Your last will and testament is one of the most important legal documents that you will ever make. It allows you to direct where you want your property, guardianship and debts to go after you die, and allows you to appoint an executor to act out your wishes.
In 2022, the annual exclusion for Federal Gift Taxes increased to $16,000 per person per year. Although there is near-universal acceptance of the importance of gifting, there are several issues you should consider before making any gifts.
If you have a parent over the age of, say, 65, thoughts about their future may have started to creep into your mind. But because end-of-life planning can be emotional and overwhelming, it’s tempting to put these conversations off — and even more pleasing to avoid them altogether. If there’s a lesson to be learned from the pandemic, however, it’s that waiting until the last minute to prepare is seldom a good idea.
Leaving behind a huge tax bill for your heirs with the stretch IRA scuttled? Here are some ways around it as lawmakers consider an updated SECURE Act.
Who’s going to inherit on the death of one of the re-marrieds? Will this be the surviving spouse? If so, where will those inherited monies go on the second-to-die’s death?
It’s true that if your child is on your deed as a joint tenant on your home, your home will not have to go through probate if your child survives you. At your death, your surviving child would immediately become the sole owner of your home without probate and with minimal transfer costs.
Children and grandchildren motivate us to think about a will and life insurance. However, it is problematic to name minor children as beneficiaries.
Tax rules on individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are different for inherited IRAs. Some differences are positive.
Many estate executors focus on estate taxes and forget about income taxes. That can be an expensive mistake.
A will is first. In essence, a will spells out who will get your stuff, in what proportions they will get it and in some instances at least, upon what conditions.
