You can designate a charity as the beneficiary of your IRA. When your pass away, the charity will receive those funds. When you die, the charity can show the bank a certified copy of the death certificate, fill out the proper forms and will be entitled to the IRA funds. Easy! There’s no need for the charitable organization to...
Continue ReadingAs you look at your financial future, procrastinating can make things much tougher down the road. Here’s how to get confident about your money. USA Today’s recent article, “Financial planning: How to determine if you need life insurance in retirement,”notes that many older Americans wonder if they’ll need life insurance in retirement. They are concerned about whether their surviving spouse and...
Continue ReadingThe Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2018 temporarily doubles the allowable credit for the federal estate tax. It is $11.2 million for an individual and $22.4 million for those who are married, reports Newsmax’s recent article, “Trump Tax Law Necessitates Immediate Review of All Estate Plans.” Note that a more recent change, called “portability”, allows the unused estate tax credit from...
Continue ReadingA trust can be a valuable vehicle that lets you maximize tax-planning opportunities within your estate plan, detail exactly how you want to distribute your assets and make certain that your vision for your legacy is carried out precisely. Kiplinger’s recent article asks, “What Type of Trust Solution is Best for You?” The article notes that people often make one common mistake...
Continue ReadingWhen someone can no longer care for himself, or their estate is in disarray, a conservatorship is granted by a court to a caregiver or to a guardian. This is a pretty drastic action, but it’s usually necessary when nothing was arranged in advance, such as a trust, powers of attorney, or healthcare directives. The San Diego Union-Tribune’s recent article...
Continue ReadingWTOP’s article, “7 questions to ask when taking control of a trust,” says that while having more wealth at your disposal may give you an increased sense of security, it’s also natural to have some fears about making a poor decision with new wealth. However, asking a few questions may give you the information that you need to be more confident. What...
Continue ReadingFor many of us, losing Mrs. Bush was like losing a family member–regardless of our political party, says Forbes in its recent article, “Barbara Bush And Betty Ford – How Two First Ladies Mastered Unique Aspects Of End Of Life Planning.” The grace with which she handled the final days of her life, is something to consider in estate planning. She dictated...
Continue ReadingYour financial and estate plans can easily become out-of-date. Your situation may have changed, since the analysis and recommendations in your plan were made. It may be that some facts have changed, your health has deteriorated, or your vision for the future has changed. The Smyrna-Clayton Sun-Times reports in its article,“Change plan as plans change,” that most financial plans begin as a...
Continue ReadingBeneficiary designations have precedence over wills. Therefore, if you have accounts with assets to pass on to heirs, be sure to update them regularly. CNBC’s recent article, “Out-of-date beneficiary designations are a common and costly mistake,” says that naming beneficiaries can come with unexpected costs, like deeding money to an irresponsible minor. Many people still have ex-spouses or deceased relatives named as...
Continue ReadingKiplinger’s article, “When to Take Your First Required Minimum Distribution From an IRA,” explains that when you must take your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), depends on whether your birthday falls before or after July 1. It also depends on whether you want to use your option to delay taking your first withdrawal. Generally, you must begin taking your RMD from a traditional...
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