Three Things to Know About Oklahoma Spendthrift Trusts

by Tom Bates | Jul 17, 2020 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

A spendthrift trust refers to a type of trust that lets beneficiaries inherit money without the ability to decide how the money is spent. These trusts are particularly helpful when an heir lacks the responsibility necessary to manage assets. Instead, these trusts...

Critical Steps to Take After the Death of a Loved One

by Tom Bates | Jul 10, 2020 | blog

While we hopefully can all weather the COVID-19 pandemic safely, the truth is that some Oklahomans will pass away as a result of the virus. Losing a loved one is an overwhelming and challenging process. Rather than focus on administering an estate, you should instead...

Making an Estate Planning “Football” During the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Tom Bates | Jul 3, 2020 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

We often discuss the various types of estate planning documents and their value, but it is just as important to realize that an estate plan does little good if the key people either do not know about the estate plan or are unable to access key documents after a...

Think Twice About Adding a Beneficiary to Your Deed

by Tom Bates | Jun 26, 2020 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

One of the critical reasons to engage in estate planning is that the upfront costs to establish the proper estate planning strategies often cost much less than the trouble that can arise if a person does not create a proper plan. One of the most costly types of estate...

Four Ways to Make Charitable Giving Part of Your Estate Plan

by Tom Bates | Mar 27, 2020 | blog, Blog: Estate Planning

Whether it is honoring a loved one or paying tribute to an important cause, people create trusts for various reasons. Despite its often noble goals, charitable giving also creates some substantial tax issues. While many people who decide to pass on assets to charities...