New high net worth client from Phoenix engaged DeAngelis Legal to update his estate plan documents. The client had created an irrevocable trust with his prior estate planning attorney. The trust was for the benefit of his children and grandchildren in an attempt to use his annual exclusion gifts and named a third-party trustee. However, [...]
Estate Planning Update July 2025 2025 Annual Gift Tax Exclusion: increased to $19,000 per donor, per donee. 2025 Gift and Estate Tax Exemption: increased to $13,990,000 per donor through 2025 (an increase of $380,000). See paragraph 6 below. Marital Deduction for Transfers to U.S. Spouse: remains unlimited. 2025 Generation Skipping Tax Exemption: increased to $13,990,000 [...]
Mohith Agadi said it best- “Give yourself and those in need an elixir of life by pledging your organs.” What to do with your body after your death is a very personal decision. Family members are often left guessing (or worse, arguing) about what their loved one desired to have happen with their remains. In [...]
Spring and summer bring weddings, and for law firms, requests to prepare marital agreements. Spouses in successful marriages enter into marital agreements which clarify the rights and obligations of the parties during marriage and upon death or divorce. The stigma surrounding these types of agreements is fading, with the young and old seeking to clarify [...]
No will, no trust - more paperwork, twice! Several years ago, brother died having failed to do any estate planning. Mother and sister were left to clean up the financial mess. DeAngelis Legal assisted sister to obtain Letters of Personal Representative issued by the probate court through an informal intestate probate and successfully transferred the [...]
Long time clients came in for their five year estate plan review and stated that they were contemplating additional financial gifts to their children. However, they had not addressed important issues regarding this complex and emotional decision. Persons contemplating gifts should ask a few important questions, including: Do you have sufficient capital and resources for [...]
In Arizona, a successor of a decedent may sign an affidavit effectively transferring the decedent's personal property and real estate without the need for a probate if the value of the asset is under certain limits. A.R.S. § 14-3971. On March 31, 2025 the governor signed HB2116 increasing the personal property limit to $200,000 and [...]
It happened again! Successful, smart, responsible Scottsdale couple signed well drafted estate plan documents with another law firm and after signing, promptly threw the documents in a drawer. Fast forward 10+ years, numerous asset acquisitions in their individual names and an unexpected death, the surviving spouse engaged DeAngelis Legal to sort out the mess. DeAngelis [...]
New client engaged DeAngelis Legal to review the proposed premarital agreement with a wealthier spouse. DeAngelis Legal advised the client on his rights and obligations post-marriage and provided changes to the agreement which gave each party the protections they desired, but made the terms easier to implement. DeAngelis Legal worked with the spouse’s attorney to [...]
New Scottsdale client engaged DeAngelis Legal to assist with changes to her estate plan, which included an irrevocable trust. The joint trust created with her deceased husband contained provisions dividing the trust principal into a Survivor’s Trust and a Family Trust, with the later being irrevocable. After reviewing her alternatives, DeAngelis Legal prepared a Non-judicial [...]
