By Alan Plevy It’s back-to-school season, and for divorced or separated parents, the question is: Who is paying for the expensive TI-84 calculator or laptop their child needs for class? Alan Plevy was featured on WUSA9’s Great Day Washington discussing how divorced parents share back-to-school expenses. Child support doesn’t necessarily […] Read more »
Getting your children ready to go back to school can be expensive. It can also create additional problems for families in divorced homes because child support doesn’t include back-to-school shopping. Alan Plevy, a Family Law Attorney and Principal at SmolenPlevy, says school supplies tend to become an out-of-pocket expense, often […] Read more »
It’s a clean sweep – Principals Jason Smolen, Alan Plevy, Daniel Ruttenberg and Kyung (Kathryn) Dickerson all received the honor of being named Best Lawyers® for 2020. Smolen is also honored as a 2020 Business Organizations Lawyer of the Year. They are recognized by their peers for their professional excellence […] Read more »
What’s their major? Who’s their roommate? Dorm room or fraternity house? These are all questions on the minds of parents who are sending their children off to college this fall. But if you are divorced — or thinking about getting a divorce — one of the most pressing questions you’ll […] Read more »
No matter how much effort you’ve invested in designing your estate plan, your will, trusts and other official documents may not be enough. Consider creating a “road map” — an informal letter or other document that guides your family in understanding and executing your plan and ensuring that your wishes […] Read more »
A healthy Shih Tzu dog is euthanized to fulfill its late owner’s will. Now the question on everyone’s mind is – is it legal for a pet owner to determine their pet should be put to bed because they won’t be around to care for them? Principal Jason Smolen is […] Read more »
A healthy Shih Tzu named Emma was euthanized after a Virginia woman included in her will that she wanted to be buried with her beloved pet. Is it legal for a pet owner to determine a healthy four-legged friend should be put to death, when the owner is no longer […] Read more »
A Richmond, Virginia, Shih Tzu is reportedly dead because of a request in her late owner’s will. According to WWBT, Emma the dog was put in the temporary custody of Chesterfield County Animal Services on March 8, following the death of her owner. Even though the Shih Tzu was healthy, she […] Read more »
Published May 10, 2019 by Scott W. Taylor If you’re an owner who is selling your business, but have never sold a business before, you may have some questions about what professional advisors you need on your team. For any successful business sale transaction, you need a Mergers & Acquisitions […] Read more »
There’s no shortage of fancy stuff wealthy folks can lavish on their pets: $20,000 dog houses, $9,000 cat condo towers, $3,000 mattresses studded with gold. Notwithstanding such extravagances, making sure that clients’ beloved pets live in the style to which they’re accustomed after their owner’s death is an idea that’s […] Read more »
Legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved cat Choupette will reportedly inherit millions, leaving the cat to happily continue its luxurious lifestyle. While we all may not have a fortune to leave behind, Lagerfeld’s death shows it’s more than just fashionable to include your pet in your estate plans. Financial Advisor Magazine turns to Principal Jason Smolen on how to make sure your pet is cared for after you’re gone. Read more »
German-born fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld said before his death in February that he was leaving his Birman cat, Choupette, a fortune, which has made some pet owners stop to think. The will or estate plan takes care of the kids, the grandkids and maybe even some miscellaneous friends, but what […] Read more »
Nearly everyone owns some digital assets, like online bank and brokerage accounts, bill-paying services, cloud-based document storage, digital music collections, social media accounts, and domain names. What happens to these assets when you die or if you become incapacitated? Will someone even know the accounts exist? Jason Smolen and Dan Ruttenberg say the answer depends on several factors, including the terms of your service agreements with the custodians of digital assets, applicable laws and the terms of your estate plan. To reduce uncertainty, you should include digital assets in your estate planning. Read more »
“Second marriages are a real mixed bag,” says Judith McGee of McGee Wealth Management in Portland, Ore. Specifically, she’s talking about their financial implications. Case in point: a middle-aged client who happened to get laid off from his well-paid job around the time his second wife bore twins. Besides needing […] Read more »
Divorcing couples are scrambling to finalize their cases before the end of the year as a result of President Trump’s tax law. The 2017 GOP tax overhaul eliminates the deduction for alimony payments in divorce agreements entered into after Dec. 31, 2018. That means beginning next month, tax savings for many […] Read more »
