INSIGHTS

Corporate Transparency Act Information

A new federal regulation has gone into effect on January 1, 2024, known as the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”). This mandatory reporting regulation likely impacts you and your company(ies).

Digital Legacies: A Modern Necessity in a Digital World

Have you ever wondered what will happen to your accounts and photos when you pass away? How will loved ones communicate about your passing, access photos of you, or wrap up unfinished business?

What Happens to Your Monthly Income If You Go Into A Nursing Home?

Unfortunately, we face an increasing risk of spending some part of our lives living in a nursing home. What most of us don’t know is what happens to one’s monthly Social Security and pension checks once the person uses up all of his or her assets.

Kemp Klein Crafts No-Sew Blankets for Common Ground

For the fifth straight year, the attorneys and staff of Kemp Klein collaborated and crafted hand-tied fleece blankets for Common Ground’s clients. Common Ground distributes these blankets as comfort items for children, victims of trauma, homeless, and other families and individuals in need of assistance.

Kemp Klein Law Firm Welcomes Attorney Amanda Afton Martin

Amanda has joined Kemp Klein as a shareholder and will be actively involved in the estate planning, real estate, probate and trust administration, business planning, and tax planning practice groups.

Kemp Klein Ranked in 2024 Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms”

Firms included in the 2024 Best Law Firms^® list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. To be considered for this milestone achievement.

CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES

Buttiglieri and Zawideh Successful in $4.2 Million Settlement Over Will Dispute

Kemp Klein Attorneys Joseph P. Buttiglieri and Robert S. Zawideh successfully represented the the plaintiffs in a case in which they were disinherited. After hotly contested litigation, all the parties agreed to a 60/40 split of the estate, with the 40% group (who weren’t in the final will).

Rolfe and Callahan Save Client Over $800,000

A new client recently came to Kemp Klein with the intention of updating their estate plan following the passing of a spouse. However, in the process of reviewing the client’s trust accounts, attorneys Brian Rolfe and Casey Callahan discovered a technical error in the retirement account beneficiary designations made by a previous financial advisor.

Zawideh Successfully Defends Son’s $2.1 Million Inheritance

After the father’s passing, the daughter, using a Durable Power of Attorney filed suit on behalf of her mother against Mr. Zawideh’s client, another son, and their company, seeking recovery of over $4.85 million.

PERSPECTIVES FROM THE CEO

The Role of Technology

Clients often ask about our firm’s perspective on technology and its role in our operations. I firmly believe that technology plays a crucial role in optimizing performance.

Kemp Klein’s Core Values

A company’s core values are the standards that guide its business. Creating our core values was an instructive and reflective process for our firm. I urge leadership teams to develop a similar document to coalesce their values.

The Importance of Community Involvement

Our firm recently held our 2nd annual Kemp Klein Foundation Charity Golf Outing. As I attended the event, I reflected on our commitment to the community. We believe it is imperative to support local charities and be involved at every level in the community.

PROBATE LAW CASE SUMMARIES

In Re December 23, 2002 Restatement of the Stolaruk Living Trust

Husband and wife had separate trusts. Wife’s trust gave husband a power of appointment. Though limited, the assets conveyed by the power could ultimately reside in a limited group or a broader group. Husband exercised the power contrary to the interests of Petitioner, Appellant.

In Re Eyde Trust

Appellees sought to use the jurisdiction of the Probate Court in Michigan, as the assets were in Michigan, the lower Court entertained jurisdiction. The first thing that the Court of Appeals ruled on whether Michigan still had jurisdiction and determined under MCL 700.7205 that it has jurisdiction to continue to entertain matters before it.

In Re Williams Trust

This is a matter of trust interpretation. The lower Court decided the matter on a petition for instruction. The two decedents each had two children from previous marriages.

NEAL NUSHOLTZ TAX LAW ARTICLES

IRS’s Heavy Oversight of Tax Preparers Creates Chilling Effect

IRS intrusiveness into the professional practices of tax preparers has grown steadily in the past decade. This has created a chilling effect on the tax industry.

How to Add Two Paragraphs to Your General Powers of Attorney So You Can Cure Defects in Your Form 2848 and Represent Clients Before the Internal Revenue Service

An IRS Form 2848 authorizes an individual to represent a taxpayer. According to the IRS instructions for Form 2848, Form 2848 is used to authorize a representative to perform all acts that a taxpayer can perform with respect to matters described in the power of attorney.

Helping Your Clients Select a Whole Life Policy

The critical factor in selecting the best deal wasn’t the amount of the annual premium. It was the “vanish.” The vanish is a projected number of years which the policy has enough funding to sustain itself without further premiums being paid.