Categories

Estate Planning

What is a Financial Plan? By Lee F. Hediger

Posted September 13, 2023

A financial plan is a written document that lays out your future financial, business and lifestyle goals and maps out comprehensive strategies for achieving them. Contrary to popular belief, financial planning is not just for the wealthy. Instead, it is a critical planning tool that can help individuals at all income levels make informed financial […]

Families Without Children Need Estate Planning Too by Brendan T. Hayes

Posted August 30, 2023

The once idealized picture-perfect family of two parents and two-and-a-half children has faded as a growing number of married couples choose to live child-free. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of married couples without children has doubled over the past 45 years and is expected to continue on an upward trend. Despite the absence […]

Income, Estate and Retirement Planning with Taxes in Mind by Eric P. Zeitlin

Posted August 15, 2023

Engaging in estate and financial planning without paying attention to taxes can be a fool’s errand. Tax awareness can be tantamount to all aspects of saving, investing and spending. Failure to consider the tax implications of any estate or financial plan component may negatively affect expected returns and result in significant tax liabilities. Tax Terms […]

Donor-Advised Funds Gain Popularity as a Means of Charitable Giving By Eric P. Zeitlin

Posted August 1, 2023

According to the Giving Institute’s 2023 Annual Report on Philanthropy, charitable giving in the U.S. decreased more than 10 percent in 2022 from a record high the prior year. However, one area of giving that appears to be growing is the use of donor-advised funds (DAFs), which saw contributions and grants to philanthropic organizations increase […]

What is a Spousal Lifetime Access Trust? By Lee F. Hediger

Posted July 27, 2023

One of the basic principles behind proper estate planning is to help ensure that decedents’ hard-earned wealth passes to their heirs in the most tax-efficient manner, which often means minimizing exposure to federal estate and gift taxes. While there are a variety of trust vehicles and other strategies individuals may use to achieve this goal, […]

Important Estate Planning Considerations Before Selling a Business By Eric P. Zeitlin

Posted July 12, 2023

Selling a company that you put your heart and soul into building can provide significant rewards, including financial security for the remainder of your lifetime and potentially your heirs. Nevertheless, achieving that aim and reaping the full potential of the proceeds from a business sale requires careful reviews of where your business currently fits within […]

7 Critical Considerations When Buying Life Insurance By Scott Montgomery, CLU, ChFC

Posted June 1, 2023

Life insurance is a vital estate planning tool intended to protect your family members from significant financial burdens and other economic risks that can occur when you pass away. However, no two policies are alike and navigating the world of life insurance can be quite complex. In the simplest terms, a life insurance policy is […]

Minimizing Exposure to the Dreaded Death Tax By Ryan Whiteman

Posted October 12, 2022

Not only is it true that death and taxes are the only certainties in life, but one’s death can come with significant tax liabilities. The key to minimizing these so-called “death taxes” is to put tax-efficient estate plans into place while you are alive. The term “death tax” refers to money the federal government and […]

Avoiding the Most Common Estate-Planning Disasters by Scott Montgomery, CLU, ChFC

Posted September 29, 2022

After gathering the documents needed to file annual federal income tax returns, take a moment to review all your financial accounts before filing those papers in a drawer. Most importantly, look at how those accounts are titled and who is named as beneficiaries and consider if that information matches your current life circumstances and new […]

Don’t Forget Your Pets in Your Estate Plan By Robert Mark Weiss, CFA

Posted September 7, 2022

It is increasingly common for pet owners to make provisions in their wills to provide ongoing care of their furry companions in the event they pass away or become unable to do so on their own. Moreover, all U.S. states and the District of Columbia allow their residents to establish pet trusts and set aside […]

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