper No. 08-19 Joshua C. Tate Southern Methodist University - Dedman School of Law Date Posted: March 25, 2008 Last Revised: May 9, 2008
(May 8, 2008) - Text and Time: A Theory of Testamentary Obsolescence
Washington University Law Review, Vol. 68, No. 3, 2008, FSU College of Law, Public Law Research Paper No. 306, FSU College of Law, Law and Economics Paper No. 08-07 Adam J. Hirsch Florida State University College of Law Date Posted: April 9, 2008 Last Revised: May 9, 2008
(May 8, 2008) - Testamentary Fragmentation and the Diminishing Role of the Will: An Argument for Revival
Creighton Law Review, Vol. 41, No. 155, 2008 Kent D. Schenkel New England School of Law Date Posted: May 8, 2008 Last Revised: May 8, 2008
(May 7, 2008) - Optimum Taxation of Inheritances
Johannes Kepler University of Linz, Economics Working Paper No. 0806 Johann K. Brunner and Susanne Pech University of Linz - Department of Economics and University of Linz - Department of Economics Date Posted: May 5, 2008 Last Revised: May 7, 2008
(May 6, 2008) - Disclaimers and Defined Value Clauses: Christiansen
Tax Notes, Vol. 119, No. 1, 2008 Wendy C. Gerzog University of Baltimore - School of Law Date Posted: April 8, 2008 Last Revised: May 5, 2008
(May 4, 2008)
News 
- Council OKs spending plan, keeping real estate tax rate flat
Daily Press, VA - 6 hours ago
The budget will keep the city's real estate tax rate flat at $1.10 per $100 of assessed value. "Unless we begin to take stringent cost-cutting measures this ...
Chesapeake real estate tax holds at $1.04 The Virginian-Pilot
Residents want city to cut the tax rate Progress Index
City Leaves Real Estate Rate Intact Rocktown Weekly
all 5 news articles
(May 13, 2008) - Beach council approves $1.76 billion plan; real estate tax stays ...
The Virginian-Pilot, VA - 9 hours ago
The spending plans leave the real estate tax rate at 89 cents per $100 of assessed value - but rising home assessments mean many people will pay more in ...
Bedford City Council mulls trimming upcoming budget Roanoke Times
Va. Beach City Council votes in favor of new budget WAVY-TV
all 6 news articles
(May 12, 2008) - 63438 real estate tax bills in mail
Quad-Cities Online, IL - 17 hours ago
Louise A. Kerr, Rock Island County Treasurer, announces the mailing of 63438 Rock Island County Real Estate tax bills totaling more than $196026000.00. ...
(May 12, 2008) - Waynesboro Freezes Real Estate Tax
NBC 29 News, VA - 8 hours ago
It's belt-tightening time in the city of Waynesboro. City Council is attempting to keep taxes down while keeping one major project afloat. ...
(May 12, 2008) - Clinton's estate tax plan is the wrong approach
InvestmentNews, NY - May 12, 2008
While not necessarily agreeing that the estate tax should be re-pealed completely, I am one of the many financial advisers who think that the estate tax ...
(May 11, 2008)
Blog Posts 
- Pennsylvania (PA) What NFA Firearms can I own?
There are several type of Class 3 items that are restricted by the National Firearms Act. Each state can impose additional restrictions on the sale, purchase, and transfer of class 3 firearms in addition to the compliance that is required with the national Firearms Act. In Pennsylvania you can own the following items that are regulated the the National Firearms Act Machine Guns Silencers Any Other Weapon (AOW) Destructive Devices (DD) Short Barreled Shotguns (SBS) Short Barreled Rifles (SBR) In...
(May 10, 2008) - Go Away And Don't Come Back!
"Some day, a wise person in a position of authority will realize that a court of law is not the best forum for deciding custody and access disputes, where principles of common sense masquerade as principles of law." - Mr. Justice Joseph Quinn as quoted in the Globe and Mail. Until that day, the fighting parents who appeared before Mr. Justice Quinn have been barred from court unless they obtain special leave. Looking at the context, it's hard to argue they did not earn it: 25 court orders from...
(May 8, 2008) - Is Your Estate Worth $5 Million Or Less?
Jonathan G. Blattmachr and Georgiana J. Slade at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, and Bridget J. Crawford at Pace University - School of Law, have written an article in the March, 2007 edition of "Estate Planning" magazine, addressing estate planning for those of us with estates under five million dollars. I have posted the full article at the same time as this posting. Here is an abstract for the article: "Financial concerns may preclude people of modest wealth (defined for purposes of...
(May 8, 2008) - Cremation Society Settlement
(May 8, 2008) - Estate Planning For Persons With Less Than $5 Million
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(May 8, 2008)