What are the Odds
This article examines the need to plan for the unexpected. It gives statistics for the odds of disability and of death from various likely and unlikely causes. It shows the importance to plan for the one certainty in life, i.e., death.
Gifting to Children
This article examines gifting strategies for transfers in trust to minors. Specifically, it looks at Crummey trusts and 2503(c) trusts and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Protecting Your Children from Their Nightmares... and Yours
The article examines statistics regarding divorce in America and how to protect your children from divorce. It examines setting up a divorce protection trust for them as well as using a marital trust for second marriages for your own assets.
Help for Our Armed Forces
he article examines the taxation of combat pay. Specifically, combat pay is tax-free. Also, it looks at new legislation that allows combat pay, otherwise not in income, to be considered as income for IRA eligibility.
Waiting to Roth: Hidden Loophole for High-income Earners
The article explains a few different types of retirement plans and then looks at a loophole for high-income earners to make contributions to a non-deductible IRA now and then convert it to a Roth IRA in 2010, when income limits for such conversion are lifted.
Learn from Anna Nicole's Mistakes
The article examines Anna Nicole's Will and that she did not update it upon major changes in her life: death of a son, birth of a daughter, commitment ceremony to Howard K. Stern. It suggests that the reader learn from these mistakes and be sure to update their plan periodically.
The Choice Is Yours: Don't Lose Your Chance to Make It
The article examines two cases: Terri Schiavo and Sarah Scantlin. Neither expressed their end of life decisions. Terri had her feeding tube removed after 15 years. Sarah awoke from her coma after 20 years. The article calls the reader to express their own desires in a Living Will.
Your 401k or IRA: A Problem Asset?
The article looks at IRAs and 401ks and how we need to save for retirement. Then it looks at the tax problems these plans create. It examines the stretch out available with the FRPT. It also examines using distributions to fund life insurance.
Is a Power of Appointment the Same as a Power of Attorney?
The article examines a few legal terms that can be confused, like Power of Attorney, Attorney in Fact, and Power of Appointment. The article examines the terms and specifically, how Powers of Appointment can add flexibility to a plan.
What Happens in My Initial Estate Planning Consultation?
This article describes what happens in the initial estate planning consultation, including the questions asked, the discussion of goals, etc. The article also references a CNNfn segment that talked about the importance of stringent continuing education requirements, like those of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.
How to Leave a Mess to Your Heirs
This article examines several common mistakes that create a mess for heirs: Lifetime Transactions without counsel (such as adding people on title to realty), Failure to Plan, and Failure to Communicate. The article poses the problem and then offers a solution to each.
Estate Planning is Simple....Right?
This article examines clients' preconception that estate planning is simple and that it's just simple word processing. The article examines situations in which the estate planner's experience and technical knowledge comes into play.
Your Most Important Choice
The article discusses the importance of selecting appropriate agents and guardians. It specifically examines the different roles and focuses on guardians. It looks at a case in which the guardian nominated was not chosen by the court.
To Roth or Not to Roth, That is the Question
The article examines the Roth IRA and recent developments that have expanded the concept, such as the Roth 401(k) and the ability to convert from a regular IRA in 2010.
Anna Nicole Smith Can Teach Us a Few Things
The article examines the life of Anna Nicole Smith, her marriage, and the will dispute controversy. It encourages readers to be open about their wishes to family members and instructs on the use of a no contest clause.
New Flexibilities for Partners, Children, and Others
The article examines the new "non-spousal rollover" provisions of the Pension Protection Act of 2006.
Do it the Right Way
This article examines the life of tobacco heiress Doris Duke and a couple mistakes she made in planning her estate.
A New Way to Give
This article examines new opportunities for charitable giving directly from an IRA.
Keep Your Cake - And Eat It, Too!
This article examines the Medicaid Income Only Trust. It gives an example of two women who are roomates in a facility: One who contributed to a trust and one who did not.
Do You Want Your Spouse to Lose Your Biggest Asset?
The article examines how beneficiary designations must be coordinated in order to have an effective estate plan. It looks at the story of a woman who forgot to change her beneficiary designations. As a result her husband of 20 years did not get her retirement plan proceeds.
Celebrity Estate Planning
The article examines interesting provisions of the wills of many famous people. It explains how this information is public and that if you use a trust you can keep your affairs private.
Smart People Do Estate Planning
The article examines the statistics of who does estate planning. It shows that people who are more educated are more likely to do estate planning. It recites reasons that you want to plan. Basically, the article is a call to action to the reader to take control of his or her life by planning.
Planning With Retirement Assets
The article looks at retirement planning and looks at a few strategies such as ROTH conversion, paying the tax, giving to charity, etc.
Estate Planning: No Tattoo Necessary!
The article looks at how to make sure your final wishes are accomplished. It looks at the case of a woman who tatooed "do not resuscitate" across her chest. It deals primarily with health care powers / living wills, but also touches on trusts.
My Attorney Does Not Practice Law Anymore: Now What?
The article instructs the reader what to do when their attorney does not practice anymore. It suggests finding a new attorney right away. It stresses finding someone with whom they feel comfortable and who gets lots of Continuing Legal Education.
Preserving the Ranch for the Next Generation
The article examines a typical ranch family, the problems they face, and solutions. It touches on problems of joint tenancy, incapacity, and succession. It offers an RLT, a second to die ILIT, and a buy-sell as solutions.
1st Anniversary of Terri Schiavo's Death
March 31, 2006 marks the one year anniversary of Terri Schiavos death. More than any other story, Ms. Schiavos situation brought the need for living wills and other advance directives to the forefront of everyones attention. In the past year, an unprecedented number of people have explored their personal health care desires and made plans for their end-of-life wishes.
Dealing with Aging Parents
The article examines how the parents took care of the kids and how the kids then take care of the parents. It looks at the need to plan in advance for wealthy parents (estate tax reduction), not so wealthy parents (Medicaid planning), and any parents (powers of attorney, etc.).
How Do Millionaires Do It?
The article examines the five different types of millionaires and what makes them tick. It asserts that planning is at the core for all of them and that estate planning is necessary to avoid problems down the road.
Could Deficit Reduction Take Your Life Savings?
This article discusses how long-term care costs can be a major financial drain. It looks at how the changes in Medicaid law could make it much more difficult to plan. It stresses the need for pre-planning. It briefly looks at Income Only trusts as a potential planning option.
Medicaid Changes Make Pre-Planning Essential
This article discusses how long-term care costs can be a major financial drain. It examines Medicaid as a possible way to pay for long-term care. It looks at how the changes in Medicaid law could make it much more difficult to plan. It stresses the need for pre-planning.
Preparing for Health Needs
The article looks at the financial and legal ways to plan for illness. As part of the financial portion, the article examines the use of Health Savings Accounts. As part of the legal portion, it examines the use of health care powers of attorney and health care directives.
Privacy in Life and Death
The article examines many ways in which privacy can be obtained including: using donor advised funds to keep the name of the charity private, RLT to keep things private at death, and the do not call registry and decedent do not contact registry to avoid nuisance calls.
I Just Inherited Money! Now What Do I Do?
This article examines what a beneficiary should consider when they find out they are receiving an inheritance. It touches on basis step-up, disclaimer, non-inclusion in income, etc.
Planning: Just Do It!
This article looks at what happens if no planning is done. It looks at the problems of probate if no trust is done and of intestacy if no will is done.
Protecting Your Assets
This provides an overview of asset protection strategies.
As Time Draws Near
This provides an overview of planning strategies when someone is approaching death.
Handling Matters After the Death of a Loved One: Just Do It
The article examines the need to administer an estate or trust in a timely manner. It looks at several pitfalls resulting from inaction after someone's death, including not filing tax returns, not notifying creditors, etc.
10 Tips in Planning for Taxes
The article examines several strategies for minimizing income taxation, through timing of expenses and income, etc. It includes items to consider at year-end.
Insurance: A Major Estate Planning Tool
he article looks at various types of insurance from life insurance to homeowner's insurance. It explains how minimizing risk is part of estate planning.
Preserve Your Wealth with Medicare Part D
The article provides a basic overview of Medicare Part D and why it is important from an estate planning perspective.
When Disaster Strikes
This article examines how tragedies can strike in any of our lives but how planning can lessen the impact. Estate planning can let you rest easier and make sure others have the legal right to help you when you need it.
Want a Nude Funeral? Have it Your Way
he article tells the story of a Midwestern nudist who wanted to be buried in the nude but was not. It examines what people can do to ensure their burial wishes are carried out.
Is Estate Planning for Me?
This article examines various reasons people think estate planning is not for them, such as they aren't married or don't have money. It explains why they need estate planning.
New State, New Estate Plan?
This article examines how moving from state to state may impact an estate plan.
The Power of Flexibility
Life is an interesting ride. Who would have expected it to turn out the way it has? Thirty years ago, as we walked to our local library, who would have thought that we could have more information available at our fingertips online than would fit in any library? Who would have guessed that these high school dropouts would have been so successful: Julie Andrews (actress / singer), Louis Armstrong (jazz musician), Kevin Bacon (actor), Lucille Ball (comedienne), Irving Berlin (composer), Tom Cruise (actor), Thomas Edison (inventor), Nicole Kidman (actress), Ray Kroc (McDonalds founder), Keanu Reeves (actor), Vincent van Gogh (painter), and George Washington (first American president).
Estate Planning is Life Planning
It seems like there is always some discussion in Congress about changing the estate tax. There even have been proposals to eliminate the tax permanently. If Congress ever eliminates the tax, does this mean that there will no longer be a need for estate planning? No, it does not.
Should I Leave Everything to My Spouse?
The article examines the tension between leaving assets outright to a spouse and leaving them in trust. It discusses creditor and divorce protection. The article also discusses allowing the surviving spouse to appoint the assets in the trust.
You May Be Worth More Than You Think
The article examines the Millionaire Next Door and their characteristics. It recites statistics about millionaires and their increasing numbers in the United States. It finds that one characteristic of millionaires is that they plan. The article discusses the need to do estate planning.
Could Your Hospital Kill You?
The article examines the case of a Florida man whose hospital went to court to enforce his living will. His wife / health care agent wanted him kept alive. The court allowed the hospital to disconnect the man, causing his death. The article examines the importance of establishing whether the Living Will or health care agent should have the last word.
Advantages for Unmarried Couples
There are many advantages for married couples. However, there are a few ways that unmarried couples can take advantage of the system. The article examines two such ways, one simple (harvesting losses by selling a loss asset to the other partner) and one complex (a Grantor Retained Income Trust which is not allowed for related parties).
Let Your Voice Be Heard
The article examines the case of Terri Schiavo and how a clear expression of her wishes could have avoided problems.
Open Communication Avoids Disputes
The article examines the need for clear and open communication with beneficiaries and fiduciaries. Study cites statistics indicating a higher incidence of disputes when beneficiaries are kept in the dark.
Remarriage: Treat New Spouse Like Royalty
Examines use of income trust in remarriage situations. Analogizes to royal trust in Duchy of Cornwall.
Charitable Bequests: You Better Review Them
This article examines the importance of periodic trust review and uses an example of charitable bequests and cy pres.
The Problems of Giving Everything Away
This article examines a case of a woman who titles everything in the name of the children. It examines why joint title and giving everything away may not be the best course of action.
How to Handle a Windfall
This article examines the financial and estate planning steps for clients to take when they come into a financial windfall.
Relax: Everything's Handled
Tells the story of a couple that is going on a second honeymoon and
is worry-free because they did their estate planning.
Why is My Trust so Long?
Examines why a trust document must be long in order to be clear. Gives
examples of issues requiring clarification.
Preserving Harmony with Blended Families
Second marriages and blended families raise unique concerns. The article examines marital trusts and unitrusts as a way to take care of both spouse and children and preserve family harmony.
What to Do after a Loved One Dies
Clients often have uncertainty regarding the process after death. The article looks at the typical roles, such as trustee and executor, and explains their duties. The article directs the reader to contact an estate planning / administration attorney. The article mentions a couple post-mortem steps such as gathering assets and cautions against retitling assets or making distributions until talking with the attorney.
Win a FREE Estate Plan!
Trust mills mislead seniors and bilk them out of their retirement. The article compares practices of trust mills and those of legitimate, quality estate planning attorneys, and how to tell the difference.
Complete Asset List is Essential
A complete list of assets is necessary for financial planning and estate planning. Such a list also helps in the event of a loss.
Honest Discussion About Funerals
Pre-planned funerals may be the best way to go. It reduces friction and makes sure things happen the way you want. Further, it provides Medicaid planning opportunities.
Domestic Partnerships: First, Know the Facts
Domestic partnerships vary dramatically. Examines differences and federal tax issues.
Your Grandkids Could Retire as Millionaires
You can set up an irrevocable trust for grandkids and with relatively small contributions make them millionaires by retirement.
Want Privacy? Use a Trust
Wills without trusts are open to public scrutiny. The article examines why the client may not want this public scrutiny. Further, the article looks at 8 provisions in famous people's wills which all are a matter of public record.
Asset Protection Planning in Litigious Times
In our ever increasingly litigious society it is essential to protect yourself from potential creditors. The article examines asset protection techniques in maintaining insurance to the use of asset protection trust.
SuperBowl Champ's Final Pass Incomplete
This article examines the life and death of Jack Kent Cooke and his $1.3 billion estate. It tells the tale of his expensive, drawn out probate and what could have been done to achieve a better result.
Study Shows Most Americans Unprepared
This article examines the percentage of Americans with various basic estate planning documents and explains each document.
Planning Important as Time Draws Near
This article concerns death bed planning. It gives examples including annual exclusion gifting, income tax basis issues, and general review of estate plan.
Common Mistakes in Estate Planning
People make many mistakes in estate planning. Several examples of mistakes are given, including procrastination, failure to update, improper fiduciary choices, leaving assets outright, etc.
Home Sweet Home
This article looks at the various tax and asset protection aspects of a home, such as gain exclusion, bankruptcy exemption, QPRTs, etc.
Medicaid Planning: There's a Right Way and a Wrong Way
You can plan for Medicaid the wrong way (through fraud) or the right way. GWA gives true fraud story and a brief Medicaid qualification overview.
Leaving a Legacy
If you want to leave a legacy, consider a dynasty trust to gain tax advantages and creditor protection.
Do I Need to Plan If I Have Joint Tenancy Property?
We all have the friends or family that think they are the armchair experts on everything. They want to walk on your back when you are in agony. They told you Enron was a hot stock to buy. And, they tell you that all you need is to hold assets in joint tenancy.
Planning for the Unthinkable
None of us wants to contemplate that we might become ill or incapacitated. But illness or disability can strike us without warning. Illnesses, injury, and tragedies occur to countless Americans each day. Some are caused by completely unexpected events, like the collapse of a bridge or a house fire. Others are caused by the ravages of time which remind us of our own mortality. While these events may be unavoidable, the impact can be lessened somewhat if we take steps now to plan ahead.
My Child is 18, Now What?
It seems like just yesterday your son or daughter was a toddler and you were beaming with pride as they took their first wobbly steps. You have been there for them as they had their first day of school. You were there when they skinned their knee sliding into first base in little league. You helped them learn how to ride a bicycle and watched as they teetered down the driveway, hoping they would not fall (or crash into your car that you had forgotten to move to the safety of the garage). You were there as they grew faster than you ever thought possible. Soon they were driving, as evidenced by a few extra gray hairs on your head. Now, they are reaching adulthood, their 18th birthday.
Gay Marriage - An Estate Planning Perspective
There are many ways in which rights of same-sex couples differ from those of heterosexual couples. Perhaps top of this list is that heterosexual couples can legally marry in every state and that marriage is legally recognized in every state and by the federal government.
Save Taxes and Money, Too
Americans are always looking for new ways to save taxes. Beginning in 2004, there
is another way to save taxes when you save money-Health Savings Accounts
("HSAs"). With an HSA, you can save for medical emergencies on a tax-free
basis.
The Best Laid Plans
Robert Burns, the famous 18th century Scottish poet, wrote "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." This statement holds true in most areas of life, including estate planning.
Trusts Can Help Protect from Bank Failure
If you walk into almost any savings institution in the United States, you see a little seal on the door that says "Member FDIC." The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") was founded in 1933 as a response to the run on banks in the Great Depression. It provides each person with up to $100,000 of insurance for funds in that bank. That sounds simple enough. And, for individuals, it is.
Your Ex-spouse May Get Most of Your Assets
Divorce is relatively commonplace nowadays. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, there were 957,200 divorces in the United States in 2000. That means that more than 1.9 million Americans get divorced each year. According to the United States Census Bureau, approximately one-half of all marriages now end in divorce.
Too Much of a Good Thing
While each of us has different ideas about what we want to happen after our death, there is more that connects us than separates us. As President John F. Kennedy said, "Our most basic common link is that. . . . [w]e all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."
Family Torn Apart by Simple Oversight
On December 3, 1963, Mary and Robert Schindler gave birth to a wonderful baby girl, Theresa Marie. Terri grew up in Pennsylvania and had a typical childhood playing with her brother and sister and the family pets. As a teenager, she loved music and did artistic sketches. In November 1984, just shy of her twenty-first birthday, Terri married Michael Schiavo. Terri seemed to have everything going for her. At age twenty-nine, Terri was living in Florida with her husband and had a job she liked.
Irrevocable Trusts Need Not Be Scary
Irrevocable trusts are used frequently in estate planning for a wide variety of purposes. Irrevocable trusts can be used to make a completed gift of assets, while restricting access to the assets or retaining indirect control. Irrevocable trusts can be used in order to help protect assets from creditors of the trust beneficiaries. Such trusts even can be used as part of planning to qualify for Medicaid benefits.
Same Sex Planning More Important Than Ever
Recently there have been expansions of rights of gay couples. However, these expansions underscore the patchwork nature of greater gay rights and the continued necessity of careful planning for same sex couples.
To Roth, or Not to Roth:
That is the Question for Estate Planning
A few years ago Congress enacted a new type of retirement savings plan, a "Roth" IRA, named after the Senator sponsoring the legislation. With a traditional IRA or 401k plan, contributions are tax deductible, earnings are tax deferred, and withdrawals are fully taxable. With a Roth IRA, contributions are not tax deductible, but earnings and withdrawals are not taxable. From an estate planning perspective, this creates a huge advantage for a Roth IRA.
Grandparents as Parents: Planning is Critical
Grandparents fill a special role in the life of any grandchild. However, some grandparents raise their grandchildren and are the primary caregiver for them.
Planning for the Unthinkable
None of us wants to contemplate that we might become ill or incapacitated. But illness or disability can strike us without warning. Illnesses, injuries, and tragedies occur to countless Americans each day. Some are caused by completely unexpected events, like the collapse of a bridge or a house fire. Others are caused by the ravages of time which remind us of our own mortality. While these events may be unavoidable, the impact can be lessened somewhat if we take steps now to plan ahead.
Estate Planning: Not Just For the Rich
Do you think estate planning is just for the rich? Think again. Few Americans are super wealthy. You do not have to be a billionaire to make Forbes Magazines list of the 400 Richest People in America. $600 million puts you on the list, like Aubrey Chernick. While Aubrey has $600 million, he is otherwise like many of the rest of us. Hes middle-aged (54), married, and has three children.
New Privacy Regulations: How to Protect Yourself
The federal government often passes legislation that is designed to protect us. However, all too often, that legislation can have unintended consequences. Recent federal laws and regulations have created new privacy protections for medical information. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and regulations to implement it, known as "HIPAA," recently came into effect. Now all "covered entities" must comply with strict rules or face fines and potential criminal penalties. "Covered entities" include your physicians and hospitals. Penalties for mistakes run from a $100 fine for an innocent error up to a $250,000 fine and 10 years in prison for malicious misconduct.
How to Lend a Hand and Save Taxes
Lately it seems like natural disasters are daily occurrences. While reading the newspaper over breakfast, we learn of a wildfire in Arizona. While driving to work, we hear of a drought in Africa and an epidemic in Southeast Asia. A hurricane in North Carolina, a flood in Missouri, a tornado in Oklahoma, an earthquake in California - we feel empathetic for the victims, but often feel powerless to help. We are too far to fill sandbags and are not close enough to the victims to lend a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on.
In Estate Planning, Caveat Emptor
When we think of Estate Planning, most of us think of the kindly attorney consoling family members at the reading of the Will. We think of the family lawyer who is there to counsel us through illness and family discord. An attorney who focuses his or her practice on estate planning applies the knowledge of the complex laws to the situation at hand. Such an attorney explains the law to the client and is a trusted advisor and counselor. This area of the law is one of the most challenging as it requires knowledge of real property law, family law, business entities, income taxation, estate taxation, gift taxation, state and local taxation, Medicaid reimbursement, and other topics. Few areas require a practitioner to have such depth and breadth of knowledge as well as counseling skills second to none. Attorneys focusing in estate planning study long and hard in honing their skills and keeping abreast of changes in the law.
Five Common Estate Planning Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Estate planning is a complex weave of legal and personal objectives. Issues of taxation, family law, and business entities combine with the most personal of family concerns. Attorneys that focus on estate planning face this challenge and have experience in meeting their clients needs in planning to achieve personal and financial objectives. Here are some common mistakes made by attorneys that do not focus their practices in estate planning.
Katharine Hepburn's Private Life and Public Death
Katharine Hepburn was a legend of stage and screen whose career spanned several decades. Hepburn's best-known films included (1933), The
Philadelphia Story (1940), (1951), (1967), and (1981). She and her films were a reflection of American society, from early innocence to the stresses of
the civil rights movement to issues on aging. Katharine Hepburn, a private and
independent woman, forged a path for gender equality and in so doing became a role model for millions of Americans.
It Can Happen to the Best of Us
We all think our families can get along, when it really matters. We think that family frictions will fade into the background and we can pull together. However, sometimes family frictions erupt at the death of a parent or grandparent and can result in challenges to the estate plan. This can even happen to the best of us.
Plan Now or Pay Later
Krispy Kreme and Wal-Mart have a lot in common. Die-hard fans line up in front of their locked doors the night before grand openings, licking their lips for a puffed up glazed doughnut or a bargain that can set the neighbors talking over the fences. But what do these two incredibly successful businesses and the families that started them have that sets them apart?
Privacy Protections: Don't Be Overprotected
Recent federal laws and regulations have created new privacy protections for your medical information. These laws are known as "HIPAA" (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Now physicians, hospitals, health insurers, and other "covered entities" must comply with strict rules or face fines and potential criminal penalties. An innocent mistake would incur a fine of $100. More serious breaches of privacy, such as releasing information for malicious harm, could result in fines of up to $250,000 and 10 years in prison. Understandably, health care providers are being extremely careful about the release of medical information in the face of such penalties.
Do-it-yourself Estate Planning: You Get What You Pay For
Self-help books are an ever-increasing segment of the American publishing market. There are books and software on everything from gardening to health care. There are even books and software out there that purport to allow an individual to draft his or her own estate planning documents. Some of these items are promoted by media personalities and others by purported experts
Joint Tenancy: Simple But Problematic
With joint tenancy, two or more individuals hold title together. At the death of a joint tenant, the property automatically re-vests in the remaining joint tenants. Many people think they can avoid seeing a lawyer to do estate planning by titling all of their assets in joint tenancy, thus avoiding probate. This is a simple solution, but it invites many problems.
Are You Competent to Do Estate Planning?
Americans today are living longer and longer. However, this can be a double-edged sword. An increasing number of Americans are living long enough to suffer from mental incapacity. Over 4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimers Disease alone. In fact, according to the National Institute on Aging, half of those over age 85 have Alzheimers Disease. Of course, Alzheimers is only one cause for mental incapacity.
The Basics of Basis
Most of us have heard the term "basis" before but are not really sure what it means. While it has a meaning in common parlance, it also has a technical meaning for tax purposes. "Basis" is the benchmark from which the taxation of property is determined upon disposition. If you sell the asset for more than your basis, you have a taxable gain. Conversely, if you sell an asset for less than your basis, typically you have a tax loss.
Should You Be A Resident of Your State?
We have all thought about faraway lands and the path not taken. As we grow older, many of us are fortunate enough to have a second home in which we spend much of our time. Perhaps it is a place to escape the blistering heat of summer or winters icy grip. Perhaps it is a place near children or grandchildren.
Community Property Makes a Difference
In estate planning, the nature of the property involved can make a significant difference in determining the best way to plan for its ultimate disposition.
When Parent and Child Reverse Roles
When we start off in life, our parents provide love and nurturing, as well as the necessities of daily life. As time passes, we grow into adulthood. Our relationship with our parents becomes one of equals, with each providing love and nurturing for the other, while both are self-sufficient. Often, parents reach a stage in their lives when they are no longer self-sufficient, typically due to advanced age or illness.
Choosing a Trustee: Relationships Matter
There are many factors that must be considered when selecting someone to serve as your trustee. Of course, the persons age, maturity, responsibility, and financial acumen are all important. However, clients and advisors often overlook that relationships matter, too.
Planning in a Down Economy
A poor economy puts a different spin on planning. It is likely many of your assets have decreased in value. Interest rates are low. The size of your overall estate may be less than it once was. All of these factors should be considered as you evaluate or re-evaluate planning options.
Give Undue Influence Due Consideration
It is natural for people who have a close relationship to want to benefit each other. However, sometimes, people can try to use a close relationship to try to take advantage of the other, more vulnerable person.
Safeguarding Originals Is Critical
In this electronic age of copy machines, fax machines, and scanners we often lose sight of the distinction between an original document and one that has been copied, faxed, or scanned. However, at times, especially in estate planning, there is no substitute for an original
Sometimes It's Better to "Just Say No"
When we receive an inheritance, few of us consider that there may be a choice to consider. We are still mourning the passing of someone dear to us when we learn about the inheritance. We just try to continue our daily lives, numb from our emotional loss. The estate or trust administration continues and eventually we receive our inheritance, either outright or in a trust for our benefit.
Get an Estate Plan - Not an Estate Scam
Estate planning is an important part of life. In fact, it is central to who we are as people. In planning for our future, we must analyze who we are, what our goals are, and whom we wish to help in this world. It makes us aware of our own mortality, but also the impact we can make in the world. A qualified estate planning attorney can help you with this important and intimate process — accomplishing your goals in the best, most tax efficient manner.
Are You Married - You May Be and Not Know It!
You are probably thinking to yourself "How is this possible?!" It is true, you may be married and not know it-even without a quick trip to Las Vegas.
Disinheritance Is a Serious Option
Most people are seeking the best way to get assets to their loved ones. However, sometimes the best way to do that is by disinheriting or threatening to disinherit someone.
The Hottest Trick in Estate Planning, Thanks Wal-Mart!
There is a little known estate planning technique that wealthy clients are lining up to hear about. It works well in a low interest rate environment, especially when stocks are down in value. It is called a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust or "GRAT."
I Know Trusts Are Useful - But How Are They Taxed?
As most people have heard, trusts are perhaps the most useful tool in estate planning. They help manage assets during life and long after we are gone.
Estate Planning Is Life Planning
What is the first thing that leaps to most peoples minds when they think about estate planning? A will. Weve all seen the dramatic scenes in films of yesteryear: the reading of the will. The truth of the matter is that the will is no longer the focal point of estate planning.
Who Pays Income Tax on a Trust?
e all have heard of trusts. Perhaps you are a beneficiary of a trust or expect to be a beneficiary someday. You may have a trust yourself. Did you ever ask “who pays income tax on trust assets?” This is an important question that even many attorneys cannot answer. However, this answer can have important implications.
IRA and 401k Beneficiary Designations: Not to Be Taken Lightly
If you are like most Americans, you have money taken out of each paycheck for your IRA, 401k, or other retirement plan. Those deductions add up over time. Over the past twenty years, IRAs and 401k plans have become an increasingly important part of our lives. According to statistics from the Investment Company Institute and the Federal Reserve Board, retirement plans account for nearly $11 trillion in American wealth. For many Americans, this becomes their largest asset.
Planning for Vacation
You and your spouse have dreamt of this vacation for months. You have saved for it. And now, finally, the sand and surf beckon for a second honeymoon. You have gone over your checklist several times. You packed your favorite swimsuit and your good walking shoes. You even made sure to hide that Hawaiian shirt you would rather your spouse not bring. You made sure the kids are ready to go to your parents house – or as ready as possible. Is the thermostat set? Whos taking care of the mail? You know the routine; we have all done this many times before. But, as we prepare for a long vacation, inevitably we wonder "what if". What if something happens at the house; I better have someone check on it and water the plants. What if something happens at the office; I better give them my cell phone number. What would happen to the kids if we were in an accident?
How to Help [Insert Charity Name]
There are many ways each of us can help [charity]. However, some ways are better suited to certain donors while other methods make more sense for other donors. Following just a few of the many ways that you can use to help [charity] thrive.
Saving for Retirement: But What If I Need It?
Tax-deferred Leveraging of Savings
We all know the importance of saving for retirement. Saving through a tax-deferred vehicle like an IRA or 401(k) can be a great way to leverage those retirement dollars. If you defer tax on $10,000 and invest it at 7% for 30 years and then pay tax on the entire amount, you would have approximately $53,000 after taxes (assuming a 30% tax rate at all times). On the other hand, if you paid the tax on the $10,000 and paid tax on the 7% earnings each year, you would have only $29,000 after 30 years. Tax-deferred retirement plans are extremely popular. According to the Investment Company Institute (2000), Americans have $11.5 trillion in retirement plan assets. Most people focus on how to maximize retirement plan contributions and minimize required distributions from retirement plans. From a tax perspective, that makes a great deal of sense.
Do You Know IRA? Shattering Some Misconceptions Surrounding the Individual Retirement Account
These days, traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs") are common retirement savings vehicles. They provide individuals with a means to finance their retirement whereby the amounts set aside, as well as the growth, are not taxed until its withdrawal at the owner's retirement or other date. But even though many people utilize this beneficial form of investment, many misconceptions still remain regarding the rules that govern IRAs. Once these misconceptions are corrected, it's possible to reap the full benefits of an IRA.
Providing for Your Children in Your Revocable Living Trust: Don't Overlook Special Needs Planning
If you're a parent who has taken the time and energy to create a Revocable Living Trust ("RLT") you should be commended for your initiative and perseverance for ensuring your children and grandchildren are properly cared for when you are gone. If you have not yet created an estate plan, doing so could be one of the most important actions you can take on behalf of your children's future well being. A properly drafted estate plan designates who will care for your minor children upon your death, as well as providing for the smooth transfer of wealth to your children. Many parents assume that making sure a child is financially secure after they are gone means leaving the assets outright to the children. For many reasons, such as a child's inability to manage finances, outright distribution of your assets to your children may not be the most prudent option. This becomes especially true if any of the beneficiaries of your trust estate have, or develop in the future, special needs and require the assistance of government aid.
Use a Special Needs Trust to Protect Your Loved One with a Disability
Nearly one in ten people in the United States copes with special needs that exist as a result of a disability. In other words, approximately 25,000,000 people suffer from or care for someone suffering from a wide range of disabilities including Autism, Down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, and a variety of mental illnesses. All families should create estate plans to protect their loved ones from the expensive and often long process of probate, but for families dealing with special needs, it is even more important. Individuals who receive government and other restricted benefits and services may lose those benefits if they receive an inheritance. For this reason, proper planning is essential.
"Special Needs Trust" Needs Special Trustee
When children face a lifetime of significant medical expense, parents often turn to a "special needs trust." The beneficiary is usually eligible for Medicaid benefits, or soon will be. The goal of a special needs trust is to provide a source of money to benefit a child without jeopardizing this eligibility.
Special Children Require Special Estate Plans
Raising and caring for children is a lifetime commitment. Parents of a child with special needs (disabled, mentally retarded) have a much bigger responsibility both during their lives and after they're gone. They need to plan their estates properly to ensure their child remains well-cared for and is still eligible for government and private aid. This article addresses these important issues.
Home Free with the Qualified Personal Residence Trust
Home owners can give their homes away, capture tax advantages, and continue to live in their homes for as long as they want, all thanks to the Qualified Personal Residence Trust. How this estate planning strategy works and who should consider it is discussed in this article.
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