Blog

While estate plans typically focus on events that will happen years down the road, incapacity planning is more about the here and now since anyone at any age can be affected by a serious illness or injury. In this webinar, learn about how, throu ... Continue Reading »

Pedestrian fatalities on CT and roadways throughout the United States have increased over the past decade. Deaths of pedestrians and cyclists are at 30-year highs. Factors that were suggested to lead to the recent rise include: Lack of safe roa ... Continue Reading »

Marriage Issues Have you set the date yet? Is your daughter getting married? Marriage is an important step. If both spouses have a similar financial situation, then perhaps no special planning needs to be considered. If there is a disparity in finan ... Continue Reading »

Many articles have been written about the Gift Tax implications of estate planning gifts. For most individuals, a more important consideration should be the income tax implications of substantial gifts to family, to charities, or mixed gifts that ben ... Continue Reading »

Many of you reading this may have already had an estate plan prepared, and in doing so considered the distributions of your estate to your heirs, asset protection mechanisms, tax saving strategies, and/or probate avoidance. You spent time thinking ab ... Continue Reading »

One of the most common questions we receive from new clients is, “What will the court process entail?” While every divorce case is unique, and the complexity of financial and parenting issues can vary widely, the following is a ... Continue Reading »

Connecticut, sadly, has had several fatal motorcycle crashes in the past couple of weeks, and deaths from motorcycle accidents have risen across Connecticut and the nation. In 2019, the rate of motorcycle deaths was 29% higher than deaths as a result ... Continue Reading »

If you had your estate plan prepared more than 20 years ago, there’s a good chance you needed one or more three-ring binders to store all the documents. Perhaps due to a fear that picking up those hefty binders more than once could cause a back ... Continue Reading »

So, you’re approaching retirement. You’ve spent years getting your financial plan in place. You’re looking at your nest egg and wondering if it is enough. You’re scrutinizing the optimal retirement date and when to apply for s ... Continue Reading »

What is a trust? What does it do? What are the differences between revocable and irrevocable trusts? Attorney Allison Poirier answers all these questions (and more!) in our Trusts 101 video. Learn the basics of trusts and when you might need one. To ... Continue Reading »

When I think of many people’s approach to estate planning, I am reminded of an infomercial from the late 1990s. The product being sold was a rotisserie oven, and the enthusiastic pitchman proclaimed that once the chicken was in the oven, you co ... Continue Reading »

It’s no secret that Americans are spending more and more of their time online with each passing day: shopping, paying bills, sending emails, etc. Social media websites are a huge part of this trend. You find out about local events, parties, and ... Continue Reading »

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Some of your friends are starting to buy their first homes. You’ve got a good, steady job, you’ve been paying rent for a few years, you’ve built up some savings for a down payment, so you’ve decided it’s time to “t ... Continue Reading »

Today we're introducing our new video series, Facts in 5, where we answer your most frequently asked questions in about 5 minutes. Today's topic is about how to structure your assets in order to avoid probate and keep things simple for y ... Continue Reading »

Winters in New England can be rough. Wind, snow, and ice can really take a toll on your property. If you haven’t started your spring cleanup yet, a walk around your yard will probably turn up a slew of branches littering the ground, maybe ... Continue Reading »

A common issue that arises for many when preparing their estate plan is resolving the struggle between equity vs. equality. Are there certain assets that are passing to some beneficiaries but not others? If so, are those beneficiaries receiving more ... Continue Reading »

There is a lot of planning that goes into starting a business, however, one thing owners may not consider is what happens to the business if you retire, move on, become disabled, or die. Buy-sell agreements help business owners prepare and easily ... Continue Reading »

Most of the cases I have been involved with over the last 30 years involve a “subpoena." The very idea of being subpoenaed makes many people weak in the knees. However, knowing what a subpoena is, what it can and cannot do, and what rights ... Continue Reading »

If you’re like most people, thinking about who you want making medical decisions for you in the event you become incapacitated is not likely very high on your list of things to do. It’s a very difficult thing to contemplate, and even more ... Continue Reading »

Tax season is a great time to examine the contents of your old filing cabinet and desk drawers, reduce the clutter, and shred any documents you no longer need. Many clients ask for guidance on how long you should retain your personal income tax and o ... Continue Reading »

Lawyers often give a wide range of advice to their clients. Not all of that advice is focused on the law. Sometimes the most value a lawyer can add comes when he or she recognizes the need to change patterns and behaviors in order to address a proble ... Continue Reading »

Divorce is often difficult. You’ve separated from a person you once loved and maybe still do. You had to figure out how to divide the assets you owned and the debt you had together. The holidays often bring up fond memories you made during a ma ... Continue Reading »

What is probate? What assets need to pass through probate? What tools can be used for avoiding probate? Will your estate have to pay an estate tax? Attorney Allison Poirier answers these questions and more in our Probate 101 video.    ... Continue Reading »

Most of our estate planning clients come to us as husband and wife. The estate plan is typically prepared with each spouse providing for the other on the death of the first spouse, and for the couple's children or other beneficiaries on ... Continue Reading »

In honor of Thanksgiving, we asked KKC staff to share their favorite holiday recipes. We hope you find a new favorite or two.  Appetizers/Drinks Mulled cider Thanksgiving mules Wine-baked olives and garlic cloves Oven-roasted dates an ... Continue Reading »

It's not pleasant to think about a time when you won't be here anymore. But it's very important to start thinking about this ahead of time so that you can prepare adequately. Many people pass away without a will, which makes things very c ... Continue Reading »

Decades ago, it was common for the elderly to remain in the family home and be cared for by their extended family. Often the elderly owned the family homestead that provided shelter for their children and grandchildren. In exchange, the elderly recei ... Continue Reading »

The National Taxpayers Union estimates that between 30 and 60% of taxable property in the United States is overassessed. And while no one wants to pay more for taxes than they need to, fewer than 5% of homeowners challenge the assessed value of ... Continue Reading »

The number of unmarried partners living together nearly tripled in the past two decades, to 17 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And there’s a growing trend that more of those couples are buying a home together prior to getting marr ... Continue Reading »

In today’s society, nearly everyone has some form of digital presence. From email to Facebook to online banking, a large part of our personal and financial lives are online. These modern conveniences make it easier to manage our ... Continue Reading »

As a business owner, the need for proper estate planning is essential, but in addition, a proper succession plan for your business is just as important. Given the fact that many small to midsized business owners spend a large amount of time and energ ... Continue Reading »

Anyone looking to buy or sell a home these days? If so, you know that homes are selling quickly. As a seller, or a buyer, what should you be thinking about? One of the primary explanations for the recent surge in prices is a lack of inventory, i.e ... Continue Reading »

Many of us have experienced significant life changes over the past year, particularly as the pandemic affected everything from health to employment to schooling. If you have divorce or custody orders that have been substantially impacted by life chan ... Continue Reading »

Cybersecurity breaches and computer crimes against our government and large businesses have made national news headlines for several years. In 2010, cyberattacks were listed for the first time as a top ten threat to global businesses. By 2020, it was ... Continue Reading »

On June 22, 2021, Governor Lamont signed into law a bill legalizing recreational marijuana in the state of Connecticut. This law creates a whole new set of rules for employers, most of which will not go into effect until July 1, 2022. In essence, ... Continue Reading »

On June 7, 2021, Governor Lamont signed a bill requiring employers to disclose salary ranges for positions to both applicants and employees. The law also expands Connecticut’s prohibition on gender-based pay discrimination to now require equal ... Continue Reading »

There are some crazy laws from Connecticut's past that still exist today. Why? Because they were created during a time when society looked very different, and it required unique guidelines to keep the peace. They were never stricken from the rule ... Continue Reading »

Attorney Allison Poirier wraps up National Elder Law Month with a video on Medicaid Rules for Eligiblity. Topics covered include: -How much money are you able to keep -How to spend down your assets to become eligible -Tools for preserving your a ... Continue Reading »

Every year, millions of older Americans lose billions of dollars to scammers. And while millennials are now the most likely age group to fall victim to scams, the 60+ age group is the most frequent target of fraud, and the monetary loss is highest in ... Continue Reading »

Since May is National Elder Law Month, we have two vlog posts this month that will focus on important aspects of Elder Law: Long-Term Care Planning and Medicaid Eligibilty. Our first entry is Long-Term Care Planning. Check back at the end of the ... Continue Reading »

Joint accounts, rights of survivorship, accounts payable on death, trustee accounts, powers of attorney, designated beneficiaries – with all of the various methods of managing and transferring property and assets, does anyone really need a Will ... Continue Reading »

April is National Distracted Driving Month. Though traffic dropped significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, our roads actually got more dangerous, and remain more dangerous, while traffic has increased back to pre-pandemic levels. More t ... Continue Reading »

We're changing things up this month with a vlog post! Attorney Allison Poirier sat down pre-pandemic with Community Voice Channel to discuss estate planning, probate, trusts, estate taxes, and more. If you've got questions, they're s ... Continue Reading »

It has become a common practice for employers to regularly distribute an "employee handbook” or "employment manual" (hereinafter "handbook”). Handbooks typically summarize compensation plans and insurance coverage; set ... Continue Reading »

At Kahan Kerensky Capossela, LLP (“KKC”), we assist many clients with the process of starting a new business each year, and it's not uncommon for a potential client to call our office and ask if they really need a lawyer to compl ... Continue Reading »

The growing prevalence and value of 401(k) plans and IRAs, and other retirement accounts have become more significant portions of many estates – and they generally are not governed by a will. The distribution of retirement accounts is governed, ... Continue Reading »

There is no denying it. Probate has a bad reputation. Chances are that if you have heard anything about probate, it is that probate is something to be avoided at all costs. And while minimizing interaction with the probate court can be accomplished ( ... Continue Reading »

COVID-19 has changed virtually every aspect of our lives, including access to the court system. Court dockets have ground to a halt, there are no jury trials for the foreseeable future, and your right to confront a witness is often confined to a vide ... Continue Reading »

Making the wrong moves after an accident can affect your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve. Here are 7 things that you should be aware of that can negatively impact your claim:   Refusing to Seek Immediate Medical Attention Th ... Continue Reading »