Once you are secure in the knowledge that you’ve provided for your family and ensured that your wishes for the distribution of your hard-earned fortune are clear, it’s time to take steps to ensure that YOU will be protected and financially secure during your lifetime. It is not uncommon for seniors to need help with… Read More »
Blog Posts Page 33
Estate Planning for Beginners Part 2: Trusts
We’ve said it before on our blog and we’ll say it again: It doesn’t matter whether you’re a billionaire business executive or a teacher with a modest salary, it doesn’t matter whether you’re the patriarch of a large family or a stay-at-home mom of a newborn, a revocable living trust may be exactly what your… Read More »
Estate Planning for Beginners Part 1: Wills
Every new project has to begin somewhere, and most newcomers to estate planning choose to begin with a will. A will is the most well-known of all estate planning documents, it is generally the simplest and easiest to create (although some wills can be very lengthy and complex), and in most states a will can… Read More »
The Importance of Estate Planning for New Parents
News sources such as the Washington Post entertainment section promise that this summer will be flush with celebrity newborns and proud mamas and papas. Some of the stars expecting additions to their families include Natalie Portman, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Connelly and more. Here at our office we wonder how many of these new parents will… Read More »
Even the Most “Normal” Families Can Benefit From Customized Estate Planning
Many people think that estate planning is a piece of cake: choose your beneficiaries, write up a simple will, and voila – you’re done! The truth is that while estate planning can sometimes be achieved with this amount of simplicity, most of the time there’s more to it than that—a lot more—especially if you have any… Read More »
What to Do When Dad’s Ability To Manage His Finances Begins To Slow Down
One of the most difficult aspects of caring for an elderly parent (or helping an aging parent who lives far away) is keeping one step ahead when that parent begins to lose the ability to manage his or her own finances. Many seniors can be very resistant to discussing what they feel is an extremely… Read More »
Simple Steps Now Can Help Your Executor Later On
Being named as the executor of the estate of a deceased loved one comes with many challenges, including dealing with the probate system. But one of the most difficult (and least discussed) challenges is sorting through the plethora of paper and information that people collect over the course of a lifetime. You can save your… Read More »
New Estate Tax Portability Provision Should be Considered with Caution
A new “Portability Provision” in The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Jobs Creation Act of 2010 has some couples excited about the financial possibilities. As explained in this article in the Wall Street Journal, the new portability provision “permits surviving spouses to elect to use the unused portion of the estate tax applicable exclusion… Read More »
5 Missteps That Can Sabotage Your Estate Plan
When it comes to protecting your wealth and your family creating an estate plan is one of the most important things you can do. An estate plan is your key to ensuring that your hard-earned assets are distributed (or saved or invested) as you designate. An estate plan is your family’s safety net. Unfortunately, too… Read More »
Understanding Your Last Will and Testament
Although recent news surrounding the estate tax—both its repeal and its reinstatement—has died down, many people are still talking about their estate plans. Most people recognize that now is the time to create their estate plan, or to review and update their existing plan if they have one. This means that many people are asking… Read More »