Author Archives: Naomi Wolowitz

For too long, women were socialized to believe that they were terrible with money or that financial management was a role better left to their husbands. While women have come a long way, there remains a significant gender gap in financial literacy. Ninety percent of women will need to be self-reliant with financial decisions at […]

No one wants to think about spending their golden years in a nursing home or with round-the-clock nursing assistance for basic self-care tasks, such as eating, dressing, bathing and using the bathroom. Yet, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, someone turning age 65 today has an almost 70 percent chance of […]

The more wealth a family acquires, the more tools they need to preserve those assets for future generations and protect them from the long arms of tax agencies in the U.S. and abroad. One such tool earning the attention of family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals worldwide is private placement life insurance (PPLI). In the simplest […]

As college graduates embark on their professional careers, they should consider the following savings strategies to help prepare them for a sound financial future. Like most things in life, the earlier you start planning and preparing, the more likely you will achieve your goals. Employer-Sponsored Savings Plans While retirement may seem like a long way […]

Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the federal estate tax exemption increased to $13.99 million, or $27.98 million for married couples filing joint tax returns. This means that individual taxpayers can transfer up to $13.99 million in assets to their heirs (or up to $27.98 million for married couples filing jointly) during life or at death without […]

In 2019, the IRS reassured ultra-high-net-worth families that any gifts they make between 2018 and 2025 to remove assets from their taxable estates under the generous but temporary provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) would not lose those tax benefits when the estate-tax lifetime-exclusion reverts to its pre-TCJA level in 2026. The […]

If you purchase a qualifying new or previously owned plug-in or hybrid electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell electric vehicle (FCV) this year, you may qualify for a tax credit. Generally, the credits are nonrefundable, meaning they can only reduce your tax liability to zero; you cannot get back more on the credit than you […]

Provenance Wealth Advisors, an independent RIA firm, has named Peter Mottek chief executive officer and president. Managing Director Eric Zeitlin is advancing to chairman of the board and Richard A. Berkowitz, JD, CPA, has been named chairman emeritus. With over 35 years in the industry, Mottek joins PWA after leading TD Bank’s US Wealth and […]

Ultra-high-net-worth individuals with estates valued above the $13.99 million estate-tax lifetime-exclusion amount in 2025 (or $27.98 million for married couples filing joint tax returns) have several opportunities to reduce their estate tax liabilities at death while preserving wealth for future generations while they are alive. Give Multiple Gifts During Life. Making annual exclusion gifts enables […]

Caring for a family member with a physical, intellectual or emotional disability can be costly. Everyday expenses can include food and shelter, specialized medications, assistive devices, special education, transportation, at-home nursing care, and much more. Over time, these expenses will almost certainly increase. Families must engage in advanced planning to ensure that a loved one […]