A well-crafted estate plan is comprised of many individual parts, and careful, trust-based estate planning is the best way to ensure the highest possible quality of life for you and your loved ones. One way couples can make get the most mileage out of their estate plans is through community property trusts. This is a special type of trust that …
What Is an Equity Purchase Agreement and Why Do I Need One?
An equity purchase agreement, also known as a share purchase agreement or stock purchase agreement, is a contract that transfers shares of a company from a seller to a buyer. Equity purchases can be used to acquire a business in whole or in part. They are frequently contrasted with asset purchases, which achieve similar objectives but have a different deal …
What Is a Nonsolicitation Agreement, and Should I Use One?
You have invested a lot of time and money in developing your employee, customer, and vendor relationships. You cannot stop your employees from walking out the door, but you may be able to limit their ability to take other employees and business relationships with them. Nonsolicitation agreements are contractual provisions that restrict an employee’s ability to poach your customers or …
How Trusts Have Helped Athletes
Estate planning is not just about what happens when you die. Proper estate planning takes into consideration all aspects of your life and how to protect your accounts and property so that you can receive the maximum use and enjoyment during your life as well as protect whatever you choose to leave to your loved ones upon your death. A …
Complying With Estimated Quarterly Taxes
Tax day is one of the most important—and one of the most dreaded—days on the calendar for working Americans. Although April 15 is usually the date that federal taxes are due, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) extended the tax deadline in 2019 and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, you may have picked up a side gig …
3 Reasons You Want to Avoid Probate
When you pass away, your family may need to visit a probate court in order to claim their inheritance. This can happen if you own property (like a house, car, bank account, investment account, or other asset) in only your name. Although having a will is a good basic form of planning, a will does not avoid probate. Instead, a …
Who Should I Choose to Be Successor Trustee
When you create a living trust, you must name a successor trustee to take over for you if you are unable to act due to incapacity or death. It is crucial that this decision be given careful consideration and that the right person be selected for the job. Role of Successor Trustee If you become unable to manage your financial …
Wondering Whether You Need to Update Your Estate Plan? Yes, You Do, and Here’s Why
Please allow us to be frank. It’s unrealistic to think that a piece of paper you draft, reflecting your life at a certain time, will work when your life has completely changed some years later. We’ll use the Kendrick family as an example. Meet the Kendricks Meet Bill and Karen Kendrick. They got their first estate plan in place when …
Illinois Prenups: When Are They Unenforceable?
Not all prenuptial agreements are created equal. Sometimes, in the course of a divorce proceeding, the court will strike down a prenup and refuse to enforce it between the divorcing parties. If you are working with an attorney to draft a strong prenuptial agreement between you and your betrothed, or if you have a prenup and are contemplating a divorce, …
What to Include in Your Service Agreement
Small businesses account for nearly half of the economic activity in the United States. To successfully compete with bigger competitors, small businesses are increasingly outsourcing to improve their efficiency and lower costs. Outsourcing allows companies to expand their competencies in key areas without taking on additional full-time, in-house employees. This is a growing trend among small businesses looking for professional …
What Do Prenups Oftentimes Discuss?
I note three key issues usually discussed in prenuptial agreements in this short video. They are the identification of separate/ marital property, spousal maintenance and estate rights. Interested in a free 15 minute consultation on a nuptial agreement? Please contact cari@rinckerlaw.com or call (217) 531-2179. Share this Article
Legislative Alert: The Consumer Coverage Disclosure Act (Illinois)
Employers in Illinois should be mindful of certain new obligations arising under the Illinois Consumer Coverage Disclosure Act (“the Act”) (820 ILCS 46), which came into effect on August 27, 2021. The new Act applies to all Illinois employers that provide group health insurance coverage. What the Consumer Coverage Disclosure Act Requires The Act requires that Illinois employers give their …