A will is one of the most basic estate planning documents, and everyone should have one to make sure that there is no question about what would happen to your assets and kids if something happens to you. But there are some cases when having a trust in addition to a will is imperative; here […]
Read MoreBy now, the flood of floral commercials has already reminded us that Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12. But before you plunk down a good chunk of change on something that will wilt and die in a week or so, consider a gift that is truly priceless: a plan for your kids (or grandkids) that […]
Read MoreRetirement decision-making for boomers is very different than it was for our parents, when it was usually just one spouse (Dad) who retired, with Mom sometimes reminding him that, “I married you for better or worse, but not for lunch!” Now both working spouses must make a decision together on their retirement, and each may […]
Read MoreThe digital afterlife debate over who owns the online assets of someone who has died has been in the news recently, brought to light by several families whose children have died tragically and who want access to their child’s online accounts to preserve memories and try, in the case of suicide, to make sense of […]
Read MoreEvery single adult needs to have an advance health care directive written, signed and in place. This includes your children, as soon as they turn 18. This includes you. This includes your parents. Without an advance health care directive in place, you would not be able to access your child’s medical records, if they are […]
Read MoreThree-time New York City Mayor Ed Koch died on Feb. 1, leaving an estate estimated between $10-$11 million. And it’s a good thing that “Hizzoner” loved governing, because one-quarter of his estate will be going to the state and federal governments. During his tenure as Mayor, Koch was famous for asking people on the street, […]
Read MoreMany parents perceive a conflict between funding a child’s college education and building their own retirement nest egg. The conflict usually arises from the lack of financial resources to do both while funding daily living expenses, so parents become stuck between priorities and usually wind up doing nothing at all. One of the things a […]
Read MoreThey call it the “poor man’s estate planning.” Put your child on the title to your deed and avoid probate. Yet this “poor man’s” planning often ends up, well, poorly; and costing a lot more for the people you love. Here’s why and what you can do about it: Risk #1 of Poorman’s Estate Planning: […]
Read MoreIn the process of becoming new parents, many couples become experts at planning – scheduling the birthing classes, planning the new nursery, even picking out a preschool. There is so much to think about before you welcome your new child. Unfortunately, one of the most important things you can do to protect your child is […]
Read MoreDownton Abbey – the PBS drama about the fortunes and misfortunes of an aristocratic British family in the early 20th century that has taken American audiences by storm – gets most of its gripping plot twists as the result of a number of bad estate planning moves. For example (Spoiler Alert: these include references to […]
Read MoreThere have been a number of new rules and services implemented by the Social Security Administration for 2013 that affect a majority of American workers as well as retirees: Expiration of the payroll tax cut. Workers may have already noticed the hit their paychecks took this year due to the expiration of the payroll tax […]
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