Spalding Law Office

05/30/2026

Three tax hits. One filing status change.
Most estate plans never address any of it. Spalding Law Office does because we are there for the family, not just for the documents.
This week’s article covers what you need to know about “the widow penalty.”
Click here for the article: https://spaldinglawoffice.com/no-one-warned-her-about-the-widow-penalty-her-first-tax-return-did/

05/29/2026

There is a question most estate plans never ask.
What does your spouse's financial life look like after you are gone?
It is one of the first things I raise. Let’s start that conversation.
Link for a free 15-minute discovery call: https://app.lawmatics.com/forms/share/adc42f00-ab0b-4f2d-9809-4059c12a25b2

05/28/2026

The widow penalty is not a vague concept. It has a specific dollar figure attached to it.
In 2026, the standard deduction for a married couple over 65 is $35,500. For a single filer, it drops to $18,150. That one change alone creates more than $17,000 of additional taxable income, before anything else in the surviving spouse's financial picture has shifted.

This week's article answers the question: what the widow penalty actually is, and whether your current estate plan addresses it. Read the full article for what you can do about it now: https://spaldinglawoffice.com/no-one-warned-her-about-the-widow-penalty-her-first-tax-return-did/

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

Nobody warned her about the widow penalty. She found out about it in April after her husband died. This week's blog is about what the widow penalty costs, who it hits, and what couples can do about it now while there is still time. Read the blog here: https://spaldinglawoffice.com/no-one-warned-her-about-the-widow-penalty-her-first-tax-return-did/

05/22/2026

In case you missed this: a valid Power of Attorney can be rejected at your bank right when your family needs it most. Most families don't find out until they're already in a crisis. This week's article covers why it happens and what a plan that actually works looks like. Check out the blog post: https://spaldinglawoffice.com/the-document-that-fails-when-you-need-it-most/

05/21/2026

Click the link to schedule a free 15-minute discovery call 📩: https://app.lawmatics.com/forms/share/adc42f00-ab0b-4f2d-9809-4059c12a25b2

05/20/2026

You signed the Power of Attorney. You thought your family was protected. Here's what most families discover at the bank counter during a crisis: A valid POA can be rejected, and there's very little recourse in the moment. This week’s article dives into why this happens and what to do about it before you actually need it. Check out our blog post: https://spaldinglawoffice.com/the-document-that-fails-when-you-need-it-most