Slusser Law Firm is a full-service legal firm in Hazleton, PA, serving all of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

New personal injury clients are assured of receiving a call back from a lawyer within one hour any time of the day or night, because we know tragedy doesn't only strike from 9 to 5.

Slusser Law Firm's attorneys also handle a wide variety of areas of practice, including:

If you are visiting our office, you can find directions to Slusser Law Firm and a map here. You can also use this web site to contact Slusser Law Firm or just call 570-453-0463.

Congress has created a temporary “window” – between now and the end of 2012 – in which many people can save a lot of money in estate and gift taxes.

You might be able to take advantage of this opportunity by transferring significant assets to a trust. But as they say on TV, hurry – this is a limited-time offer from the federal government.

During 2011 and 2012, the federal estate tax exemption will be $5 million, meaning the tax will be applied only to estates that are larger than that. Importantly, the lifetime exemption from the federal gift tax has also been raised, from $1 million to $5 million.

The gift tax applies to transfers of assets. In general, any person can give any person up to $13,000 a year without there being any gift tax. If you give someone more than $13,000 in a calendar year, then the excess is subject to gift tax.

Read more: Congress creates window for estate and gift tax savings for 2011-12

In a recent case, a Texas man inherited $400,000 in cash from his aunt. The man’s ex-wife went to court and claimed that as a result, his child support payments should be increased.

The Texas Court of Appeals agreed with the ex-wife. It said that even though the $400,000 wasn’t wages or earnings, it was still a “resource” that had to be considered in determining how much the father had to pay for his two children.

Read more: Here’s yet another example of why trusts in a will are a good idea