K & G is pleased to announce that the K & G partner Bernie Greenberg has been named Attorney of the Year by Corporate Vision Magazine.
Bernie had this to say about this award, “I am humbled and honored that Corporate Vision selected me for this honor. To receive recognition for what we do as attorneys is extremely gratifying”.
Greenberg heads the firm’s Estate Planning Department and we congratulate Bernie on this latest recognition.
Estate planning for blended families requires careful analysis and care. Making sure assets follow the intended path also requires care. Foolishly using joint tenancy and beneficiary designations can defeat an entire estate plan.
Brady bunch families are common these days and dealing with the complexities and issues requires an estate planning specialist. As this article shows, there are many issues to address:
http://www.fedweek.com/financial-estate-planning/estate-planning-blended-families/
K & G attorney Bernie Greenberg discusses estate planning for blended families in this video:
Make sure your blended family is protected with proper expertise and work with an attorney specializing in estate planning for blended families.
Is the end of the year the end of estate planning? Is this the end of your estate plan? Maybe!
The end of 2012 will bring huge changes to the world of estate planning. Unless the Congress and President act, three central foundations of estate planning will drastically change, and the change for you is all bad. How does this affect your estate plan? Maybe not at all and maybe it is the end for your plan. Read on to learn more.
The End of Estate Planning As We Know It? Probably Not.
First, let’s review what happens at the end of the year. The three major tax exemptions used in estate planning, estate tax, gift tax and generation skipping transfer tax all revert from $5 million to only $1 million starting January 1, 2013. Much of what we do in estate planning is built on these three exemptions.
However, I don’t think it is the end of estate planning as we know it. Since we don’t let the tax tail wag the family dog, what this will mean is that millions more will be doing more complex estate plans since the exemptions will be significantly lower. So for us estate planning lawyers that will be good! For the clients, not so much. We will still do estate plans for the same reasons as before: to protect our clients, their families and their property. But starting in 2013, millions who had no estate, gift or generation skipping tax concerns will now have them–in spades.
The End of Your Plan? Perhaps!
If you didn’t do estate tax planning previously because your estate was less than $5 million, you may have to do so now. If you had a plan that used your estate tax exemptions, it just won’t work as well for your family with the much lower exemptions starting in 2013.
What should you do? Have your plan reviewed immediately. Next, write your Congressional representatives and Senators and tell them how you feel about this. Maybe your voice will make a difference. We recommend to all of our clients to not depend on politicians to solve your families’ estate plan issues. Don’t do it now.
And maybe, just maybe, Congress and the President will come to their respective senses and fix this with some finality and permanency so you can have some certainty knowing that your estate plan will operate the way that it is supposed to. But don’t count on it!
What are your thoughts? Please join our conversation on estate planning and these issues. I look forward to hearing from you.
Bernie Greenberg
Congratulations to Bernard Greenberg for receiving the Client Distinction Award from Martindale-Hubbell. This award was given on behalf of positive client reviews stating that Bernard Greenberg has provided strong marks in communications, responsiveness, quality of service, and value for money.
As stated by Martindale-Hubbell, “Less than 4% of the 900,000+ attorneys listed on martindale.com and lawyers.com have been accorded this Martindale-Hubbell honor of distinction.”
To learn more about Bernard Greenberg and his estate planning services, contact Kokish & Goldmanis, P.C. today.
Kokish & Goldmanis, P.C. is pleased to announce that K&G attorney, Bernie Greenberg, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Greenberg, who heads the Estate Planning Department of the firm, is active in the community and the Castle Rock Chamber. He also chaired the Mentoring Committee of the Douglas/Elbert County Bar Association which recently has successfully launched a Mentoring Program approved by the Colorado Supreme Court.
Approximately 2 million people each month visit Avvo.com for answers to their legal questions. Avvo believes that “the right attorney makes the difference”. At Kokish & Goldmanis, P.C. we agree.
K & G is proud to announce that K & G attorney, Bernard Greenberg has received the “Excellent Attorney” designation from Avvo. Avvo announced that, “Your selection by Avvo as an Excellent Rated attorney signals that the quality of your work is highly regarded by your fellow colleagues. You are widely considered to be outstanding in your field”.
Bernie specializes in estate planning and estate and trust administration. To be highly regarded by other attorneys is an honor and we congratulate Bernard Greenberg on this award.
Kokish & Goldmanis, P.C. is pleased to announce that K & G attorney, Bernie Greenberg has been named a Top 2013 Trusts and Estate Lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, American Lawyer Media and American Lawyer Magazine. Since this recognition comes from other attorneys it all the more gratifying and exciting.
K & G is pleased to provide a level of service in our specialty areas represented by this type of recognition. Our Family Law, Civil Litigation and Estate Planning Departments serve our clients’ needs in these areas. We are always pleased when our firm’s lawyers are recognized elsewhere.