Kovar Law Group

We represent injured people in auto accident cases.

In 2022, the federal estate tax ranges from rates of 18% to 40% and generally only applies to assets over $12.06 million. Some states also have estate taxes.

Estate Tax Definition, Tax Rates & Who Pays - NerdWallet Here's how the estate tax rules work, what the estate tax rates are and whether you may have to pay the state, too — plus tips for minimizing the tax bite.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result from an impact to the head. Though the signs of TBI may not be immediately apparent, the effects of brain injuries can be far reaching, and may permanently lessen your quality of life. This makes calculating the damages (monetary compensation) tricky for these types of injuries. You'll want to have an experienced personal injury attorney on your side to help make your case so you can recover the compensation you deserve.

Even a seasoned driver can feel unsure of what to do after a car accident. Preparing in advance could save your life – and potentially thousands of dollars. https://bit.ly/3geJitp

Here are 6 lifesaving (and money-saving) tips for when you get in a car crash Even a seasoned driver can feel unsure of what to do after a car accident. Preparing in advance could save your life — and thousands of dollars.

No matter how large or small your net worth, estate planning is a process that ensures your assets are handed down the way you wish after you pass away.

Estate Planning Basics Estate planning might sound like something that’s just for wealthy people with huge beach houses and billions in the bank. But the truth is that estate planning is something we all need to think about. No matter how large or small your net worth, estate planning is a process that ensures your ass

A will is a great place to start, but it's only the beginning. There is more to estate planning than deciding how to divvy up your assets when you die.

6 Estate Planning Must-Haves What you need to know in your estate planning even if you do not have significant assets. Here are six key ideas for a successful asset transfer.

Victims damaged by negligence who pursue an injury claim can be compensated for the harm they have endured.

The 5 Elements Of Negligence Individuals and businesses have an obligation to behave with reasonable care. A failure to do can be considered negligence and negligence can give rise to a personal injury case. Victims damaged by negligence who pursue an injury claim can be compensated for the harm they have endured. Because

You may have a will and have named a power of attorney for finances and health care. But unless you regularly update these documents and beneficiary designations, your heirs could still find themselves in a legal morass after you die or paying more than they had to in taxes. Worse, some of your assets could end up going to a wrongful heir.

The Basics of Estate Planning If you have a will or trust, congratulations. But you’re not done with estate planning.

Estate Planning is the process of designating who will receive your assets and handle your responsibilities after your death or incapacitation. The goal is to make sure your beneficiaries receive these things in the most cost-effective way possible. https://bit.ly/2Qlz2r0

Estate Planning: A 7-Step Checklist of the Basics - NerdWallet Estate planning helps designate who gets your assets and handles your affairs after your die or are incapacitated. Here are 7 steps for estate planning.

A charitable trust allows you to donate assets to a chosen tax-exempt charitable organization or nonprofit and comes with certain tax benefits to help you minimize what you might owe to the government. Establishing a charitable trust can be an important part of your estate plan and a rewarding way to make an impact for a cause you care deeply about.

What Is A Charitable Trust? | Bankrate A charitable trust allows you to donate assets to a chosen tax-exempt charitable organization or nonprofit and comes with certain tax benefits.

Experts recommend revisiting your will and other estate-planning documents at least every few years unless there are reasons to do it more frequently — which is common.

When it comes to a will or estate plan, don't just set it and forget it. You need to keep them updated There are various life events that should spur a review of your will and other end-of-life planning documents.

A will can’t avoid probate, the legal process that typically follows death. In probate, your will becomes a public record and the court supervises the distribution of your estate.

When a Will Won’t Work - NerdWallet Before you write a will, consider the situations in which a will won’t work. A will won’t avoid probate and won’t allow you to leave money to your pets, for example.

We’re in the middle of an unprecedented transfer of generational wealth. What’s the best way to tackle that? Open communication and professional help are a good place to start, according to two recent surveys on financial and estate planning.

Nearly $70 trillion in family wealth is set to change hands. How to create a drama-free estate plan. 'The topic of the end can be depressing and overwhelming'

Dog owners are usually responsible for harm their pets inflict on other people, but state and local laws vary. An owner may be strictly liable for dog bite injuries in some situations, while in others a victim may have to prove that a dangerous dog wasn’t properly restrained and/or that the attack was unprovoked. Seek the advice of a personal injury lawyer in your vicinity.

Starting in 2023, individuals can transfer up to $12.92 million to heirs, during life or at death, without triggering a federal estate-tax bill, up from $12.06 million in 2022.

IRS bumps up estate-tax exclusion to $12.92 million for 2023. Here's what that means for wealthy Americans Starting in 2023, individuals can transfer up to $12.92 million to heirs, during life or at death, without triggering a federal estate tax bill.

Whether you’re working as a senior or not, you should always draft an estate plan that outlines distributions after your death.

Retirement Planning: 7 Steps To Take Even If You Never Want To Retire It always pays to plan ahead financially

Although PTSD is often thought of in the context of war veterans, it can happen to civilians, too, with car accidents being one of the most common causes.

You Can Get PTSD From a Car Accident (and How to Recover) Car accidents are one of the most common ways that civilians develop PTSD—but there are ways to get past it.

E-bikes can hit top speeds of over 25 mph, much faster than street bikes. When careless riding and inattentive bystanders are mixed in, the outcome is often bloody for everyone involved.

Collisions and close calls: The e-bike boom is creating a push for stricter cycling rules The rise of electric bicycles is sparking criticism of their potential danger to pedestrians and traditional cyclists.

The only debt that truly vanishes when you pass away is federal student loans. All other debt may be required to be repaid by a co-owner, cosigner, spouse, or your estate.

This is the Only Debt That Disappears When You Die (and 9 That Don’t) Here are the common types of debt that your heirs may or may not have to pay after your death.

Drivers are putting too much trust in their vehicles’ driver-assist features, which may lead to dangerous situations, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Confused drivers think they have 'self-driving' cars. That's dangerous, an insurance group warns | CNN Business Drivers are putting too much trust in their vehicles' driver-assist features, which may lead to dangerous situations, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Wills and estates have a way of disrupting families. But what can a parent do to avoid such enmity boiling over between surviving siblings? Experts say that making plans and discussing them openly can assuage hurt feelings when parents opt to distribute their estate unevenly among their children.

Where There’s a Will, There Can Be a War How to forestall ill feelings — or worse — if you opt to distribute your estate unevenly among your heirs

According to information provided by the NHTSA, distracted driving has become a leading cause of vehicle crashes in the U.S.

Texting And Driving Statistics 2022 Texting and driving is one of the riskiest behaviors drivers can engage in behind the wheel. When you send or read a text, you may only take your eyes off of the road for a few seconds. But according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), five distracted seconds at a speed of

An estate plan is a collection of legally binding documents that ensures you are in control of what happens to you, your assets and any dependents you may have if you become disabled or when you die. The plan can include a will, power of attorney forms, trusts and more.

An estate plan is the best way to plan for the worst. Here's how to create one | CNN A will, power of attorney and trusts are among the most crucial documents for young adults to draft to ensure they have a say after they die or are critically disabled.

In many personal injury claims, plaintiffs must prove that a defendant was negligent or acted intentionally. But with strict liability claims, this proof is not required. The specific situations when strict liability rules apply vary by state.

Strict Liability: Legal Definition & Examples Strict liability is a legal doctrine that applies to certain crimes, as well as in certain tort cases (claims made to recover compensation after an injury). When strict liability rules apply, defendants can be held responsible for the consequences of their actions regardless of whether they behav

Deaths from car crashes in the first few months of this year hit the highest quarterly total since 2002, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced.

Deadly car crashes hit a record high in early 2022. Pandemic-fueled risky driving may be to blame. Deaths from crashes rose by nearly 7% from 2019 to 2020, then by more than 10% from 2020 to 2021. In the first months of this year, the number increased again.

A grantor trust is a type of living trust in which the person creating the trust (the grantor) remains the owner of the assets and property in the trust for both income and estate tax purposes. https://bit.ly/3cpZ6vQ

Grantor Trust: What It Is And How The Rules Work | Bankrate This revocable trust has all its income and deductions reported on the owner’s tax return. Learn more about how it works.

A new study found under-reporting in the number and severity of bedsores suffered by Medicare residents in specific nursing homes. https://bit.ly/3QVaKxC

Bedsores Can Cause Serious Harm — Are U.S. Nursing Homes Hiding Cases? WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- People might want to think twice before relying on federal quality ratings to help choose a nursing home for an elderly or frail relative, a new study warns.The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established the Nursing Home Compare web...

With a rise in “gray divorces” in recent years, it’s only natural that remarriage has become more prevalent among seniors. But people tend to be lax about updating their estate plan. https://bit.ly/2Hb3Zcp

Getting Remarried? Avoid These 4 Estate-Planning Pitfalls. It’s easy to have an estate plan fall out of date following a remarriage, but the consequences for even unintentional missteps can be devastating, particularly for children from a first marriage or your new spouse.

Adding a living will to your estate plan can mean the difference between your loved ones living with doubts later or knowing they made the right decision for you when you were unable to make end-of-life medical decisions for yourself. https://bit.ly/3K6BHMt

How Does A Living Will Work? How Does A Living Will Work?