The estate tax is often a tax many people don’t worry about – that is, until they finally sit down and try to figure out how much they’ll be leaving behind. The federal estate tax can take around half of what you leave behind. That’s right: half. For many people, estate planning means circumventing this tax legally so… Read More »
In America, our culture can often be described as “impatient.” A flight that’s delayed ten minutes can feel like a lifetime of waiting. A text message that takes ten seconds longer to send will make you feel like your phone belongs in the stone age. And yet when it comes to taking action on estate planning, we suddenly… Read More »
Let’s be honest: when it comes to estate planning, a lot of people prefer the bliss of ignorance to the bliss of wisdom. Wills, to them, are complicated things, reminders of our own mortality and therefore something to be put off into the future. And when you introduce the concept of a Living Will, the complications make the… Read More »
What is one of the most valuable social resources? Simple: trust. When you trust someone implicitly, it gives you an ally – someone who can take care of you when you’re sick or incapacitated in some way, for example. But there is more you can do when you trust someone implicitly especially when it comes to the legal… Read More »
When was the last time your reviewed the beneficiary designation form from your retirement plan, IRA, life insurance policies or annuities? If your answer is typical, you don’t remember. A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision should motivate some people to move this overlooked step higher on their priority list. This particular ruling involved a 401(k) plan, but it… Read More »
As of February of 2010, the United States enjoyed more than a month of complete repeal of the federal estate tax. Before its repeal, the federal estate tax was almost as old as the U.S. income tax which required the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to adopt. The 2010 repeal of the federal estate tax was originally… Read More »
What’s the single hottest topic in California estate planning? Here in Sacramento foreclosures are a popular topic but not so much for people with assets. Estate tax law changes are always in vogue for people with money. However, the number one hottest topic, the numero uno point of concern, the biggest area of questions is in the area… Read More »
A properly funded trust will avoid probate upon your death and provide management of your assets without court involvement should you become disabled or incapacitated. Although your Last Will and Testament may provide that all assets spill over into your trust for further disposition, that occurs only after they pass through probate. Assets under the trust umbrella need… Read More »
Effective this year, converting from one’s traditional IRA (or other qualified plans such as 401k, 403b and 457) to a Roth IRA is available to everyone. There are benefits and burdens of conversion, and the purpose of this article is to provide you with several things you should consider when converting to a Roth IRA. When you convert… Read More »