• posted: Mar. 18, 2021
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• probate,  small estate affidavit,  inheritance

Following the death of a loved one, a family often faces the costly probate process, which has a tendency to consume some of the estate’s assets and reduce the amount Read More

• posted: Dec. 17, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• estate planning,  guardianships,  conservatorships,  ward

When a loved one becomes incapacitated or otherwise unable to take care of themselves, Arizona law provides for appointment of a guardian or conservator to assume responsibility for their protection. Read More

• posted: Dec. 17, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• asset protection,  LLC,  corporation,  liabilities,  firewall

Protecting personal assets is essential for business owners. Without asset protection measures in place, creditors can come after your personal wealth if your business is sued, goes under or can't Read More

• posted: Dec. 17, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• beneficiaries,  will contests,  interested parties,  probate court

Will contests occur when someone challenges the validity of a will or any of its provisions in probate court. A will can be declared invalid if the person making it Read More

• posted: Nov. 30, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• buy-sell agreement,  death benefits,  liquidating shares,  mandatory buy-out,  shareholders

An essential part of starting a business is preparing for the day when one of the owners sells his or her shares due to retirement, disability or other circumstances. A Read More

• posted: Oct. 30, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• right of survivorship,  tenancy

Arizona is a community property state. With certain exceptions, all property owned by either spouse during the marriage is deemed the joint property of both. But when one spouse dies, Read More

• posted: Sep. 30, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• annuity,  charitable gift annuity,  charitable organization,  partial income tax deduction

A charitable gift annuity is a fund-raising device — popular with colleges and other nonprofits — that allows donors to receive as well as give. If used wisely, this vehicle Read More

• posted: Aug. 30, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• beneficiaries,  grantor,  special needs trust

If you have a relative with special needs such as a disabling injury or mental and physical limitations, you may wish to help them with their expenses by giving them Read More

• posted: Jul. 30, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• final-arrangements document,  living will,  organ donation

Most people know that you can use a living will to specify what life-sustaining measures you wish to be taken or withheld if you become brain-dead or permanently incapacitated. But Read More

• posted: Jun. 30, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• assets,  creator,  estate planning,  funding,  probate,  revocable living trust,  settlor,  trustee

When planning your estate, you should keep in mind that the decisions you make now may place responsibilities on your loved ones when you die. Your estate will be subject Read More

• posted: May 30, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• Estate Planning
• income-only trusts,  long-term care,  Medicaid eligibility,  Miller Trust,  spend-downs

  Perhaps the greatest myth of retirement planning is that you only need to worry about having enough income to take care of basic living expenses. Many a person has retired Read More

• posted: May 18, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted practically every aspect of American life. Whether closed by government order or by concerns about public safety, millions of businesses around the country have seen Read More

• posted: May 14, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• COVID-19

The economic and personal upheaval triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to warrant a review of your estate plan, no matter how thorough you think it is. As Americans Read More

• posted: May 11, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• COVID-19

Small business owners are necessarily prepared for various types of challenges, but what do you do when the government orders you to close for an indefinite amount of time? Unfortunately, Read More

• posted: May 07, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• COVID-19

Though it’s always been true, the COVID-19 pandemic has driven home the point that a debilitating medical condition can strike without warning. Whether you’re fighting the coronavirus or are incapacitated Read More

• posted: May 04, 2020
• Joseph M. Udall
• COVID-19

How do you hold a corporate annual meeting when the entire country is in lockdown? On the surface, it might seem like a simple matter of using a favorite video Read More