by Christine | Sep 12, 2014 | Elder Law, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), Medicare, Retirement Planning, Roth IRA, Tax Planning |
Today, ordinary income plus various other taxes could boost the effective tax rate on those second-level RMDs well over 40%. Who knows what tax rates might be in effect when current clients eventually pass their IRAs to future generations? Some individuals choose to...
by Christine | Sep 11, 2014 | End of Life Decisions, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Probate, Surviving Spouse |
Losing a loved one is a difficult experience. Yet, during this time, you must complete a variety of tasks and make important financial decisions. The following checklist may help guide you through the matters that must be attended to. If you have lost someone you...
by Christine | Sep 10, 2014 | Advanced Health Care Directive, Elder Abuse, Elder Law, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney |
Given the widespread health, legal, social and economic implications of elder abuse, the Elder Justice Roadmap Project sought the input of experts and stakeholders from across the country in order to develop a strategic resource — by the field and for the field — to...
by Christine | Sep 9, 2014 | Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estates, Guardianships, Living Trust, Living Will, Probate, Trusts, Wills |
…As with hard drives, our limited shelf life requires that we make the most of each day while also planning for a peaceful transition. Having loved ones struggle with managing unorganized financial affairs with no assistance only prolongs grief and blemishes...
by Christine | Sep 8, 2014 | Beneficiary Designation, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Insurance, LIfe Insurance, Living Trust, Power of Attorney, Probate, Tax Planning, Trusts, Wills |
Why would parents procrastinate on something that it so important to their family’s well-being? The fact of the matter is that life insurance and estate planning are two topics that most people just don’t want to talk about. It is no fun to think about your own demise...
by Christine | Sep 5, 2014 | Assets, Beneficiary, Bequest, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Estates, Gift, GIfting, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), Inheritance, Inherited IRAs, Inheritors, Power of Attorney, Probate, Trusts, Wills |
Some people decide, as Robin Williams apparently did, that it's better to hand down wealth to adult children while you, the parent, are still alive. (Of course, you have to have more than enough assets for yourself to be able to do that.) One benefit is that you...
by Christine | Sep 4, 2014 | Asset Protection, Beneficiary, Beneficiary Designation, Beneficiary Forms, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estates, Financial Planning, Guardianships, Inherited IRAs, Inheritors, Probate, Trusts |
You may have made a giant estate planning mistake without even knowing it — forgetting to update the names of your beneficiaries for your employer-sponsored retirement plans, IRAs, life insurance policies, mutual funds, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, annuities and...
by Christine | Sep 3, 2014 | Assets, Beneficiary, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Inheritance, Living Trust, Probate, Trusts, Wills |
If there is a boogeyman when it comes to family conversations about inheritance, it is not death. It’s the $40 trillion that financial advisers say their baby boomer clients are going to pass to their children either in an orderly way — or in a chaotic mess. A report...
by Christine | Sep 2, 2014 | Elder Law, Irrevocable Trust, Medi-Cal, Medi-Cal Long Term Care, Medicaid, Medicare |
Although their names are confusingly alike, Medicaid and Medicare are quite different programs. What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid (its called Medi-Cal in California)? There are strict income and asset guidelines that must be satisfied to be eligible...
by Christine | Sep 1, 2014 | Asset Protection, Assets, Beneficiary, Estate Law, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Living Trust, Probate, Trusts, Wills |
Leaving even a small inheritance to your children requires planning. Regardless the size of your estate, structuring an inheritance properly can avoid problems and help your beneficiaries use your hard-earned assets more wisely. Last year, AARP included an article in...
