David M. Frees, III Phone: 610-933-8069
120 Gay St, Phoenixville, PA 19460
Douglas L. Kaune

Archive for January, 2010

Our Estate Tax Issues May Not Matter According To Russia

Monday, January 4th, 2010

David M. Frees III on a 2010 TO DO List.

David M. Frees III on a 2010 TO DO List.

By David Frees Law Office: Phoenixville, Malvern and West Chester

You think retroactive taxation for estate tax purposes is a problem?

Well, according to Russia, we have bigger problems…. click here to read more about estate planning and the pending fall of the United States governmentt.

If you need more information about planning your estate or acting as a trustee or executor, we have many free resources. Appointments are also available with David Frees by contacting Beth MacNulty, Donna Brownback, or Denise Fox at 610-933-8069.

Attorney David Frees can also be reached by email at dfrees@utbf.com

Mention this blog to get a free report at the time of your appointment or to request that a free report on executors or estate planning be sent to you. You can also request these reports on line at www.PaEstatePlanners.com

David Frees has attained AVVO’s highest possible lawyer rating.

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Financial News That You Can Use – For Yourself or to Educate the Next Generation

Monday, January 4th, 2010

David M. Frees III on a 2010 TO DO List.

David M. Frees III on a 2010 TO DO List.

Attorney David Frees Presents Financial, Legal, and Lifestyle News and Tips

One of the best ways to safeguard the inheritance that you leave to the next generation, is through trusts. However, teaching children and grandchildren to be financially savvy is the true key to growing and maintaining family wealth across the generations. Here is a great and mature web site filled with up to date financial news and daily videos that I use to stay informed and as a teaching tool and resource for the kids.

For great financial news and resources visit www.Bloomberg.com.

David M. Frees III
Attorney David Frees has attained the highest AVVO rating of 10.0
dfrees@utbf.com
610-933-8069

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Married To A Wealthy Spouse? Check His Or Her Will. You Might Be Disinherited Thanks To Congress

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

Frees has received AVVO's highest ranking of 10.0 Superb

Frees has received AVVO's highest ranking of 10.0 Superb

By: Pennsylvania Trust and Estate Attorney – David M. Frees III

Many wills and trusts are drafted to leave the maximum amount that can pass tax free to children or other heirs and the balance to the spouse. However, thanks to the failure of Congress to act, the estate tax has lapsed effective January 1, 2010.

This type of planning is especially common with our wealthy clients and also very common in cases where clients are in second marriages with children from prior marriages.

However, you should be sure to check your estate planning documents given this unexpected change. If the formula results in either too much going into trust, or in disinheriting a spouse, this will create undesirable results, and may result in numerous will challenges.

Click here to see the Wall Street Journal review of this important estate tax issue for married couples.

David M. Frees III - Trust, Estate and Asset Protection Planning Lawyer*
610-933-8069

* Note, that in Pennsylvania, there are no professional designations for lawyers. The use of the expression trust lawyer or related topics merely indicates that the lawyer or attorney focuses his or her practice primarily in those areas of law. As a consumer, it is important to ascertain the level of experience that the particular attorney has in any area of law including trust and estate planning, asset protection, and probate law, and estate and trust administration.

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Useful Ideas for 2010 and Beyond And Starting Right Now

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

David M. Frees III on a 2010 TO DO List.

David M. Frees III on a 2010 TO DO List.

This is the time of year when we make resolutions and think about a new start. In that spirit, here are a few ideas for our clients, friends and advisers, that are worth considering for this weekend and for making your life a little better this year and beyond.

Now these are more related to making your life a little better than just focused on legal issues but we hope that you’ll enjoy and use them.

Here are just a few things that you can do, starting right now, to improve your business and/or your life. Some are quite simple and others take a little more effort. But all of these little ideas have a proven ability to make life better.

First, some big picture strategic ideas. Then, some very practical ideas for the new year.

Happiness and luck favor the prepared and open mind as well as a body in motion.

1. Even before you have finished all of your resolutions, start to take action right away even if only to set deadlines to do things. Action yields results and is the single most important factor in separating success from failure.

Happiness is a decision but can be affected by small things. According to the experts:

2. Get enough sleep, exercise (which makes sleep better) and make your bed- which your mother always told you to do. Apparently, this little thing shows your mind that you’re making positive changes.

3. Do you often feel overwhelmed? Again, some time management experts and many psychologists say: Make a list of three things and three things only that you WILL accomplish each day and write them down in the morning. Just three things. make them the most important and then construct your day so that you do them. Often, we have massive lists that just keep growing. That doesn’t make your life any easier so break off a manageable piece. Get three things done.

4. Don’t just simplify your TO DO list- simplify your life as well. It is amazing how each little bit of simplification makes life better. Have you ever had so much stuff that when you needed something, you couldn’t find what you needed? Was the stuff worth having? If you want to learn more about the process of simplification read a little of this blog each day. http://www.zenhabits.com

Good with the strategic stuff?

Try these on for practical life enhancing things:

5. Register your name, and any children or grandchildrens’ names as a domain name. For example, I bought my daughter www.JamieFrees.com so that she can also own Jamie@JamieFrees.com. To get the same discount deal that I do you can click here to register names as domain names.

And remember, that if the name is already taken, you can add a hyphen (www.Jamie-Frees.com) or add the middle initial. If you want more information you can also read my blog article on reserving children’s domain names by clicking here.

6. Check your credit report for identity theft, or any other
misinformation or errors that could harm your financial status and
options. You are entitled to one free check a year at
www.annualcreditreport.com.

7. While you’re at it, make photocopies of your wills and trusts, deeds, car registration,
credit cards, passport, drivers license, social security card, birth certificate, and other
important papers and keep these in a safe deposit box, off site, or at least in a fireproof
box rated for at least two hours.

8. Back up your computer, your other hardware, and your life. Most people don’t take the time to do this, and regret it later. But, there are a few things to do that can save you hours of time and millions of dollars of lost ideas, work, and effort.

First, copy your entire computer hard drive onto an external drive and do that today or tomorrow.

Consider using Mozy to do an external and regularly scheduled back up of your computer. And, for Mac owners – like me- start using Time Machine or SuperDuper.

Make sure that you also back up your family photos on an external hard drive, and consider using a service like Snapfish.com or Shutterfly.com

9. Want to start buying and eating healthier foods. Here’s a free e-book from the government on how to eat healthy:

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/DGA2005.pdf

10. Is one of your resolutions to do more recreational travel? Consider automatically getting last minute low cast fares delivered right to your email account. This is especially good if if you’re retired and have flexibility. If you’re a client, you probably live in the service area of the Philadelphia International Airport – a US Airways hub. If so, you can sign up for US Airway’s E-Saver, and/or Southwest’s Ding, or any other airline program that offers last-minute travel options so you can take quick weekend getaways whenever you feel like it. Fares on these programs can be as low as $40 round trip.

11. Make an appointment to get a full physical checkup from your physician and a good dental examination with ex-rays from your dentist. Also schedule an eye exam with an ophthalmologist.

12. If you have a young family member that has decided to become a millionaire on their own, you can help them to find out exactly how much they want to be worth and why. To analyze how much they need to save and then how to invest try this tool recommended by author Neil Strauss, the author of Emergency-This Book Can Save Your Life. http://partners.leadfusion.com/tools/kiplinger/savings01/tool.fcs

13. Make the start of the new year a time to review your estate plan and wills. For issues to consider in reviewing your will and estate plan click here.

14. Enter to win a great book for yourself or a child or grandchild. Leave a comment below with more suggestions for the new year. Or, enter to win a green reusable coffee cup by leaving a suggestion for how we can be even more environmentally friendly at the firm this year.

OK. That’s plenty for now.

Have other ideas, and resolutions that you want to share?

Leave a comment below and be entered to win a prize.

I have a great book for the winner who has the best and most practical life advice, resolution, strategy or tactic. Share one now and then get going. Enjoy 2010 starting with right now.

David M. Frees III, Esquire
David Frees has achieved AVVO’s highest possible lawyer rating.

610-933-8069
dfrees@utbf.com

P.S. Win a copy of Good To Great, or The Richest Man in Babylon. Lease a suggestion or comment below.

P.P.S. I cannot resist posting a photo of the Frees kids having a night out with Mom and Dad.

The Frees Kids at the Holidays

The Frees Kids at the Holidays

Enjopy your family this year and post a comment below.

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Happy New Year To Our Clients, Friends, Professional Advisors and Team Members

Friday, January 1st, 2010

We would like to take this opportunity to say “Happy New Year and Thank You” from the entire firm and from the Trust, Estate and Wealth Preservation Section of Unruh, Turner, Burke and Frees.

We know that in this area of the state of Pennsylvania, you have many choices for your trust, estate planning, and probate lawyers as well as for your elder law needs.

For that reason, we both thank you and want to let you know that we have once again, in preparation for the new year, spent time, resources, and money in making changes that we think will enhance your experience as a client of the firm.

First, in addition to our two Estate Section partners, David M. Frees III and Douglas L. Kaune.

Jennifer adds more depth of tax practice (especially tax issues facing trusts and estates) and will also be helping us to focus on the unique issues facing women in their estate planning.

We have added two blogs designed to bring you more and timely news and information on estate planning, asset protection planning, and information and news for executors and trustees. In addition, we are currently working on a new web site and blog oriented just for families in need of elder law and nursing home advice and information. Be sure to read and watch www.UTBF.com/trust-estate and www.PaEstatePlanners.com for the latest news and information affecting you, your business, investments, and your family.

We have also invested in new software that we believe will take us to the next level in preparing and updating your tax returns, estate and trust accountings, and the family settlement agreements that we often use to avoid much of the probate process.

Several other associates and partners of the firm, including Denise Werkley, Theo Claypoole, William Burke, Don Turner, John Fiorillo, and Stephen LaGoy will be working on matters with the Estate Section – especially when planning involves family limited partnerships, closely held businesses, and real estate or when there are matters involving litigation.

We would also like to welcome Beth MacNulty as our new client relations manager. Beth’s jobs will include helping you to get appointments that fit your schedule, confirm appointments, making sure that your estate planning documents have been received by you and are stored safely, and in assisting you in emergency appointments, and with your other needs as they arise.

Beth can be reached by calling 610-933-8069.

In addition, David Frees was recently honored by receiving AVVO’s highest lawyer rating of 10.0 or Suberb and presented again to the prestigious Pennsylvania Bar Institute Estate Institute on the topic of Estate Planning for Families with Young Children. David has also just finished, with his brother Robb Frees, a soon to be published book and report on What Consumers Need To Know about insurance law.

Douglas Kaune was admitted as a member of NAELA (National Association of Elder Law Attorneys) and Doug in addition to his work in the are of sophisticated estate planning is working on three new reports for consumers on the changing laws in the area of Elder Law and Nursing Home issues.

In conclusion, we thank you for your continue support ans we look for new ways to help you through this difficult time with the many changes and the uncertainty now that Congress has allowed the state tax to lapse but at the same time is threatening to restore it retroactively.

For estate planning questionnaires, estate planning appointments, appointments to update older estate plans, or for any of our free reports for executors please call 610-933-8069.

David M. Frees III, Esquire – Chairman: Trust, Estate and Wealth Preservation Section
Douglas L. Kaune, Esquire – Trust Estate and Wealth Preservation and Chairman: Elder Law Section

Donna Brownback – Paralgel
Denise Fox – Paralegal
Beth MacNulty – Client Relations Manager

The firm maintains offices in Malvern, West Chester, and Phoenixville

610-933-8069

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