by Christine | Jan 7, 2013 | Charitable Giving, Charitable IRA Rollover, Charitable Organization, Charitable Trust, Fiscal Cliff, Tax Deductions, Tax Exempt, Tax Planning, Taxes |
Unless an IRA is a Roth, the account owner must take yearly minimum required distributions starting at age 70½ and pay tax on the withdrawals. With the charitable IRA rollover, as it is called, the donation can count against the minimum required distribution...
by Christine | Jan 4, 2013 | Medicare |
As pundits and politicians continue to discuss the deficit, misinformation and confusion about Medicare and the Affordable Care Act abound. All too often, facts seem to be drowned out by fiction. Several provisions of the Affordable Care Act (also known as...
by Christine | Jan 3, 2013 | Joint Tenancy |
Eliminating the need for probate is a goal for many clients. Joint tenancy, a form of co-ownership, is one tool that can help achieve this goal. When one co-owner dies, his interest in the real property automatically passes to the surviving co-owner, thereby,...
by Christine | Jan 2, 2013 | Taxes, Trusts |
Estate planners scurrying to set up trusts on behalf of wealthy clients and fund them with tax-free gifts before the end of the year hit a new snag this week. On the IRS website page where they would normally go to apply for a tax identification number for the trust,...
by Christine | Jan 1, 2013 | Retirement, Retirement Planning |
Study results showed that nearly two-out-of-ten people already in retirement still want to “keep up with the Joneses” when it comes to their quality of life and financial independence. Competing with our peers is instinctive. If the neighbors have an expensive...
by Christine | Dec 31, 2012 | Taxes |
The Washington-imposed financial headache goes beyond higher taxes. Due to the action on Capitol Hill certain industries could be hit particularly hard by budget cuts and millions of taxpayers could be held up in filing their 2012 returns. When ringing in the...
by Christine | Dec 28, 2012 | Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills |
Everyone likes practical pointers. Here are more than eight, but fewer than ten practical estate planning pointers for your consideration, especially as we enter a new year. Keep your important documents like your will or trust up-to-date. Keep your legal residence...
by Christine | Dec 27, 2012 | Employee, Employer, Employment, Talent, Turnover |
More than 70% [of employees] don’t feel appreciated or valued by their employer. It’s no secret that the men and women in today’s workforce will change jobs frequently. Furthermore, it’s not a secret that training employees is costly and that good talent is hard to...
by Christine | Dec 26, 2012 | 2012, Estate Tax, Estates, Tax Planning, Taxes |
The good news: There was no Mayan apocalypse.The bad news: You didn’t win the Powerball. This past year will undoubtedly be remembered for several important events – the Supreme Court’s decision upholding Obamacare, the London Olympics and the reelection...
by Christine | Dec 25, 2012 | Estate Tax, Gift, Gift Tax |
Discussions of the looming fiscal cliff have paid scant attention to estate and gift taxes. But wealthy people might do well to consider being very generous this month and giving very large gifts at today’s bargain tax prices. While the estate and gift tax has been in...
