Beneficiary of irrevocable trust unexpectedly filed for bankruptcy. Trustee engaged DeAngelis Legal to review the trust and Arizona law to determine if the trust’s assets were subject to the bankruptcy trustee’s control. In Arizona, the general rule is that a court may reach the assets of the trust for the benefit of the beneficiary. However, [...]
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, [...]
Family business engaged DeAngelis Legal to assist with the complete overhaul of their corporate records, including a comprehensive operating agreement for the operating business and various investment entities. DeAngelis Legal reviewed the current structure, interviewed family members and drafted documents implementing the family’s intent.
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 [...]
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 [...]
Long time snowbirds decided to make Arizona their primary residence and re-engineer their estate plan. What made this plan interesting is that they have assets in several states, one child running the family business and another child using other assets. DeAngelis Legal worked with the couple to clarify their objectives, balance the interests of their [...]
The grey divorce trend hits Arizona. Common themes include the kids are off to college or living on their own, the family business is sold or managed by others or the couple simply wants to go a different direction. No animosity, but the legal divorce means a total reset to each person’s estate plan. Issues [...]
Business Transition Invitation 5.16.25
Net Worth and Home Ownership It starts at home. Home ownership is a cultural mainstay of personal finance in the U.S. The home is often the largest asset we see on a balance sheet of a moderately wealthy family. Unfortunately, recent appreciation in the housing market coupled with increased interest rates is causing declining housing [...]
Client previously sold its operating business in better economic times, but the buyer couldn’t perform and ultimately liquidated the business. DeAngelis Legal assisted the client with the delicate multiparty negotiations (landlord, bank, trade creditors) to re-quire the assets of the business, prepared the documentation evidencing the purchase of the assets and closed the re-acquisition of [...]
