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“Low interest rates and looming potential tax changes make this a good time for high-net-worth clients to use a special tool to transfer wealth: the grantor-retained annuity trust (GRAT), a strategy to reduce future estate taxes, by transferring assets to beneficiaries without using the lifetime gift tax exclusion.” A Grantor-Retained Annuity Trust, or GRAT, is […]
“In a nutshell, an estate plan encompasses the accumulation, conservation and distribution of an estate. Done well, it will enhance and maintain the financial security of the next generation.” Having a well-prepared estate plan means that you have a plan in place to distribute your home, assets and possessions. However, the estate plan does more, […]
“The pandemic is isolating many elderly Americans—as family members distance themselves, in an effort to keep everyone safe.” The same isolation that is keeping seniors safe during the pandemic is also making them easier targets for scammers, reports WKYC in a news report “Northeast Ohio family warns of elder financial exploitation during the pandemic“. While […]
“If you get bogged down with a high balance that you can’t easily afford to pay off, it can take years to get out of debt. However, what happens to your credit card debt if you die before you’ve repaid it?” Credit card debt worries create sleepless nights for many. Will a surviving spouse or […]
“It is critical that parents and grandparents give careful thought to any gift of money or bequest in an estate plan, when the recipient has special needs.” Parents and grandparents do all they can to help their children and grandchildren lead their best lives, and that often extends to the child or grandchild’s adult lives. […]
“A common misconception is that you do not have to probate a will when your spouse dies.” Probate, also called “estate administration,” is the management and final settlement of a deceased person’s estate. It is conducted by an executor, also known as a personal representative, who is nominated in the will and approved by the […]
“The steady drone of coronavirus news these past nine months has spurred countless older Americans to face a long-procrastinated task: writing—or rewriting—their wills.” While many people have had their wills updated or created in response to the pandemic, millions of Americans have yet to do so, reports the article “How to Stop Stalling On Getting […]
“Many investors took advantage of the pandemic-induced market decline this spring to do big Roth conversions and pay less tax on reduced asset values.” People with large tax-deferred accounts they intend to leave to their children can eliminate a tax burden on their heirs by converting the tax-deferred money over time. By doing the conversion […]
Perhaps you have considered selling your current home, buying a smaller one, and using the difference to help fund your retirement. A recent article on Investopedia.com explores this approach and details the mistakes you must avoid. Here are some of the highlights. Overestimating Your Current Home’s Value Many people overestimate how much their current home is actually […]
“Is it better to transfer the title of the home to us, or to leave it as it is given her age and go through probate?” For a family whose 91-year-old mother lives in her home, has a will and has appointed two sisters as Power of Attorney and executors of her estate, the question […]
