There are a lot of things to consider when you are contemplating your legacy, and every family is different. Exactly how you go about planning your estate is going to vary depending on exactly what you want to accomplish, the extent of your assets, and the specific nature of your family. The reality is that … [Read More]
Medicaid: Healthy Spouse Can Keep More In 2012
When you are planning for the latter portion of your life there are two things that you should keep in the forefront of your thinking. For one, it is likely that you will someday need long-term care if you do live to the age of 65. And secondly, contrary to the beliefs of some people … [Read More]
Death Tax Lurks Quietly
When you are a relatively young adult it is likely that you are very much focused on and engaged in the present. Long-term planning and legacy crafting may be the furthest things from your mind. As a result, you may not be aware of the fact that the estate tax even exists. The reality is … [Read More]
Be Wary Of Complimentary Estate Planning Advice
“I don’t know” and “I’m really not sure” are two phrases that are not used nearly enough by many people. Some folks can’t resist the opportunity to give advice about things that they don’t really know a lot about, and it is important to recognize this, especially when it comes to the subject of estate … [Read More]
Defraying Long-Term Care Costs
The way that long-term care costs are rising at such an alarming rate is a matter of great concern within the elder law community. Medicare does not pay for long-term care and this is something to keep in mind when you are budgeting for the future. And, statistics indicate that most senior citizens will someday … [Read More]
Zero Out A GRAT
There are numerous acronyms that you will see tossed about when you look into the field of estate planning. One of these is the GRAT and in an estate planning context this stands for a grantor retained annuity trust. If you have appreciable securities, you may be able to “zero out” one of these trusts … [Read More]
Divorced Parents May Have Dual Objectives
It could be easy to imagine an estate planning scenario involving two people who have been married to one another all of their lives who have children together and perhaps some grandchildren. Of course these types of traditional families exist, but during our current era divorce is very common. As a result you have situations … [Read More]
Is Estate Planning Only Relevant To Seniors?
When you start to get up there in years and see some of your friends and family members pass away it is not difficult to recognize the immediate relevancy of estate planning. However, many people who are younger feel as though estate planning is not something that they have to worry about until they reach … [Read More]
Tax Free Gift Of Education
At the present time the estate tax exclusion is $5 million as a result of the passage of the tax relief act that was signed into law last December. However, it is important to remember that this change is not a permanent one. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 … [Read More]
Social Security Information
Social Security benefits are part of the equation for a majority of people who are planning for retirement, and right now we are going through a historic period when it comes to Social Security. The baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, and that means there are a lot of people applying for Social Security … [Read More]
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