Michele D. Gartland, Author at Rucci Law Group

Estate Planning – Important Documents

Written by Michele D. Gartland on April 6, 2020

With the degree of uncertainty we are all facing, now is an appropriate time to make sure you have completed your estate plan, updated it as you would like, and have all the necessary documents in place. Especially critical are the Appointment of a Healthcare Agent and your Power of Attorney. These documents should be … Continue reading Estate Planning – Important Documents →

Estate Planning for Families – Part Three

Written by Michele D. Gartland on February 11, 2020

By Michele Gartland and Marianne Cirillo (Final installment) Estate Taxes and Gifts In part one and part two of this article, we covered wills, powers of attorney, healthcare proxies, and trusts. Now let’s discuss estate planning techniques that occur outside of these documents. Let’s start with some background information. When a person dies, his or … Continue reading Estate Planning for Families – Part Three →

Estate Planning for Families – Part Two

Written by Michele D. Gartland on November 6, 2019

(Part two of three installments) Part one of this article discussed the importance of wills, powers of attorney, and healthcare proxies as part of any effective estate plan. In this section, we will discuss the value of trusts as an additional estate planning component. Revocable Trusts There are many types of trusts, but the two … Continue reading Estate Planning for Families – Part Two →

Estate Planning for Families

Written by Michele D. Gartland on August 7, 2019

(Part one of three installments) Do you have a written plan for what happens to your assets when you die? Does your family know your wishes in case you need care or become infirm? You may have a will, but have you given serious thought to the many other important aspects of estate planning, such … Continue reading Estate Planning for Families →

Post-Divorce Estate Planning

Written by Michele D. Gartland on May 3, 2018

Divorce is almost always a time of stress. The bulk of that stress is certainly emotional, but no small part of the pressure comes from the logistics of splitting up – the need to review, undo, and rework the many written documents that organize your family, your household, your finances, your medical care and your future.

Client Alert: Estate Tax Changes for Connecticut Tax Payers

Written by Michele D. Gartland on January 25, 2018

The new Connecticut state budget increases the individual exemption from Connecticut estate and gift tax from $2,000,000 up to $2,600,000 in 2018, and to $3,600,000 in 2019. The state exemption is set to match the federal estate and gift tax exemption in 2020. With the recent changes in the federal estate and gift tax laws, … Continue reading Client Alert: Estate Tax Changes for Connecticut Tax Payers →

The New Tax Reform Act and How It Effects You

Written by Michele D. Gartland on

President Trump signed tax reform legislation, Public Law 115-97, generally referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, into law on December 22, 2017. The Act is the most sweeping tax legislation to be enacted in decades. It is broad in scope, complicated, and will impact almost every aspect of tax, legal, estate, retirement, … Continue reading The New Tax Reform Act and How It Effects You →

Estate Planning for Non-Citizen Spouses

Written by Michele D. Gartland on November 8, 2017

In our globally interconnected world, so many in our community either hail from abroad or have family or property ties in foreign countries. These ties can have significant ramifications for estate planning. Many couples don’t realize that one of the most widely used estate planning techniques in the United States – the marital deduction – … Continue reading Estate Planning for Non-Citizen Spouses →

Back to School. Four Essential Documents for Your College Bound Children

Written by Michele D. Gartland on August 7, 2017

If you’ll be dropping off your young adult (who, depending on the day, may still seem like a child) on a college campus this fall, you probably have a long checklist to help them complete first. Along with the laptop and the dorm supplies, it’s important that certain essential documents—giving you authority to act on … Continue reading Back to School. Four Essential Documents for Your College Bound Children →

How to Give Charitably for Maximum Benefit to All

Written by Michele D. Gartland on December 16, 2015

The majority of charitable organizations look forward to the months between October and December as the time of year when patrons are most likely to open their hearts and subsequently their wallets.[1] Non-profit organizations, public charities, and private foundations report that nearly 50 percent of their yearly contributions are received in the final quarter of … Continue reading How to Give Charitably for Maximum Benefit to All →