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Meet Our Staff!
We have a wonderful staff of employees who bring many years of experience to our firm. Please feel free to call or email any of our staff, and they will be happy to assist you.
Legal Staff
Nancy A. Roberson, Attorney at Law
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Thank you to all who attended our open house on April 24th to tour our new building. We were humbled to have an unbelievable turnout of over 300 people! |
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Who will get my children when I die?
Planning for the care of your children following your death involves several considerations. You need to decide who you want to have physical custody of your children. This person is called the guardian of the person of your children. The person, and alternates who you choose, should be those whose values and lifestyles most nearly resemble yours. They may or may not be family members. They can live out of state. Whoever they are, we urge you to discuss this decision with your children and the people who you have in mind. This is often the most difficult decision that parents face when they are deciding on the provisions in their wills.
Many people with children think that if they don't have a lot of money, then they don't need to get a will. However, that thought couldn't be further from the truth. Without a will, upon your death, a guardianship may have to be established for your children. Guardianships are very costly and don't ensure that your children will be raised by the people who you would choose if you were still living.
If you are concerned about this issue and don't have a will, or if you need your will updated due to the birth of a child or other circumstances, please call our office and schedule an appointment with Kristina Rainer.
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Our mission is to provide excellent, compassionate legal services to help people plan for the unexpected and prepare for the inevitable. |
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Welcome to our first newsletter! We hope that you find the articles and links to be useful as well as learn about the recent happenings at our firm.
Enjoy!
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Will your estate be taxed when you die?
Estates of more than $338,333 are subject to Ohio estate tax (OET); and estates of more than $2 million ($3.5 million in 2009) are subject to Federal estate tax (FET). If you (1) are married and give all of your property to your surviving spouse or (2) give your estate to charity, the marital and charitable deductions can reduce the estate tax liability to zero.
Depending upon the size of your estate and plan for distributing your assets after your death, estate tax savings may be achieved with a trust. Having a trust does not in and of itself, however, eliminate FET or OET liability.
Perhaps the most attractive advantage of having a trust is that you have more control over how your property is distributed to your beneficiaries. For example, you can postpone distributions to people until they are a certain age or if they are incompetent, handicapped, or financially unstable. You may not want your twenty-five year old daughter who was born to shop to receive all of her inheritance at once, but if you do not set up a trust, she will receive all of her inheritance at one time when you die.
If you would like to know if it makes sense for you to establish a trust, please call our office at 937-643-2000 and schedule a meeting or telephone conference with Nancy to discuss your options. |
Has it been more than five years since your documents have been updated?
Our experience suggests that no more than five (5) years should pass without a careful review of your estate planning documents. You should especially review your estate plan whenever (1) the value of your assets has significantly increased (beyond $2 million) or decreased; (2) the needs of your beneficiaries change; (3) the tax laws are modified; (4) your personal circumstances have changed, such as a birth, death, or marriage; or (5) you move to another state.
If your circumstances do change or you have any questions, one of our attorneys will be happy to meet with you to review your situation. |
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Need a Speaker for your event?
 Did you know that Nancy is an author and frequent speaker to various civic and religious organizations? Nancy combines legal advice with her personal story about the tragedy in her life that caused her to pursue the area of estate planning and probate law. If you would like Nancy to speak at your organization, club, or church, please call the office at 937-643-2000 and ask to speak to Judy Williams. | |
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