by Christine | Jun 19, 2014 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Trusts |
A domestic asset protection trust (often called DAPTs, or just APTs) allows the settlor (the trust creator or grantor) to be a discretionary beneficiary of the trust, while at the same time assuring protection of trust assets from claims of the creditors....
by Christine | Jun 18, 2014 | Estate Law, Estate Planning |
As growing numbers of people use reproductive technology to have children later in life or overcome infertility issues, many affluent Americans are leaving behind “genetic material” that could conceivably add a new heir to the family. Estate planning is all about...
by Christine | Jun 17, 2014 | Capital Gains, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Stock, Taxation |
If you sell stock you inherited, the tax bill is keyed to its value at the time of the original owner’s death. If you’ve just inherited stock or if you’re set to leave behind stock to your heirs, then it is well worth your time to get an idea of the tax treatment you...
by Christine | Jun 16, 2014 | Beneficiary Designation, Beneficiary Forms, Estate Law, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA) |
Finally your will is finished, and you can sleep soundly knowing that your heirs will receive the assets that you intend. Right? Not necessarily. If you've got a will, you may feel like you are all set when it comes to your estate plans. But does your will have a...
by Christine | Jun 13, 2014 | Estate Planning, Retirement, Roth IRA |
The question of which investment accounts you should tap first in retirement can often be a tricky one. But it gets even trickier if your goal is to leave money to heirs. How do you balance retirement with your estate planning goals? After all, even if you...
by Christine | Jun 12, 2014 | Estate Law, Estate Planning, Trustee, Trusts |
Here are three factors that your clients should consider when making this important decision. How do you make sure you leave the trust in the right hands? Picking a trustee can be a very difficult task. It is not the same as crafting words to paper – ink is cheap in a...
by Christine | Jun 11, 2014 | Estate Planning, Special Needs, Special Needs Children, Special Needs Planning, Special Needs Trusts |
Caring for children with special needs can require a lot of financial and logistical planning to ensure they're experiencing the best quality of life possible. There is much thought and planning that goes into caring for a child with special needs. And that...
by Christine | Jun 10, 2014 | Dementia, Elder Law, Estate Planning |
Not only can dementia lead to poor financial decision-making; it can also make sufferers susceptible to financial fraud. You cannot predict whether or not you or your spouse will develop dementia later in life. But because dementia is such a real possibility to face...
by Christine | Jun 9, 2014 | Charitable Giving, Estate Planning, Wealth Transfer |
"We say to people: 'If you do nothing, your money will go to the state. Is that what you want?' That's enough to make them want to consider something else," says Andrew Russell, a certified financial planner in San Diego. If you have no spouse or...
by Christine | Jun 6, 2014 | Asset Protection, Marriage |
So how do DAPTs work in a marriage to protect assets? Do they need to be set up before the marriage? Can they be set up during the marriage? Marriage might be that last step in bringing two people and two lives together. Nevertheless, that moment often causes one to...
