by Christine | Mar 7, 2014 | Estate Planning |
Completing the following four tasks can help you meet any last obligations to your loved ones, ensure your final days are spent as you want, and reconcile your dreams with the realities of your life. Is a goal without a plan just a wish? Regardless of the goals...
by Christine | Mar 6, 2014 | Elder Law, Estate Law, Gift Tax, Loans |
Be prepared to demonstrate that the loan is legitimate, and that repayments are being made regularly. This documentation can also help sort matters out if the lender should die before the full value of the loan has been repaid. If you are compelled to help out a...
by Christine | Mar 5, 2014 | Elder Care, Elder Law, End of Life Decisions, Medical Directives |
[Pacemakers] prolong lives, but “all those people will face decisions down the road,” Dr. Mueller said. “’Do I keep it going? Do I turn it off?’” Physicians have similar questions, including what kinds of patients confront these choices and who usually winds up making...
by Christine | Mar 4, 2014 | Estate Planning, Inheritance |
You may need to take some initial measures to protect your new wealth, but don't jump into making big decisions immediately. When a loved one passes along an inheritance, it is often a gift of great potential. Therefore, the heir should take some time to reflect...
by Christine | Mar 3, 2014 | Estate Planning, Trusts, Wills |
The question that many Americans want answered is: is a will or trust best for retirees? There are simple solutions to simple problems, and complex solutions to complex problems. That being said, when it comes to estate planning many Americans ponder the following:...
by Christine | Feb 28, 2014 | Business Succession Planning, Estate Planning, Family Business, Small Business |
Family businesses account for much of this country’s domestic product and are core to the American Dream. Whether it is a century-old international automobile manufacturer or a group of local dry-cleaners, family involvement in the business is a common goal. Like...
by Christine | Feb 27, 2014 | Estate Planning, Inheritance |
They are relatively older, they are probably inheriting from financially conservative parents and they are dealing with deep emotional reactions. Leaving behind or receiving an inheritance includes several planning points to ponder, including tax questions and legal...
by Christine | Feb 25, 2014 | Elder Care, Elder Law, Medicare, Nursing Homes |
For years, it has been an article of faith that Medicare would not pay for services such as skilled nursing or physical therapy unless that care improved a patient's health status. How did this misunderstanding go on for so long? Learning all the ins and outs of...
by Christine | Feb 24, 2014 | Capital Gains, Cost Basis, Estate Planning, Estate Tax |
At the recent annual Heckerling Institute (the leading conference for estate pros) Paul S. Lee, a Bernstein wealth manager, called for a new approach to planning he puckishly described as “freebasing”–because it frees survivors to get the most potent income tax...
by Christine | Feb 20, 2014 | Elder Law, Estate Planning, Real Estate |
A life estate is a deed that entitles you to remain in your home for the rest of your life and allows your designated heirs to inherit it without the hassle of probate-court proceedings when you die. How can you avoid probate when it comes to the transfer of your home...
