The Descendants Shows Us Two Lessons in Estate Planning          Last weekend, I took my wife to see “The Descendants,” starring George Clooney.  Critics have widely praised the movie for its multi-layered look at family relationships stretching from the central characters’ immediate family to its multiple branches, and ultimately reaching back to the settlement ofHawaii.  The film has been nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Picture.          George Clooney portrays a real estate attorney who is also the trustee of his family’s dynasty trust which must end soon because ofHawaii’s Rule Against Perpetuities, an ancient English common law doctrine generally preventing trusts from extending more than 21 years beyond lives in being at creation of the trust.  Clooney’s family trust owns more than 50,000 prime acres of Kauai oceanfront, and Clooney must decide between selling the land to competing offers or keeping the land in the family by spinning

   Greetings and Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your family from Greenhalgh Legal Services         Welcome To Our Second Edition of the Greenhalgh Legal Services Email Newsletter!  Last month, we had two very successful meetings of our Client Advisory Council, and the format of this month’s newsletter takes into account several excellent suggestions made during those meetings.          This Month’s Reminders!  Don’t forget that you need to file a Form 709 United States Gift Tax Return by April 17, 2012 for gifts made to any individuals in excess of $13,000.00 during the calendar year 2011.  If you have made such gifts and need help in completing this Form, please contact us right away at (608) 355-0907.  Several of our clients made such gifts in 2011 and need to report these.          Estate Tax Spreadsheet!  Attached to this email is a spreadsheet showing important facts about federal and state estate

Happy New Year to you and your family from Greenhalgh Legal Services!  Here’s hoping that 2012 is the best year ever for all of us!  Welcome To Our Email Newsletter Service!  Starting this month, you are receiving our new email newsletter with important announcements about upcoming activities here at Greenhalgh Legal Services, important law changes, client workshops, and client appreciation events.  Of course, if you want to discontinue receiving these emails, please let us know, but otherwise welcome aboard, and we look forward to keeping you up-to-date for many years to come via email! Greenhalgh Legal Services Client Maintenance Plan is here!  As of January 1, 2012, Greenhalgh Legal Services has a client maintenance plan for all our estate planning clients designed to give you and your family the utmost in protection with regard to avoiding guardianship, probate, and death taxes while ensuring that your estate passes to all your heirs