Fiscal Cliff Prompts Bump In Trust, Estate Filings

by KDLT News
December 31, 2012 5:03 PM


Trust and estate filings are down in South Dakota's 2nd Circuit this year, but don't tell that to court workers dealing with a barrage of end-of-year filings amid negotiations over the pending fiscal cliff.

 President Barack Obama indicated Monday afternoon that a deal is in sight to address the across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts due to take effect Tuesday.
 
But attorneys and court workers say worries about losing family farms and small businesses if no deal is reached have prompted many families to set up trusts before the sun sets on 2012.

Sioux Falls attorney Brad Grossenburg says his work has more than doubled over the past few weeks, and 2nd Circuit Court administrator Karl Thoennes says he's had to reassign staff to deal with the increase.