Asset Protection

The cost of a trust is a lot like purchasing a custom-fit, tailor-made suit. How much it will cost depends on a lot of different elements. Without knowing some of the details, it’s hard to determine the cost. There are many different kinds of trusts and many different kinds of families and circumstances. That’s the simple…

Here’s an example of how the best made plans can be undermined. Your 401(k), 403(b) or IRA accounts are robust and healthy, and then a tax law changes.  As a result, there’s less money for your retirement. A serious retirement planning challenge for anyone with a tax deferred retirement account is detailed in an article…

At times it may seem like planning for college was easier than planning for retirement. But you can keep things simple with these four key elements of retirement planning. Investments, health insurance, Social Security, aging in place, taxes: there’s so much to think about when it comes to retirement planning. But according to this recently…

Estate plans and the legal documents of estate planning are actually more for the living—the survivors—as they are for those who die. Planning for incapacity, illness and death will make difficult times and decisions easier for those you love. It is natural that you’d rather plan a fun family vacation than your funeral. But while…

Using a life estate can help you pass down your home to heirs without going through probate, which is costly and time-consuming. Check with an estate planning attorney to make sure this is right for you. A number of estate planning strategies are used to pass the family home down to the next generation, but…

Welcome to the new world, where your digital assets are a part of estate planning. Photographs, online documents and social media are all part of your estate and need to be included in your estate plan. We are accustomed to thinking of estate plans as a means of distributing assets like houses, bank accounts, investment…

Young parents who are busy with babies and small children aren’t what come to mind when you think of estate planning, but without an estate plan, their most precious children are unprotected. Nothing changes a person’s perspective more than welcoming a new baby. Young adults suddenly understand what it means to be responsible for another…

If you are prone to over-organization, then the idea of owning multiple IRAs will appeal to you. IRAs are the cornerstone of many people’s retirement strategies. They were designed that way, offering attractive tax breaks that working people appreciate. Did you know that there are no restrictions on the number of IRAs that you can…

Whether you are working because you love what you do or because you need the extra money, there are certain steps to take to make the most out of working past the usual retirement age. Working long after your peers have retired, can provide some advantages, including larger Social Security benefits and adding to your…

This is the worst case scenario that no one wants to think about, but if both you and your spouse should die before your children turn 18, a trust is a way to provide for your children. Minors (children under the age of 18) who inherit assets, must have a guardian appointed to oversee the…