Tag Archives: estate planning

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 […]

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 […]

Planning for retirement is often the last thing recent college graduates consider upon entering the job market and earning a steady income. However, there is no minimum age when people should start thinking about saving for the future, whether it is for the purchase of a new car or home, to support a growing family, […]

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 […]

Trusts can play a critical role in helping individuals protect their wealth and ensure the efficient and private transfer of assets to beneficiaries after their passing. However, because the depth and breadth of different trust instruments are so vast, individuals must carefully structure their trusts to meet their unique needs and goals. A trust is […]

One of the most critical yet often forgotten steps in estate planning is preparing a surviving spouse to take over a family’s financial affairs. Even if you checked off all the boxes on your estate-planning to-do list, creating a will, properly titling accounts, naming beneficiaries and structuring assets for tax efficiency, your plan may fail […]

The emotional rollercoaster individuals endure during and after a divorce can be debilitating. Equally devastating are the financial fallouts that can ensue from these life transitions. However, there is a ray of sunshine beyond the storm when women take a moment to assess the facts of their newly single life and rebuild a solid financial […]

Navigating major life transitions is stressful, regardless of whether they are anticipated rites of passage, such as a marriage or the birth of a child, or unexpected events, such as a divorce, personal illness or death of a spouse. While these changes are inevitable, they need not be emotionally or financially devastating. This is especially […]

Among the most critical lessons learned from the COVID pandemic is that no one is immune from a job loss, a business closing, or a life-threatening illness. When these challenges occur, it is often too late to develop plans that you can put into motion instantly to protect yourself and your loved ones from financial […]

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 […]