by Christine | Feb 6, 2015 | Elder Law, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Gift Tax, Probate, Tax Planning |
Here are five rules you need to know about the estate tax for 2015. The estate tax exclusion is now $5.43 million. The federal estate tax applies only to those whose taxable estates exceed a certain amount. The U.S. has a unified gift and estate tax system, so...
by Christine | Feb 4, 2015 | Advanced Health Care Directive, Asset Protection, Conservator, Conservatorships, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Living Trust, Living Will, Medical Directives, Probate, Trusts, Wills |
Create a file that you name sometime like "ICE," which stands for “in case of emergency.” Some people call this their “grab-and-go” file, since that’s what it’s for. Make sure that anyone who needs to have this information knows how to access it. For...
by Christine | Jan 29, 2015 | Asset Protection, Assets, Conservatorships, Elder Law, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Estates, Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA), Inheritance, Living Trust, Probate, Retirement, Retirement Planning, Special Needs, Tax Planning, Trusts, Wills |
“We’re not surprised by the fact that people don’t know a lot about retirement income planning,” says David Littell, program director at the American College. “I was surprised at how badly they did.” Could you pass a retirement literacy test? Apparently, 80% of...
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...
