by Christine | Aug 17, 2015 | Beneficiary Designation, Estate Planning |
To the digerati – the elite of the technology world – Bitcoins are as valuable as the dollar or any other state-sponsored currency. But the rules are still under development for estate planning purposes, and planning for an estate that includes Bitcoins must...
by Christine | Aug 14, 2015 | Asset Protection, Elder Law, Estate Planning, GIfting, GRATs, Tax Planning, Trusts |
Some high-net worth families still face the challenge of reducing their estate to minimize or eliminate estate taxes, although the federal estate tax exclusion is currently larger than it has ever been. The portability of unused exclusion amounts are at $5.43 million...
by Christine | Aug 13, 2015 | Retirement Planning |
Savvy individuals, estate planning lawyers and financial advisors are not averse to finding unintended benefits when Congress makes changes to laws regarding retirement accounts and Social Security payments. Unfortunately, when too many of these techniques are...
by Christine | Aug 12, 2015 | Estate Planning |
A recent survey from CNBC.com shows that there are differences in how the wealthy perceive the need for estate planning, and not all millionaires behave the same way. There are differences between families at the $1 million – $5 million level and those...
by Christine | Aug 11, 2015 | Financial Planning, Retirement Planning |
With two-thirds of Americans experiencing disruptions to their retirement planning resulting from divorce, major illnesses, unemployment or business troubles, the road to retirement has become bumpier than ever, according to a new TD Ameritrade survey. The challenges...
by Christine | Aug 10, 2015 | Elder Abuse, Elder Law |
After a long and high profile life of philanthropic endeavors, socialite Brook Astor died in 2007 with an estate worth $200 million. Two years later, her son Anthony Marshall was convicted of stealing millions from her. Astor suffered from dementia, and...
by Christine | Aug 7, 2015 | Reverse Mortgage Loan |
Caution is urged when considering a reverse mortgage as a solution to financial problems during retirement years. Television commercials targeting seniors leave out most of the unpleasant parts of a reverse mortgage. Rates and fees are extremely high and the...
by Christine | Aug 6, 2015 | Asset Protection, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Living Trust, Trusts, Wills |
Of all the hated taxes in the U.S. tax code, the estate tax is handily the single most hated tax, particularly among wealthy families who must pay it. In an effort to preserve wealth across generations, these families rely on the use of complex strategies to transfer...
by Christine | Aug 5, 2015 | Long Term Care |
A survey conducted by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, National Council on Aging and UnitedHealthcare reveals a frightening statistic in the United States of Aging survey. 97% of professionals supporting people 60 and older believe that seniors will...
by Christine | Aug 4, 2015 | Payable On Death Account |
Certain assets, including life insurance, IRAs, 401(k) plans and other retirement accounts pass directly to beneficiaries outside of your will. Typically, brokerage accounts pass only through your will, and then only after probate. But there is a way to ensure that...
