Estate Planning
Why Should I Update My Estate Plan?
Estate planning is making decisions today for what you want to happen in the future.
December 6, 2021
Estate Planning
How Long Is Probate?
Probate is a legal process wherein a court oversees the settlement of an estate after the owner passes.
December 3, 2021
Estate Planning
Is There More to Estate Planning Than Writing My Will?
One reason for having a will is to make sure your wishes are carried out. If you die “intestate” (without a will), your assets will be distributed by state law, not by your desires.
December 2, 2021
Estate Planning
What Should I Know Before Starting Social Security?
Since you began working, Social Security has recorded your reported earnings under your name and Social Security number. Social Security updates your record each time your employer (or you, if you’re self-employed) report your earnings. Your earnings determine your benefit amount.
November 30, 2021
Estate Planning
Do You Need an Estate Plan or Will?
Have you thought about how you’d like your family to continue after you’re gone? Having an estate plan isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy.
November 29, 2021
Estate Planning
What Is the First Thing an Executor of a Will Should do?
At some point in your life, there’s a good chance you’ll be tasked with acting as the executor of an estate. The designation is both an honor and an obligation.
November 25, 2021
Estate Planning
How Much can You Inherit and Not Pay Taxes?
Unless you spend your winters in Aspen and your summers in the Hamptons, you probably don’t have to worry about paying federal estate taxes on an inheritance. In 2021, the federal estate tax doesn’t kick in unless an estate exceeds $11.7 million.
November 24, 2021
How Do You File Taxes If Your Spouse Dies?
About 1.5 million Americans become widows and widowers in a normal year, but the pandemic has boosted that significantly. The National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University estimates that about 380,000 of more than 700,000 people in the U.S. who have died from Covid were married.
November 23, 2021
Estate Planning
Is It Important to Have a Power of Attorney?
While we are alive, we can clearly make our own decisions. Unfortunately, one day you may find yourself in a situation where you cannot make your own decisions. Such situations occur most often in accidents, illnesses (physical or mental) and simple aging situations.
November 22, 2021
Estate Planning
What Do I Do with Estate Plan after Divorce?
Major changes in your life—such as marriage, having a baby, moving out of state, or divorce—should prompt a revisit to your current will. It is important to revise your will at these times, in order to ensure that your estate planning is up to date.
November 19, 2021
Estate Planning
How Do I Align Retirement Planning with Planning for a Special Needs Child?
As parents of children with special needs age, they should revisit the decisions they made—sometimes many years ago—regarding guardianship, beneficiarie, and other aspects of their child’s care.
November 17, 2021
What Is the Social Security Increase for 2022?
A large 5.9% cost-of-living adjustment is coming to Social Security beneficiaries in 2022. That means the average monthly retirement benefit will go up by $92 per month. Exactly how much more money you will see may depend on the amount of Medicare Part B premiums.
November 15, 2021
Estate Planning
What Is Probate?
The probate process gets a bad reputation, but it’s the reality many families will face. It is a process that can function well for some small estates.
November 12, 2021
Estate Planning
What Do I Need in My Estate Plan?
An effective estate plan uses a collection of documents and teamwork to protect one’s assets and personal property. An effective estate plan also explains and carries intentions of how to pass control down to successors in the event of your absence.
November 10, 2021
Estate Planning
Talk to Parents about Estate Planning without Making It Awkward
Discussing estate planning with your parents is a conversation that can be difficult to have. You might not want to think about the day they are no longer here, or even consider that they might experience a decline in health that severely limits their ability to think clearly or communicate with you.
November 8, 2021
Estate Planning
Can I Give My Child Access to My Bank Account? Should I?
Would your loved ones have necessary access to your bank accounts after you die to help carry out your last wishes and handle arrangements?
November 5, 2021
Estate Planning
Why Do Families Fail when Transferring Wealth?
Over the next 25 years, analysts anticipate $68 trillion to be passed down to younger generations and charities. While the importance of legacy planning is not limited to the forthcoming Great Wealth Transfer, it does spotlight the significant amount of wealth that has been created, primarily by Baby Boomers, and the need to transition these assets thoughtfully.
November 4, 2021
Estate Planning
Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid
According to a Caring.com survey, only 4 in 10 American adults have a will or a living trust. And what may be even more surprising is that younger adults are outpacing their middle-aged and older counterparts when it comes to estate planning.
November 2, 2021
Estate Planning
Do People Get Divorced after Age 65?
A divorce almost always comes with emotional, personal and financial complications. However, a divorce late in life also adds a level of complexity to your estate and tax plan.
November 1, 2021
Estate Planning
What Should Small Business Owners Know about Estate Planning?
Small business owners have their hands overflowing with issues, and they devote most of their time to matters related to the smooth running of the business. Having no time to think about other matters, they do not bother about estate planning for them.
October 29, 2021
Estate Planning
When Should You Update Your Estate Plan?
If your life changes, so should your estate plan. Marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, a birth and a changing relationship with a child are just some of the life changes that may affect your estate plan.
October 27, 2021
Estate Planning
Estate Planning and Cryptocurrency
Digital assets have been around for quite some time. However, they seem to be dominating headlines again this year. In part, you can thank high-profile figures, such as Elon Musk, for promoting cryptocurrency, or music artist Grimes for selling $6 million in NFTs.
October 25, 2021
Estate Planning
Estate Planning for Special Needs Children
It takes a special parent to care for a child with special needs. These parents’ greatest financial concern is typically ensuring that their children are cared for when they can no longer do so.
October 22, 2021
Estate Planning
Is My Will Void If I Get Divorced?
Major changes in your life—such as marriage, having a baby, moving out of state, or divorce—should prompt a revisit to your current will. It is important to revise your will at these times, in order to ensure your estate planning is up to date.
October 20, 2021
Estate Planning
What Items Should Not Be Stored in a Safe Deposit Box?
Locking up certain important documents and valuables in a bank vault could turn into a headache for you or your heirs.
October 18, 2021
Estate Planning
What Is the Best Thing to Do with an Inherited IRA?
Inheriting an IRA from a parent has a unique set of rules you need to know, which will help you make the most of the money you inherit and avoid a tax-time surprise.
October 14, 2021
Estate Planning
What are Digital Assets in an Estate?
Today, so many aspects of our lives are managed virtually. We keep currency, photos, music, documents, bills, medical records, artwork and even our social lives online or ‘in the cloud.’
October 13, 2021
Estate Planning
When Should You Fund a Trust?
For larger estates, a revocable trust is generally the most effective tool for avoiding probate. It involves some setup costs. However, it allows you to manage the disposition of all of your wealth in one document, while retaining control and reserving the right to modify your plan.
October 11, 2021
Estate Planning
How Does a Conservatorship Work?
Britney Spears’ terrible, heartbreaking conservatorship seems almost surreal. How can someone with so much success and wealth find herself in such a position? Could what happened to Britney happen to you or me?
October 8, 2021
Estate Planning
What are Biggest Mistakes in Estate Planning?
As you’re making your estate plan, you’ll want to carefully consider everything. This means it may take a while to complete your plan. Here are five things to watch out for along the way.
October 6, 2021