Oregon doesn’t let married couples combine estate tax exemptions—so without the right planning, your first $1 million exemption can disappear. This post explains how a credit shelter trust preserves both exemptions, reduces estate tax, and protects your legacy.

Life insurance is often seen as tax-free—but if you live in Oregon and own the policy yourself, it could push your estate over the $1 million estate tax threshold. This post explains how an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can keep your death benefit protected and out of the taxman’s reach.

The phrase “health, education, maintenance, and support” isn’t just legal jargon—it’s the backbone of many Oregon trusts. Known as the HEMS standard, this clause plays a critical role in preserving tax exemptions, protecting assets from creditors, and guiding trustees. Here’s why it shows up in almost every trust—and why it matters more than you think.

Irrevocable trusts aren’t just for the ultra-wealthy. In Oregon, they’re key tools for Medicaid planning, protecting inheritances, and shielding special-needs beneficiaries. Learn when giving up control can actually mean gaining long-term security—for your estate and your loved ones.

A pour-over will works alongside a revocable trust to catch any assets left out and funnel them back into the plan. Learn why this document matters, what it does (and doesn’t do), and why even trust-based estate plans still rely on a will in Oregon.

A revocable living trust can help avoid probate, plan for incapacity, and simplify inheritance. But it only works if it’s used—and funded—properly. Here’s how Oregon trusts work, who needs one, and why it’s not always essential.

Joint ownership may sound simple—but the way you hold title can override your will and affect what happens after death. Learn the difference between tenancy by the entirety, joint tenancy, and tenancy in common under Oregon law.

Transfer-on-Death Deeds let you pass Oregon real estate directly to a beneficiary without court or probate. Learn how they work, when to use them, and what makes them one of the simplest (but most misunderstood) estate planning tools.

Non-probate transfers—like POD accounts and beneficiary designations—can override your will. Learn how they work in Oregon, how they fit into an estate plan, and why they’re a useful tool when handled correctly—and a disaster when they’re not.

Oregon and the IRS both tax estates—but their rules are different, their thresholds are decades apart, and their systems don’t coordinate. Learn how both taxes work, when they apply, and how to plan across state and federal lines to avoid surprises.

DIY wills may look cheap and easy—but in Oregon, they often fall apart in court. Learn why state-specific rules, witness mistakes, and tax oversights make these forms riskier than they seem—and what to do instead.

Oregon taxes estates over $1 million—and that includes your house, retirement accounts, and even life insurance. Learn how the threshold works, what counts toward it, and how smart planning can reduce or eliminate the estate tax before it hits your heirs.

Oregon’s Small Estate Affidavit can help families settle modest estates quickly—without months of court supervision. Learn who qualifies, how the process works, and why it may be a better alternative to formal probate.

Probate is Oregon’s court-supervised process for settling a person’s estate after death—but even simple cases can drag on for months. Learn what triggers probate, how it works step-by-step, and how to plan ahead so your family can avoid the delays, costs, and conflict it often creates.

Think you don’t need a will because you’re not old or rich? Think again. In Oregon, even modest estates can create confusion and conflict without one. Learn why every adult—starting at 18—needs a will, and how it can protect your people, your property, and your peace of mind.

If you die without a will in Oregon, the state steps in with a one-size-fits-all plan. It’s called intestacy—and it often leaves out the people who matter most. Learn what really happens, who inherits, and how to avoid letting the legislature write your estate plan for you.

What exactly is an estate plan—and do you really need one if you’re not rich or retired? In Oregon, the answer is probably yes. From wills and powers of attorney to state-specific tax rules and probate pitfalls, this post breaks down the essentials of estate planning for real life, not just real wealth.