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  Last Updated: 10/27/2008 What will happen to your estate if your primary beneficiary does not survive you? If your will does not name an alternate beneficiary, your estate will be divided according to state law. The way the state divides your estate may not agree with your wishes. Your money may go to someone Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 10/6/2008 For the first time in eight years, Medicare’s monthly premium will remain unchanged for most of the program’s 44 million beneficiaries. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Part B premium will remain at its 2008 level of $96.40 for 2009 for individuals earning $85,000 or less Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 10/27/2008 Anthony Steuer. Questions and Answers on Life Insurance. iUniverse, Lincoln, NE. 2007. 464 Pages. $22.45 from Amazon (click on book to order). Deciding which type of life insurance to purchase can be a confusing process. Term life? Variable life? Whole life? Universal life? What do these terms mean and which option Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 10/31/2008 The recently passed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (aka “the bailout bill”) temporarily raises the basic limit on federal deposit insurance coverage (FDIC) from $100,000 to $250,000 per depositor. The legislation provides that the basic deposit insurance limit will return to $100,000 after December 31, 2009. The rise in insurance Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 10/30/2008 How can you ensure that your special needs child will remain well cared for and secure once others assume the role of guardian or caregiver? While creating a financial plan and establishing a specialized trust are central to preparing for your child’s future, special needs planners also advise families to write Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 6/23/2009 2:24:07 PM Although you can begin receiving Social Security benefits anytime after age 62, the longer you wait, the higher the benefit you will receive. But many people need money right away and cannot afford to delay. If you are married, there is a strategy that may allow you to claim Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 5/21/2009 11:37:18 AM Did you know you could be responsible for your parents&#039 unpaid bills? Thirty states currently have laws making adult children responsible for their parents if their parents can&#039t afford to take care of themselves. While these laws are rarely enforced, there has been speculation that states may begin dusting Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 6/9/2009 2:19:29 PM Once upon a time, when life was less complicated, the key to a safe deposit box was all loved ones needed to gain access to important documents and accounts following a death. Today, many aspects of our lives — both financial and personal — are lived in places accessible Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 5/27/2009 8:30:13 PM Walter Feldesman. Long-Term Care at Home Consumer Guide. Walter Feldesman, New York, NY. 2009. 393 pages. $23.66 print copy (or free as online download). Click here to order a print copy. Click here for free download. The story of Walter Feldesman is as inspiring to the elderly as his Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 5/27/2009 9:29:04 AM No parents want their children to fight among themselves after they are gone. Sadly, conflicts often arise, especially when a parent has gifted or loaned money to one child and not others. However, a few key words in your estate plan can minimize the potential for conflict. If you Read Full Article