If you plan on leaving a sizable amount of money to your heirs, it’s understandable to be concerned about estate taxes. After all, the top Federal estate tax rate of 40% could take a nasty bite out of a multi-million dollar estate, and that’s not including any state taxes that may apply. With that in […]
Read More »Special Needs Trust Fairness Act Passes in Senate
People with special needs have won an important victory in the Senate where the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act passed unanimously. However, the fight is not over. For people with disabilities, special needs trusts are often a vital way to protect assets and ensure that they have the resources needed to meet their expenses. […]
Read More »Gift Giving and What to Do About IRS Form 709
Most people give gifts all the time without even thinking about the potential tax ramifications. Yet technically, whenever you give something to someone, you have to follow the gift-tax rules. Fortunately, those rules don’t require you to file a gift tax return every single time someone celebrates a birthday or other special event, but it’s important […]
Read More »Estate Planning for Your Works of Art
Art investors are nearly always advised not to invest in art at all, but to collect it. Buy what you like, the conventional wisdom goes, not what you expect to increase in value. But collectors still must contemplate financial matters, especially related to inheritance, advisers say. It’s essential for them to consider what will happen to […]
Read More »Estate Planning Attorney Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Other Charges
A Wisconsin estate planning attorney who faced 33 federal charges stemming from fraudulent activity and stealing her wealthy clients’ money has reached a deal and will plead guilty to five of the charges.
Read More »Why People Do Not Have Estate Plans
A recent survey reveals something that we already know: most Americans do not have estate plans. However, the survey also reveals the reason why people do not get estate plans is because they feel they lack the financial know-how to even get started.
Read More »Is the Family Business a Part of Your Estate Plan?
Family business contributes to over 70 percent of global productions, but owners of them don’t update their estate planning. It’s estimated that over 50 percent of family business owners didn’t update their estate planning documents for more than five years. Perfect and updated family planning ensures the smooth transition of a property from one generation […]
Read More »Can You Do Estate Planning for Your Farm?
Succession planning is one of the most important aspects of passing on a farm to future generations, but having a conversation about it is not always easy. Jolene Brown, an Iowa farmer and professional speaker, and Nelson Schoon, certified financial planner and owner of Financial Framing, weighed in on some of the do’s and don’ts […]
Read More »Using A Revocable Trust as the Primary Method for Disposing of Your Estate
If you haven’t considered using a revocable trust rather than a will as your main estate planning document, you could be making a critical mistake. A recent MoneyWatch article, “5 reasons you need a trust, not a will,” lists five reasons for using a revocable trust as the primary method for disposing your estate.
Read More »Who Pays the Bills If I’m Not Around?
Who pays the bills in your house? If your house is like most, there is probably one person who handles most of the financial matters. Would you or your spouse be prepared to assume the role of managing the household finances if something happened to the other spouse? Too often, clients have gone through the […]
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