There’s a widespread misconception that the only gun owners in need of special consideration for firearms in their estate planning are those individuals who own a very valuable collection (i.e., expensive, antique) or those with specific NFA-regulated firearms (fully automatic machine guns, noise suppressors, etc.) 

While those collectors certainly need advanced planning, many more individuals need at least some planning considerations in place within their basic estate plan.

Thankfully, a VA Pension claim does not die with the claimant…for the most part.  The VA has finally published a final rule on the concept of “Substitution” which allows an eligible surviving family member to stand in the shoes of the deceased claimant and finish a pending claim. The rule has been in the United States Code for several years, but regulations had not yet been passed. See 38 U.S.C. §5121A.
 
When formally published in the Code of Federal Regulations the Substitution regulations will be located at 38 CFR §3.1010.  The final rule has an effective date of October 6, 2014.

We all recognize the value of referral sources and the role they play in helping to advance an estate planning professional’s legal marketing efforts ad business. All referral sources, however, are not created equal. While one may readily refer, another may be detached or disengaged. If you’ve invested the time and energy in building your network but are less than satisfied with the results, here are some practical steps you can take to improve your referral quotient.