Should my Will be notarized?

This is a question many people ask because they do not understand the importance of having a Will notarized when it is not a legal requirement. In Pennsylvania, you only have to sign your Will at the end of the document. Witnesses are not required and the Will does not have to be notarized. BUT, both, having your Will witnessed and notarized, are important.

It is important to have witnesses because they help to establish whose Will it is. They can state whether the person was under duress or of sound mind at the time of signing

Notarizing the document makes the Will self-proving. This means that if there is ever a question regarding the Will, the witnesses do not have to be located. The fact that it was notarized validates that the Will was appropriately witnessed.

So, do not take short cuts when embarking upon such an important task. Share your comments or contact our office at http://www.ythlaw.com/
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What are the terms of the Trust for Children?

Many people want to place their assets, upon their death, in a Trust for their children. The question that is often asked is what are the standard terms of a Trust for children. As with any of the estate planning documents, a lot of the terms and conditions are based upon each person's situation, circumstances and intent. However, there are some general guidelines that many follow when they have no specifics of their own.

The age for distribution of the principal of the Trust are generally 25, 30 and 35. However, the income is distributed after the child turns 18, monthly, quarterly or annually, at the discretion of your named Trustee and based upon the needs of the child. The needs generally addressed are education, health, maintenance and general support. The lump sum distribution of principal at 25 is generally thought to be used to start ones career after undergraduate and graduate work. The lump sum distribution at 30 is generally thought to be used for the down payment on a home. While the final distribution at 35 is generally thought to help with the needs of the grandchildren or to address any other major life event.

Everyone's situation is different but it is always helpful to have some idea of how these Trusts are set up. It is best to seek the advice and guidance of an estate planning professional because the options are so varied. Send us your comments or contact us at

When do I begin to plan my estate?

I alway use my birthday as a time to review and reflect on important health, financial and personal matters. Making sure my estate plan is up to date is a part of this annual reflection. Well, today is my BIRTHDAY!!! I will of course celebrate the gift of another year of wisdom and experience while I take the time to encourage you to get something done that is important to you and your loved ones. I encourage you to get your Will done NOW but NO LATER THAN YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!

One question that I often get from audiences is when do I begin to plan my estate. The simple answer is now. If you are 18 or older and of sound mind then you can and should have at a minimum, a Will. Many people use certain triggering events to start their estate plan. this would include events like buying a house, getting married, having a baby or developing a particular passion. Why not use your BIRTHDAY as your triggering event. This is your day to take care of your health, financial and personal matters. Let one of those matters be getting you Will done.

Leave your comment here or contact us at http://www.ythlaw.com/

Legacy - Your Life's Worth

We had a traditional Memorial Day, taking my daughter to the parade and having friends and family over for a cookout. One of the things I also enjoy with an extended weekend is an opportunity to read a good book. It seems no matter what I read I always find an Estate Planning moment. This time it was in Loving Frank - a fictional Frank Lloyd Wright love story.

One of the characters in the story owned a home sanctuary on a beautiful lake in Sweden. The home represented a culmination of her life's work and worth on women's empowerment in the early 1900s. It was her intent to make this sanctuary a kind of legacy upon her death. So she was having a will drafted up to accomplish that goal.

A legacy is a powerful testimony to one's life and one's work. However, it can not be done without proper planning. An estate planning attorney goes beyond merely your tangible assets but combines that with the intangible desires that you might have, your hopes and dreams for the future.

That is what we do best at my firm!! Send a comment or contact us at http://www.ythlaw.com/

Retirement benefits and estate planning

Whenever I learn something new, I just can not wait to share it with my readers. I attended a seminar this week and we discussed how one might leave their retirement plan to a loved one. The tax favored approach would be to to:
1. Leave it in Trust to a young individual. The life expectancy of that individual will be used to determine the payout period.
2. Leave your retirement benefits outright to your spouse. There are all kinds of benefits to the surviving spouse, one of which is the rollover into their own retirement account. This benefit is not available to other beneficiaries.
3. Leave it in Trust to a Charity

The least tax favored arrangement for retirement benefits would be
1. Leaving it to an older individual
2. Leaving in Trust for the spouse
3. Leaving it to your Estate

So you want to think about this very important asset when having your estate planning done.

Contact my office for a free consultation about this and other estate planning matters.

What does Power of Attorney mean?

Question:
I keep hearing that it is important to have a power of attorney but I really do not know what it all means.

Answer:
The power of attorney provides the name of the person or persons who will handle your financial matters should you become incapacitated. There are many decisions that are time sensitive and, if delayed, could result in significant financial loss to you. The Power of Attorney allows you to designate a person, of your choice, to act on your behalf and ensure financial decisions are not unnecessarily delayed.

It is your “personal decision insurance”. Make sure you are covered.

A Power of Attorney is a document that gives another person or institution the right to take certain actions on your behalf. The scope of actions authorized is written within the Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney can be effective immediately or it can give the agent the authority to act only after you become incapacitated. The latter is known as a springing Power of Attorney and requires proof of the your incapacity. Making the Power of Attorney effective immediately avoids this issue. However, unless directed to do so by you, the agent should not use the Power of Attorney if you are capable of making decisions.

There are several forms that Power of Attorney can take, including limited, general and health care. Depending upon your personal circumstances, there may be a need for all three to ensure continuity in business transactions.

The Limited Power of Attorney does not provide broad powers. It is generally used in the purchase and sale of real estate when you are unavailable on important signing dates or for the negotiation of securities transactions within an investment account.

A General Power of Attorney can grant "all-encompassing" authority for virtually any type of decision relating to all types of property.

The Health Care Power of Attorney is used to appoint a person who may make important medical decisions regarding a person’s care during incapacity.
Critical Note:
1. Regardless of the form of the Power of Attorney, it is imperative that your agent be carefully selected. Given the authority granted under any Power of Attorney, trustworthiness is the essential key.
2. The Power of Attorney terminates upon your death.

Have your questions answered by entering a comment or email us by going to http://www.ythlaw.com/

When should I have a Revocable Trust?

Question:
I live comfortably on my investments and retirement income. My sons are grown and only one of my grandchildren is under the age of 18. While my permanent residence is in Pennsylvania, I own real estate is several other states. How can I best set up my estate for ease of administration for my sons and grandchildren?

Answer:
This is where a funded Revocable Living Trust is ideal. There are many reasons to consider a Revocable Living Trust, one of which is when there is ancillary real estate, ie. real estate in more than one state. The use of a Will when you own real estate located in more than one state requires the filing of additional probate documents with each of the local probate courts. Local counsel usually must be retained in each of those additional jurisdictions. If the additional real estate is held in a Revocable Living Trust, however, the costs associated with these ancillary estate administrations may be reduced or avoided altogether. It would also be wise in your situation to provide for a trust for your younger grandchild and let your son, the child’s father, serve as the Trustee. These instructions can be provided in your Revocable Living Trusts.

If you want to know more about Revocable Living Trusts: The Pros and The Cons - The Reasons for Revocable Living Trusts and Whether They Address the Needs of You and Your Family CALL (215) 321-4033.

Should I plan NOW for possible future incapacity?

Question:
I have been the owner of a small restaurant for 25 years. Since my wife and children are not interested in the business when I die, I have provided for the sale of the business in my will. However, I have not addressed what will happen to the restaurant if I am unable to run it for a period of time due to an extended illness. I am 62 and enjoy taking care of the details of my business. Should I also plan now for possible future incapacity? What are my options?

Answer:
Yes, you should plan now for possible future incapacity

If you do not have a Power of Attorney, it is wise to have one. This will authorize someone to act on your behalf. Depending on the details of your business and number of employees, this may adequately cover you during recuperation.

Another alternative might be a revocable trusts. Among other uses, it can provide for the management of trust assets in case of incapacity. Your restaurant business could be placed in the trust and you can be both the trustee and beneficiary. You make the decisions about trust assets and you would be responsible for the income tax on any earnings of trust assets. Life goes on, pretty much, as before with only the title of the assets being in the trust. You would name a successor trustee for special cases as defined by the trust, ie. incapacity. This would be a person of your choice who would be under a legal duty to protect your assets. It avoids potential conflict among family members and any possible court involvement.

It is best for you to plan now and not leave to others, not as familiar with your business, to plan for you.

Have your questions answered by entering a comment or sending an email through http://www.ythlaw.com/.

How can I avoid Federal Estate Tax?

Question:
My husband died unexpectantly and without a will. The estate is worth in excess of 3.5 million dollars. My husband had children from a prior marriage and we had children together. Can I avoid Federal Estate taxes? How can I best provide for all of his children?

Answer:
Yes, you can avoid federal inheritance tax because of the unlimited marital deduction applied to estate assets that pass from your deceased husband to you. However, since your husband died without a will, there was no planning in place to take advantage of his lifetime exclusion amount or his credit against potential future taxes. Further, there will be taxes on the monies which go directly to the children.

WHY, you might ask? When someone dies without a will, the state determines who inherits what assets. In your case, Pennsylvania provides that ½ of the estate would pass to you and the other ½ would pass equally to all of his children. However, this only applies to probate assets – assets that were titled in your husband’s name only. The intestate (to die without a will) laws do not apply to jointly held property and assets providing for designated beneficiaries.
Assuming that most of the estate was held jointly or provided you as the designated beneficiary, the following estate planning strategies are available to provide for the children while minimizing the Federal estate tax:
Gifting: $13000 can be given annually to each child tax free. Such funds could be placed in a trust for the benefit of the children.
529 College Saving Plans: $6,000 (representing 5 years of annual gifts of $13000) is permitted for each child.
Family Limited Partnership: is another gifting vehicle.
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust: takes life insurance proceeds out of your estate.

Have your questions answered by entering a comment or submitting an inquiry through http://www.ythlaw.com/.

How should I plan for my special needs son?

Question:
How should I plan for my 22 year old son who has been disabled since birth?

Answer:
A “special needs trust” may be the best alternative.
The special needs trust is intended to supplement, rather than supplant, public assistance benefits that the disabled child may be entitled to receive under various programs such as Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) and Medical Assistance. The purpose of the special needs trust, therefore, is to make sure that monies available to a disabled child does not result in the loss of public benefits if that is an important issue for you and your son. A special needs trust may be set up by a third party such as a parent, grandparent or guardian or it may be set up with the funds of the disabled child. The latter situation generally involves a personal injury settlement where the accident was the cause of the disability and a settlement is made for the benefit of the child.

Critical Note:
Even though most trustees named under a special needs trust are corporate trustees, such as a financial institutions, if the trust is a modest size, typically less than $75,000 or only holds a home, a non-corporate trustee can be named. This includes a family member who may then seek the advice of a financial planner if they do not currently have that expertise.

Have your question answered by entering a comment or contact us at

Do I really need a Will?

Question:
Do I really need a Will? I own everything jointly with my husband. Why should I even have a Will?

Answer:
Everyone should have a Will. A Will allows you, rather than the State, to determine who gets your assets. The State’s plan may not be the best plan for you.

In your particular case, joint property does not go through probate. At your death, jointly held property belongs to the other joint owner, your husband. However, a Will addresses who would get the property in case both you and your husband die simultaneously, in an accident or common disaster. In such a case, you may need to name a guardian, if you have minor children or disabled children.

Also, a Will allows you, instead of the Court, to name an Executor to make sure estate administrative responsibilities are handled. This includes any inheritance tax form filing and last income tax form due.

Finally, even if you believe you hold everything jointly, there may be items overlooked including beneficiaries under an insurance policy or 401K. Is your Estate named? If so, who do you want to take under your Estate? If you die as a result of the negligence of another, the legal suit is considered to be an asset of the Estate. Once again, who would benefit from these assets, you can decide under your Will or the State can impose its Intestate Law, the law applicable for those who die without a Will.

Have your question answered by entering a comment or go to http://www.ythlaw.com/ and email us your questions.

What happens if the Federal Estate Tax law is repealed?

Question
Is Estate Planning necessary if the Federal Estate Tax law is repealed?

Answer:
Estate planning has many purposes besides reducing or eliminating the federal estate tax. It is used to protect assets, preserve and distribute wealth. For example, you can provide for family members with disabilities or other challenges in financial management. You can control when your heirs receive any distribution. You can designate executors, trustees, guardians and those to inherit your assets.

In short, yes, estate planning will still be necessary if the Federal Estate Tax law is repealed.

Ask your question by commenting or submitting a question to http://www.ythlaw.com/

How do I plan in uncertain times?

Question:
Can you effectively plan your estate in the midst of uncertainty with Federal Estate Tax law? I am aware that Congress is considering bills that would change the Federal Estate tax. How can you effectively plan your estate when the tax laws are constantly changing?

Answer:
Flexibility is the key when planning ones estate during change and uncertainty. We do not have a crystal ball to see the future. Therefore, we need the next best thing.In my opinion, that would be control over the timing of implementation of designated estate planning tools. For example, funding the Credit Shelter Trust (used to preserve the exclusion amount of the first spouse to die) may create a burden for the surviving spouse if the estate is not large enough to justify the use of the Credit Shelter Trust. However, if the instrument is not drafted to provide some flexibility then funding of the Credit Shelter Trust may be mandatory. An alternative would be the use of a Disclaimer Trust. When the first spouse dies, an assessment can be made at that time whether to disclaim all or part of the inheritance. Only that amount, if any, would be placed in the Disclaimer Trust. The terms of the trust would provide for the surviving spouse during their lifetime. Afterwards, the funds would be distributed to the children or the remainder beneficiaries.

Ask your question by commenting or submitting a question to http://www.ythlaw.com/

What rights will the Prenuptial Agreement affect?

Question:
What rights will the Prenuptial Agreement affect?

Answer:
The scope of a Prenuptial Agreement can be as broad or as limited as the situation dictates or you and your fiancé desire. It can deal with just one asset or it can fix all of the rights arising out of the marital relationship.

For example, upon divorce in Pennsylvania either spouse may request that their marital property be divided between them. Rather than leave such a decision to the court or even to a negotiation process between the divorcing couple's attorneys, the parties themselves could agree prior to marriage on how their assets will be divided in the event of a divorce. Similarly, an agreement can fix their respective rights to alimony or support in the event of a divorce or separation. In both cases, the agreement avoids a protracted battle in the event the marriage ends in divorce.

Let's say your interest is to have your children inherit your property. Without a Prenuptial Agreement, your new husband would have certain rights to at least a portion of your property. With an agreement, however, you can ensure that your children will receive their inheritance.

As relates to your rights the following is important:
1. You and your fiancé should make full and complete disclosure of your financial worth. You should never waive your rights without full knowledge of what you are giving up.
2. You and your fiancé should each have an attorney. Your attorney can review the terms for reasonableness.

Have your question answered by commenting or submitting your question to http://www.ythlaw.com/

Should I have a Prenuptial Agreement?

Question:
I am getting married this summer. It is a second marriage for both of us and we both have children from our prior marriages. My fiancé had his attorney draft a Prenuptial Agreement for us to execute. I am in favor of the agreement to protect my children’s inheritance. However, I want to make sure I understand the future ramifications. Should I also hire an attorney? What rights will the agreement affect?
Should I also hire an attorney prior to executing a Prenuptial Agreement?

Answer:
Yes!!!!!!!
The purpose of the agreement is to alter the rights that you would otherwise have upon divorce or death of your spouse. Your attorney will focus on the rights that you give up, will make sure you understand the terms of the agreement and, if necessary, will amend the proposed agreement (or draft a new one) to address your concerns.

It used to be that only those with vast fortunes to protect considered a Prenuptial Agreement as part of their wedding plans. Even though such steps may not be necessary for every couple, in light of the ever-increasing divorce rate and more common second and third marriages, many couples, like yourself, readily welcome the suggestion of a Prenuptial Agreement, especially to protect the interests of their children from a prior marriage.

More on Prenuptial Agreements tomorrow.

Have your questions answered here by commenting or submit your question at http://www.ythlaw.com/

How can I avoid State Inheritance Tax?

QUESTION
My estate is currently under the Federal Estate Tax exclusion but I also want to avoid having my estate pay State Inheritance tax, like that in Pennsylvania. How can Estate Planning help me?

Answer
Transfers to a surviving spouse or a charity are tax free. Certain type of joint ownerships between non-spouses would allow the surviving owner to receive the deceased owners share without an inheritance tax. The concept behind this ownership (Joint Tenants with Rights of Survivorship) is that both individuals owned the whole so upon death there was no “inheritance” by the other owner. This generally occurs when parents name an adult child as co-owner (Joint Tenant with Rights of Survivorship). Though this would allow one to avoid inheritance tax, there are other things to consider before naming another person as a co-owner. Remember, that person’s creditors would have another asset to attach if outstanding debts occur.

Gifting provides another mechanism to avoid or reduce the inheritance tax. The basic rule is that in the year 2009 anyone can give up to $13,000 in money or other property to any number of parties without gift tax. This $13,000 per year, per recipient rule is known as the annual gift tax exclusion and one’s estate is reduced by that amount.

Perhaps the most significant tax disadvantage of gifting is the loss of the so-called "stepped-up" basis. This can be best explained by an example. Let's say you purchased unimproved land for $10,000 but the land is now worth $100,000. If you sell the land, you would realize a $90,000 (100,000 minus 10,000) gain. If you were to make a lifetime gift of this property, the recipient would stand in your shoes and would also realize a $90,000 gain if they were to sell the property. If, however, you were to die owning the property and leave it to your beneficiaries in your Will, those beneficiaries would receive it as if they paid $100,000 for it. As such, they could in turn sell it for $100,000 and realize no taxable gain. Because of the “stepped-up basis” that a decedent's beneficiaries receive, it’s suggested that a donor refrain from gifting appreciated property. You have to do the numbers to see what might work best for your heirs.

Send your questions in by providing a comment or visiting my website at http://www.ythlaw.com/

Should my children inherit my Retirement Plan?

Question:
I would like my children to inherit my qualified retirement plan. However, I want to control the distribution of those assets after I die. How can I accomplish this goal?

Answer:
You should have a trust name as the “designated beneficiary”of a qualified retirement account.

You, like many other people, may have significant assets in a retirement account and you want to be assured that after your death such assets benefit the ones they love. For example, if your surviving spouse were to remarry, the new spouse could get the money if you fail to plan ahead. If, as another example, you were in a second marriage, protecting your children from a prior marriage may be your concern. Another possibility is that you want to leave all the retirement assets to minors or individuals whom you do not trust to make good financial decisions. The terms of a designated beneficiary trust could address all of these situations.

In order for a trust beneficiary to qualify as a designated beneficiary, the trust:
must be valid under state law,
must be irrevocable or, by its terms, become irrevocable at the death of the grantor and
must have identifiable individuals as beneficiaries.
A copy of the trust must be provided to the retirement plan administrator
As long as these requirements are met, the life expectancy of the trust's oldest beneficiary will be used to determine the applicable distribution period.

Critical Note:
By selecting a trust as beneficiary, a surviving spouse would lose the opportunity to roll the retirement account over into a new qualified retirement account. This rollover is a big advantage for a spouse because the spouse can select new beneficiaries and a new distribution pattern. Your situation would have to be assessed to make sure giving up this spouse-only privilege is in your best interest.

Contact our office with your questions today.

How can I provide for my grandchildren?

Here is another question raised by a reader.

"How can I best provide for my grandchildren? My son has been divorced twice. His 2 children (5 and 9) do not have the same mother. I have a wonderful relationship with my grandchildren but not with their mothers. My son has full custody of his 9 year old son and joint custody of his 5 year old daughter. However, he is not financially responsible. What is the best way for me to provide for my grandchildren during my lifetime as well as when I die? Giving or leaving money to either parent for the care of the children is not an option."

In Response to your question:
During your lifetime, you may want to consider a gifting program. This would allow you to annually gift up to $13,000 (as of 2009, amount changes periodically) in a separate trust for each child. The terms of the trust will dictate how the money will be spent. You should not serve as the trustee but designate a person or institution that you trust. Other options for gifting would include custodian accounts (distribution required at 18 or 21) and 529 Plans (limited to college education expense). You should also be aware of any tax implications. Prior to any final decision, consult with your tax advisor.

If you set up an irrevocable trust during your lifetime, it could continue under the same terms and conditions when you die. If you did not set up anything during your lifetime, you could establish a testamentary trust with terms and conditions that you desire for the care of your grandchildren. However, whenever assets skip a generation (ie. to grandchildren instead of children), a generation-skipping transfer has occurred and a tax is imposed unless the amount is within the exemption. There is no tax if you do not exceed your 1.5 million dollar lifetime exemption.

Made your comments here or email a question via my website http://www.ythlaw.com/ .

How can I best set up my estate?

Over the next few days, I will be answering questions posed by readers.

The first question I received was:

"How can I best set up my estate for ease of administration for my sons and grandchildren? I live comfortably on my investments and retirement income. My sons are grown and only one of my grandchildren is under the age of 18. While my permanent residence is in Pennsylvania, I own real estate New Jersey and North Carolina. How can I best set up my estate for ease of administration for my sons and grandchildren?"

In response to the question:
There are several ways to set up an estate for ease of administration. In your case a funded Revocable Living Trust would be very beneficial. There are many reasons to consider a Revocable Living Trust, one of which is when there is ancillary real estate.

The use of a Will when you own real estate located in more than one state requires the filing of additional probate documents with each of the local probate courts. In your case, this would be both New Jersey and North Carolina. Local counsel usually must be retained in each of those additional jurisdictions. If the additional real estate is held in a Revocable Living Trust, however, the costs associated with these ancillary estate administrations may be reduced or avoided altogether.

It would also be wise in your situation to provide for a trust for your younger grandchild and let your son, the child’s father, serve as the Trustee. You are not required to appoint a corporate trustee. You should name someone that you trust to follow through with the specific instructions provided in your Revocable Living Trust.

Provide your comments or send a question through my website: http://www.ythlaw.com/

Who will handle your financial/business affairs when you can not?

Everyone should have a plan to cover incapacity, especially business owners who do not have family members involved or interested in the business. What happens when you can not handle your financial affairs or run your business for a period of time due to an extended illness? Whether you are young or old, planning now for possible future incapacity is important because YOUR assets are at risk.

What are your options?
If you do not have a Power of Attorney, it is wise to have one. This Durable Power of Attorney, as it is often called, authorizes someone to act on your behalf. For someone without a business or with a simple estate, this document may adequately cover you for any period of incapacity. For those with businesses or complex estates, there are other alternatives to consider.

One such alternative might be a revocable trust. Among other uses, it can provide for the management of trust assets in case of incapacity. Your business could be placed in the trust and you can be both the trustee and beneficiary. You make the decisions about trust assets and you would be responsible for the income tax on any earnings of trust assets. Life goes on, pretty much, as before with only the title of the assets being in the trust. You would name a successor trustee for special cases as defined by the trust, ie. incapacity. This would be a person of your choice who would be under a legal duty to protect your assets. It avoids potential conflict among family members and any possible court involvement.

It is best for you to plan now and not leave to others, unfamiliar with your business, to plan for you.

Call (215) 321-4033 with questions and to learn more.

Day Five - Time To Plan

As with all good things, the end has to come. So my pre-release excursion to St. Thomas has come to an end. But, it is just the beginning of the marketing of Stop! What are you waiting for? Your Step-By-Step Guide to Estate Planning.

A rainbow appears as I begin my travels back to Pennsylvania. I think of the plans for the future and what lies beyond that rainbow. I know that I want to use this book to encourage everyone to take the time to plan. We are all so busy making life happen that we fail to live life to the fullest and part of living life is making sure we pass on our life's work and worth. Too many people are not effectively planning. In writing a book directed to those who have not taken the time to plan or to update their plan, I make a call to action. With the knowledge outlined in the book, your action is the next step. I want everyone to have a will (or a trust as it may apply), the cornerstone of any estate plan. I envision a time when everyone over 18 will have this essential document and, like a driver's license, passport or credit card, will be easily accessible when needed.

What is the tipping point to move the masses in this direction? It is, I believe, my book Stop! What are you waiting for? Your Step-By-Step Guide to Estate Planning.

Day Four - Horizon Dock

Each morning I was up watching the sunrise from the hilltops and in the evening I watched the sunset on the horizon. This evening I sat on the dock awaiting the ferry to town as the sun made it descent towards the blue horizon. There has been much to celebrate with the pre-release of my first book. The bookstores are as anxious as I am for the arrival of my books in June. We have many planned events throughout the summer. I will keep you posted.

In the meantime, I answer the questions from a bookstore patron regarding long term care planning. I devoted an entire section of my book to Elder law which has become increasingly important. There are many planning steps that everyone should do to make sure their golden years are golden and not replete with regret from not planning.

Let me guide you through the answers to many of your long term care concerns.

Day Three - St. John

I thought it could not get any better than St. Thomas then I went to St. John. Miles of white sand beaches, crystal clear blue water, unique colorful shops and million dollar homes neatly tucked in the cliffs rising high above the ocean, all welcomed the ferry I traveled on to reach St. John. Our first stop was the bookstore at the National Park Headquarters.

It was a small section of the Welcome Center devoted to books. This bookstore, like Dockside in St. Thomas, will stock my book. And the pre-release continues.

The land in St. John is now very expensive If you ownn land on the Island, I was told by a long time resident, the value has greatly appreciated. The questions from residents of this jewel of the Virgin Island did center on real estate. The concern by some was how to keep real estate within the family for generations. This is where a trust or even a LLC (especially for rental properties) may serve as the best course of action. Stay tuned - one more day left for pre-release activities.

Day Two - Cliff Crab at Sunrise

Pristine is the word for the scenery this morning. I am on the veranda overlooking the cliffs to the ocean. Since there is no sand, the crab I see scampering across the rocks below I call cliff crab.

Yesterday, I continued to talk about my book to the locals arriving for Carnival and those from all over the mainland arriving by cruise ship. I find people very interested in knowing how estate planning can help their circumstances. From the native of St. Thomas living in Long Island, New York who would love to purchase a piece of the island of St. Thomas to the young Chicago couple interest for their 14 month old son, they all pause to ask me questions. I'm excited to know that my book can really help resolve issues for so many people's circumstances.

Later today I travel to the island of St. John for an event at another bookstore. Stay tuned.