estate-planning

But transferring ownership can raise complicated succession and estate-planning issues that families need to address before giving away so much as a share of stock.

Family Businesses Catch a Big Break Anne Tergesen 2011

But a California court backed an especially odd will earlier this year in a case that some estate-planning professionals say could make it harder for expectant heirs in some places to successfully challenge rogue documents—even if the testator failed to dot all of the i's and cross all of the t's.

California Court Gives 'Rogue' Wills More Validity Arden Dale 2011

A: If you inherit an IRA from anyone other than your spouse, you either have to empty the IRA within five years of the person's death or take withdrawals across your life expectancy starting the year after the death, says William Schmidt , an estate-planning attorney at Schmidt & Federico in Boston.

IRA Heirs Do's and Don'ts Kelly Greene 2011

The answers may determine which estate-planning techniques make the most sense for a family to use, says Patrick Ungashick , president of White Horse Advisors, an Atlanta financial-advisory firm that specializes in small businesses.

Family Businesses Catch a Big Break Anne Tergesen 2011

Making sure a client's living will and health-care proxy are in line with his or her religious beliefs—or lack of belief—should be a priority for advisers, says Mr. Shenkman, the New Jersey estate-planning attorney.

Where Religion and Business Do Mix Veronica Dagher 2011

Since they still have to file their federal income-tax returns as individuals, many same-sex couples wind up filling out tax forms no fewer than four times: Separately with the federal government, then a "dummy" joint federal return, and finally a married-filing-jointly state return based on the pretend federal one, says Nicole Pearl, an estate-planning partner at McDermott Will & Emery in Los Angeles.

Headaches for Same-Sex Couples Kelly Greene 2011

A credit report wasn't ordered up for Ms. Adler, and investors argued to the jury that this was one of numerous missed opportunities in the vetting process that would have helped the insurer learn she neither needed a big estate-planning policy nor could afford premiums topping $300,000 a year.

Insurers, Investors Fight Over Death Bets Leslie Scism 2011

If you actually want your ex-spouse to inherit your IRA, you must fill out a new beneficiary form indicating so, says Natalie Choate , an estate-planning lawyer at Nutter, McClennen & Fish in Boston.

Family Feuds: The Battles Over Retirement Accounts Carolyn T. Geer 2011

In a federal-court lawsuit in New Jersey, emails show that an employee at an AIG unit expressed concern in 2006 about issuing a $10 million estate-planning policy that the insurer now is seeking to void.

Insurers, Investors Fight Over Death Bets Leslie Scism 2011

"You can't properly plan without addressing this issue," says Martin Shenkman , a Paramus, N.J., estate-planning attorney.

Where Religion and Business Do Mix Veronica Dagher 2011