by Christine | Jan 28, 2015 | Basis, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Retirement Planning |
As the Conservator of [my mom's] estate, I'm trying to help her decide what to do with the house. Let another family member live in it who couldn't pay rent but could help with upkeep? Rent it out for market value? Or sell? If she hasn't already, an...
by Christine | Jan 27, 2015 | Asset Protection, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Estate Tax |
In 2015, only estates worth more than $5.43 million per individual would owe federal estate taxes if the estate owner dies this year. That's up from last year's $5.34 million estate tax exemption. (In addition, the federal lifetime gift tax exemption also...
by Christine | Jan 26, 2015 | Caregivers & Caregiving, Elder Care, Elder Law, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), Long Term Care, Retirement, Retirement Planning |
Adult children who become caregivers often pay a steep price. However, with some smart strategies, you can avoid sabotaging your financial future. What can you do ahead of time to help ease the financial burden of caring for your aging parents? Look into potential tax...
by Christine | Jan 23, 2015 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Estates, Family Vacation Home, Inheritance, Living Trust, Tax Planning, Turnover |
Make a detailed plan for the home's future to avoid family feuds down the road. Many memories are made in family vacation homes, and a lot of families do not want those traditions to end when a loved one passes. However, experts say you need to be careful in...
by Christine | Jan 22, 2015 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Living Trust, Probate, Trusts |
In all likelihood, [film director] Nichols had a "revocable living trust," that contained the dispositive provisions of his estate so that his wishes were shielded from the public. Celebrities and high-profile estates tend to be a hot topic in...
by Christine | Jan 21, 2015 | Asset Protection, Assets, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estates, Gift, Inheritance, Living Trust, Probate, Trusts, Wills |
Gifting can be an estate planning tool, for you can save on future estate taxes and have the pleasure of watching your dollars work for your children or grandchildren while you are still alive. If you're tired of the standard store-bought items for gifts, you may...
by Christine | Jan 20, 2015 | Advanced Health Care Directive, Asset Protection, Elder Law, End of Life Decisions, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estates, Inheritance, Living Trust, Medi-Cal, Medi-Cal Long Term Care, Medicaid, Nursing Home, Power of Attorney, Probate, Retirement Planning, Special Needs, Tax Planning, Trusts, Wills |
Wouldn’t knowing someone will step in if you become incapacitated create a little peace of mind? Wouldn’t knowing that your family is taken care of create even more peace of mind? Wouldn’t knowing there is a plan in place – a plan you developed – if something...
by Christine | Jan 19, 2015 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Probate, Tax Planning |
The secret, experts say, is to find a balance between keeping some comforting traditions and letting go of ones that obviously no longer fit. How do you manage the holidays on a retiree budget? If you are a retiree or will be retiring in the coming year or years, then...
by Christine | Jan 16, 2015 | Annuity, Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Estates, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), Tax Planning, Trusts |
There were five changes that occurred in 2014 that everyone planning for retirement needs to know about. The phrase "roll with the changes" may be 2014's retirement planning motto. While we could review political, economic and international, those...
by Christine | Jan 15, 2015 | Asset Protection, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estates, Inheritance, Living Trust, Portability, Power of Attorney, Probate, Tax Planning, Trusts, Wills |
“For those who are single, whether they’ve always been single or they find themselves single again, there are some unique [estate-planning] issues,” says Doug Rothermich, managing director, wealth-planning strategies at TIAA-CREF. Married couples usually can see the...
