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Legacy Planning

The Importance of Selecting and Updating Beneficiaries by Scott Montgomery

Posted December 7, 2023

Naming beneficiaries to receive proceeds from a life insurance policy or retirement account is a difficult decision that requires consideration of a range of factors. Because these selections supersede designations in your will, they are an important step in the estate-planning process that must be addressed with particular care and attention to detail. Selecting Beneficiaries […]

Managing your Online Legacy and Digital Assets after Death by Eric Zeitlin

Posted November 8, 2023

In a world where we conduct and share so much of our lives online, it is essential to consider what happens to our digital footprint after we pass away. Do family members have the usernames and passwords needed to access all your financial accounts and pay bills in your absence? Can they access all the […]

4 Non-Tax Benefits of Estate Planning By Eric Zeitlin

Posted October 11, 2023

Though much of estate planning focuses on implementing strategies to minimize federal taxes, there are several other reasons why individuals of all income levels should engage in the planning process under the guidance of experienced professionals. Ensure your Wishes are Followed If you do not have a valid will at the time of your death, […]

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 annual report on philanthropy, charitable giving in the U.S. remained strong from 2019 to 2021, growing more than 9 percent over two years. At the same time, Americans increasingly turned to donor-advised funds (DAFs) as their preferred method for supporting the organizations and charities that are nearest and dearest to […]

Legacy Planning under Tax Reform by Scott Montgomery, CLU®, ChFC®

Posted March 1, 2023

Thanks to expanded federal estate tax exemptions introduced in 2018, very few families have been subject to federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax. However, because the higher exemption is a temporary provision of the tax law and subject to change under the influence of shifting political powers, families must prepare their estate plans […]

Understanding Your Choices When Selecting a Trustee By Eric P. Zeitlin

Posted April 20, 2022

People spend a significant amount of time building their wealth and carefully creating trusts and mapping out an estate plan to protect and preserve their assets for future generations. Yet, when it comes time to naming a trustee to carry out their wishes under the terms of a trust, many people stumble. Making the right […]

Charitable Giving Can Provide Greater Impact, Tax-Efficiency in 2021 by Eric P. Zeitlin

Posted November 10, 2021

Families rarely give to charity solely for a tax break. Still, it is not unreasonable to consider that charitable giving historically has played an important role in tax-efficient wealth and estate planning. Although fewer families have qualified to write off charitable gifts following tax reform enacted in 2017, some recent COVID-relief packages have changed the […]

UPDATED How Can Swap Powers Preserve Wealth for Future Generations? By Eric P. Zeitlin

Posted January 6, 2021

Swap powers within intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs) are critical estate planning tools that may help you improve tax efficiency today while allowing you to preserve wealth for future generations. An IDGT is an irrevocable trust that you, the grantor, can create during life to pass assets and wealth to your named beneficiaries outside your […]

A Fair Inheritance is in the Eye of the Beholder By Lee F. Hediger

Posted December 16, 2020

Leaving behind a lasting legacy and providing for surviving family members in the event of an individual’s death or disability takes time, patience and consideration of a broad range of non-financial issues. While there are times when an unequal division of property among heirs is preferable, consideration should be given how surviving family members will […]

Financial Tips when Walking Down the Aisle a Second Time by Kathleen Marteney, CRPC®

Posted September 24, 2020

According to the Pew Research Institute, first-time marriages are on the decline, while a growing number of unions involve spouses who said “I do” at least once before. When individuals enter into second or third marriages, they are more likely to have children from a prior marriage as well as a retirement nest egg, a […]

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