BC Counselors at Law, PLLC

08/31/2026

For an individual in 2026, the 37% federal income tax bracket doesn’t begin until taxable income exceeds $640,600.

For a trust or estate?

$16,000.

That doesn’t automatically mean your trust is wrong. But if your estate plan predates the SECURE Act and a trust is named as the beneficiary of your IRA, it’s a very good reason to take another look.

The rules surrounding inherited retirement accounts have changed, and a plan designed years ago to protect your children may now have tax and distribution consequences you never intended.

In this week’s blog, we cover:

✅ How the SECURE Act changed inherited IRA planning
✅ Why the $16,000 trust tax threshold matters
✅ The difference between conduit and accumulation trusts
✅ Why minimizing taxes isn’t always the same as protecting your family
✅ Why your IRA beneficiary designation needs to match the rest of your estate plan

The goal is to make sure the wealth you built actually serves and protects the people you built it for.

If your trust or IRA beneficiary designation hasn’t been reviewed recently, now is a good time to bring the whole plan back to the table.

📖 Read this week’s blog to learn more.

Your Trust Could Reach the 37% Tax Bracket at Just $16,000

08/24/2026

If Make-A-Will Month finally got you to create a will, that matters. You took an important step most families never get around to taking.

But a will is not the finish line.

It may not control your retirement accounts or life insurance. It does nothing if you become incapacitated. It won’t keep your family out of probate. And if you created a trust but never funded it, your family could still end up in court anyway.

This week’s blog covers what should come **after** the will:

✓ Review your beneficiary designations
✓ Make sure your trust is actually funded
✓ Put incapacity and healthcare documents in place
✓ Have a plan for keeping everything current as your life changes

Because the goal isn’t simply to have signed documents.

It’s to have a plan that actually works when your family needs it.

Read this week’s blog to see what your will can’t do, and what you may still need to put in place.

You Made a Will. Here’s What It Can’t Do.

08/17/2026

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death was unexpected. The legal dispute that followed illustrates something every family should understand:

Good intentions aren’t the same as a plan that actually works.

According to a lawsuit filed by his widow, commitments made in a premarital agreement (including life insurance, retirement funding, and annual payments) were allegedly never fully carried out.

And that’s where estate planning can fail.

A signed document is only the beginning. Policies have to be purchased and maintained. Accounts have to be funded. Beneficiaries have to stay current. Commitments have to be verified. And as your family and finances change, your plan has to change with them.

In this week’s blog, we look at the Warner family dispute through an estate-planning lens and the steps an ongoing planning relationship could have taken to help prevent it.

Because intention is not implementation.

Your family doesn’t just need documents. They need a plan that is built, funded, maintained, and ready to work when they need it most.

📖 Read this week’s blog to learn more:

The Cosby Show Made Him Famous. His Estate Plan Failed His Family. Here’s What I Would Have Done.

08/10/2026

📄 Make-A-Will Month Is Here. But a Will Isn’t a Plan.

August is a great reminder to finally get your estate planning done.

But here’s the part most families never hear:

A will is only one piece of the puzzle.

A will can name beneficiaries and guardians. But by itself, it does not:

• Avoid probate
• Protect you if you become incapacitated
• Control assets with outdated beneficiary designations
• Give someone immediate authority to care for your children in the first 72 hours after an emergency

That last one matters more than most parents realize.

In this week’s blog, we break down:

✅ What a will can actually do
✅ The important things it cannot do
✅ Why the first 72 hours matter for families with minor children
✅ How a Kids Protection Plan® closes a gap most parents never knew existed
✅ What estate planning looks like when it actually works

Make-A-Will Month is a good reason to start.

Just don’t stop at the will.

Read the full article:

Make-A-Will Month Is Here. But a Will Isn't a Plan.

08/03/2026

You would step in if a friend was about to make a dangerous decision.

So why do we stay quiet when someone we love has no plan in place?

Nearly three out of four Americans do not have a will. That means someone you care about is probably leaving their family vulnerable to court delays, frozen assets, confusion, and decisions no one was prepared to make.

The good news is that you do not need the perfect speech.

Sometimes one honest question is enough:

**“If something happened to you tomorrow, would your family know what to do?”**

In this week’s blog, we share:

✅ Why smart, responsible people still put estate planning off
✅ What families really face when no plan exists
✅ Simple ways to start the conversation without making it awkward
✅ Why referring a friend can be a genuine act of love
✅ How National Make a Will Month gives you an easy reason to bring it up now

You do not have to convince them.

You only have to open the door.

📖 Read and share the full article:

https://www.bccounselorsatlaw.com/our-blog/friends-dont-let-friends-go-without-an-estate-plan

Friends Don't Let Friends Go Without an Estate Plan

07/27/2026

Many parents have never heard of the new **Trump Account**, and even those who have often don't realize there's an important step required to claim the government's contribution.

But here's something that's getting even less attention...

Opening the account is only the beginning.

In this week's blog, we cover:

✅ Who qualifies for the $1,000 government contribution
✅ How to open a Trump Account and claim the benefit
✅ Why this new account should be coordinated with your estate plan
✅ What happens if something happens to you before your child turns 18
✅ How this account fits alongside trusts, wills, and your family's long-term goals

A new financial tool for your child is exciting.

Making sure it's protected as part of a complete Life & Legacy Plan is even more important.

Read this week's blog:

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Trump Accounts: What Every Parent of a Baby Born 2025–2028 Needs to Know

07/20/2026

Have you tried talking to your spouse about estate planning... only to hit a wall?

Maybe they change the subject. Maybe they agree it's important, but never take the next step. Maybe they just keep saying, "We have plenty of time."

If that sounds familiar, you're not alone.

The truth is, most people aren't resisting estate planning because they don't care about their family. They're resisting because the conversation feels uncomfortable. The good news? There's a better way to approach it.

In this week's blog, you'll learn:

✅ Why so many spouses put off estate planning
✅ What's at risk while you wait
✅ A better way to start the conversation without creating conflict
✅ What you can do now, even if your spouse isn't ready
✅ How a simple conversation with a trusted advisor can change the dynamic

Estate planning isn't about preparing for the worst. It's about making life easier for the people you love if the unexpected happens.

Read this week's blog:

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When Your Spouse Won't Get on Board with Estate Planning: What to Do Now

07/13/2026

💳 Does Your Family Inherit Your Debt When You Die?

It's one of the most common (and costly) misunderstandings in estate planning.

Many families assume that when a loved one passes away, their debts automatically become the responsibility of their spouse or children. In many cases, that's simply not true. Yet every year, grieving families pay thousands of dollars they never legally owed because they didn't know their rights.

In this week's blog, we break down what really happens to debt after death, the situations where family members can become responsible, and the mistakes to avoid when creditors start calling.

Before you assume you have to pay, take a few minutes to read this article. It could save your family significant stress—and a significant amount of money.

📖 Read the full blog here:

What Happens to Debt When You Die: What Families Must Know

07/06/2026

Think the new tax law only affects ultra-wealthy families? Think again.

Most of the headlines focused on the higher federal estate tax exemption. But buried deep in the new legislation is a provision that could impact many families with trusts, including special needs trusts, trusts for surviving spouses, and other common estate planning tools.

If you already have a trust, now is the time to ask one important question:

Is it still doing what you created it to do?

In this week's blog, you'll learn:

✅ What changed in the new tax law
✅ Why some trusts could now face unexpected tax consequences
✅ Which families may be affected most
✅ What we know, what we don't know, and why waiting may not be the best strategy
✅ The steps you can take now to make sure your plan still protects the people you love

Estate planning isn't something you do once and forget. As the law changes, your plan should too.

Read this week's blog:

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The New Tax Law and Your Family's Trust: What to Know Now

07/04/2026

🇺🇸 Happy Independence Day from BC Counselors at Law.

As you celebrate with family and friends, we hope your day is filled with gratitude, laughter, and lasting memories.

Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and meaningful Fourth of July.