by Christine | Apr 1, 2014 | Estate Planning, Wills |
An ethical will is an attempt to transfer an intangible legacy. What is an ethical will? Think of your will as providing the legally-binding “how” when it comes to your estate plan. How do you want your assets to be distributed? On the other hand, think of your...
by Christine | Mar 31, 2014 | Estate Law, Estate Planning, Wills |
To keep your will from “going wrong,” avoid these common mistakes. The intention of creating a will is so that your wishes will be carried out when you are no longer here. It's a pretty powerful document, no doubt! So what happens if there is a mistake in the...
by Christine | Mar 28, 2014 | Elder Law, Financial Planning, Retirement, Taxes |
A lot of things change in retirement, and your taxes are one of them. But they don't have to be so painful. There are a lot of variables in play when it comes to budgeting for retirement, to include ever lengthening life-spans and ever increasing medical bills. No...
by Christine | Mar 27, 2014 | Uncategorized |
Beware of these not-so-obvious expenses associated with executing a will. Choosing an executor of your estate involves great thought and a lot of planning. After all, their responsibility to settle your estate is not an easy task. In addition to the big task at hand,...
by Christine | Mar 21, 2014 | Estate Law, Estate Tax, State Law |
New York’s governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, took a step toward bringing the state’s estate tax in line with the federal one. And he is not alone among governors of cold-weather states (along with the District of Columbia) that have realized affluent residents are moving to...
by Christine | Mar 19, 2014 | Charitable Giving, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), Retirement |
You were so helpful to me in September, clarifying the IRA charitable contribution. Do you know if the government is instituting that same contribution this year? We are well into tax season and planning for the upcoming year. Are you keeping up with the tax laws? As...
by Christine | Mar 18, 2014 | Estate Planning, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), Trusts |
Whichever way you pass on your retirement account assets, leaving an IRA can provide a grandchild with a significant financial foundation. Think of an IRA as a potentially powerful estate planning tool. Properly structured, an IRA may transfer wealth to younger...
by Christine | Mar 17, 2014 | Estate Planning, Inheritance |
Children almost always interpret unequal inheritances as an expression of unequal love, Witt told her clients, and giving one child more than another may make them feel slighted and angry. When planning to pass on your estate, you may feel like all will be fine as...
by Christine | Mar 14, 2014 | Business Sale, ESOP, Estate Plan, Small Business, Succession Planning |
The 1974 ESOP law and later amendments were designed to encourage employee ownership. Company founders who initially sell just part of their stake and stay on as CEO say the best news comes after the deal: employees start to act more like owners. Ideas formerly kept...
by Christine | Mar 13, 2014 | Estate Planning, Family Business, Wealth Transfer |
As for the last conspiracy theory – elite families passing their wealth from generation to generation – evidence suggests that it is the exception rather than the rule. If you were able to create some wealth through the family business, how do you keep it going in...
