Lifetime giving can be an effective estate planning strategy that can shape both your legacy and your family’s financial well-being while also being a useful tax management tool. This approach allows you to witness the impact of your gifts during your lifetime and potentially reduce your taxable estate. | Creative Planning, LLC

One estate planning mistake cost this Washington family $18,000 — and it could’ve been avoided with a single signature. At CMS Law Firm, we see it all the time: Mom says, “Just give everything to the kids,” and thinks everthing will work out. Without a written will, though, the house goes through probate, the kids end up in court, and the state takes a cut. It’s totally avoidable. We create simple, fast estate plans that actually work — without the confusion, high fees, or months of back-and-for