Moving to another state?
Revisit your estate plan -
If you recently relocated to a new state — or you’re planning such a move — it’s a good idea to review and update your estate plan. You won’t have to throw out your...more
Employee stock ownership plan -
A versatile business exit and estate planning tool -
If you own a closely held business, a significant portion of your wealth may be tied up in it. So, to prepare for retirement and...more
Sharing is caring -
How much should you tell your loved ones about your estate plan?
After you’ve created your estate plan, it’s important to consider how much information you should disclose to your loved ones about...more
Revocable trusts -
Don’t forget to fund the trust throughout your lifetime -
Many estate plans are built around revocable trusts (sometimes called “living trusts”). These trusts allow you to 1) avoid the time, expense...more
Married couples: Joint or separate trusts?
Revocable trusts are a key component of many estate plans. Among other things, these trusts allow you to minimize probate expenses, keep your financial affairs private and provide...more
How planning can minimize the impact of income taxes -
Until recently, estate planning strategies generally focused on removing as much wealth as possible from one’s estate to avoid the bite of federal estate tax....more
Preparing for 2026 -
Four ways to build flexibility into your estate plan -
January 1, 2026, is a significant date for estate planning. On that day, the federal gift and estate tax exemption amount set by the Tax Cuts...more
Estate planning in a digital world -
Today, virtually everyone owns (or licenses) digital assets, from email and social media accounts to digital photos and videos to online banking and brokerage accounts. Unlike...more
SECURE 2.0 provides a boost to your retirement and estate plans -
The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0) expands on the changes made by the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act)....more
Funding long-term care expenses: What are your options?
Few things can derail your estate plan as quickly as unanticipated long-term care (LTC) expenses. Most people will need some form of LTC — such as a nursing home or...more
2/23/2023
/ Asset Management ,
Beneficiaries ,
Estate Planning ,
Family Members ,
Financial Planning ,
Inheritance ,
Long Term Care Insurance ,
Long-Term Care ,
Trusts ,
Wealth Management ,
Wills
Pay attention to securities laws when planning your estate -
Do your assets include unregistered securities, such as restricted stock or interests in hedge funds or private equity funds? If so, it’s important to consider...more
12/28/2022
/ 401k ,
Asset Management ,
Beneficiaries ,
Disabled Children ,
Document Management ,
Estate Planning ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Inheritance ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities ,
Successors ,
Trustees
Rising rates spark interest in charitable remainder trusts -
If you wish to leave a charitable legacy while generating income during your lifetime, a charitable remainder trust (CRT) may be a viable solution. In addition...more
10/25/2022
/ Asset Management ,
Estate Claims ,
Estate Planning ,
Estate Tax ,
Inheritance ,
IRS ,
Life Insurance ,
Retirement Funds ,
Tax Planning ,
Trustees ,
Trusts ,
Wealth Management
Estate planning for the happily married - Hedge your bets with a SLAT
One of the biggest challenges of estate planning is dealing with uncertainty. For 2022, for example, the federal gift and estate tax exemption is $12.06...more
Asset protection -
How to shield your wealth from lawsuits and creditors -
Much of estate planning focuses on transferring your wealth to loved ones in a taxefficient manner. But for many people, it’s equally important...more
You’ve received an inheritance: Now what?
If you’ve received, or will soon receive, a significant inheritance, it may be tempting to view it as “found money” that can be spent freely. But unless your current financial plan...more
5/23/2022
/ Asset Management ,
Beneficiaries ,
Estate Claims ,
Estate Planning ,
Family Members ,
Fiduciary ,
Inheritance ,
Successors ,
Trustees ,
Trusts ,
Wills
GST taxes -
Plan carefully to avoid surprises -
If you wish to share some of your wealth with your grandchildren or great grandchildren — or if your estate plan is likely to benefit these generations — it’s critical to...more
Business owners: Now’s the time to revisit buy-sell agreements -
If you own an interest in a closely held business, a buy-sell agreement should be a critical component of your estate and succession plans. These...more
Getting remarried?
Understand your spouse’s inheritance rights -
If you’re getting remarried, you may have very different expectations than you did when you married the first time, especially when it comes to estate...more
Big tax changes are in the works -
What do they mean for your estate plan?
With apologies to Benjamin Franklin, little is certain about death and taxes these days. The Biden administration and several lawmakers have...more
Annual exclusion gifts -
A deceptively powerful estate planning strategy -
In 2021, the federal lifetime gift and estate tax exemption amount is a whopping $11.7 million. So, for most people, it may seem like planning...more
Charitable giving in 2021 -
Plan carefully to maximize the tax benefits -
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers enacted the CARES Act to provide some relief to the ailing economy. One of its provisions,...more
Below is a brief glance of what you'll find in the March/April 2021 issue of The Estate Planner.
- Can beneficiaries borrow from a trust?
- Taking steps to protect your will from being contested
- Defined-value...more
Below is a brief glance of what you'll find in the January/February 2021 issue of The Estate Planner.
- Can a charitable trust replicate a stretch IRA?
- Power up your trust with Crummey powers
- Net gift technique...more
A SPA trust can improve the flexibility of your estate plan -
We live in uncertain times. There’s uncertainty about the economy as well as the possibility of tax increases to address the rising federal debt. For example,...more
As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and much of the economy reopens, the “new normal” demands continued social distancing in many areas of life. What does this mean for estate planning? Clearly, estate...more