Trusts are a great way to put conditions on how, when, and to whom your assets will be distributed after you pass away. However, there are several options and specific terms to know when it comes to setting up a trust, and many people aren't sure of the best path forward.
To help explain, I've put together some frequently asked questions and answers on the subject.
You've worked long and hard and are nearing retirement age. Like many other baby boomers, with your kids out of the house and a surplus of empty space and time, you may be thinking about moving. To help you make up your mind—or make your transition go as smoothly as possible—we've compiled this list of tips.
Many of my clients have questions about Medicare. How much will it cost? When should I enroll? What are my options? The process for enrolling in Medicare is surprisingly easy, but there are several options you'll need to consider.
To shed some light on the topic, I've put together Medicare 101: A guide to enrolling in the Medicare plan that is right for you.
As we approach the end of 2016, you'll likely hear many people talking about year-end tax planning. While implementing tax planning strategies at year-end is certainly advantageous, tax planning can be even more beneficial as a year-round activity.
As a financial planner, I often advise my clients to regularly review their financial planning activities alongside the current tax strategies available to them, to minimize potential income taxes while staying on course to meet their financial goals.
As I often tell my clients, selling your business is a process, not an event. Determining the right time to sell, and finding the right buyer to sell to, can be stressful. There are tax and legal issues to consider, and negotiations can be complex and lengthy. However, as is true for most major business (and life) decisions, preparing as much as possible ahead of time can help you feel more confident, smooth the transaction process, and increase your chances of realizing a higher return on your life’s work.
Retirement is something we all think about, but when it comes to the specifics - how much retirement income we'll need, and where that income will come from - many people feel uncertain and underprepared.
The best way to prepare for retirement is to take a proactive approach, and start planning as early as possible. In a webinar that I hosted last week, I discussed critical retirement planning steps, and why it's so important to start now. For those of you who missed it, I've outlined the top 4 steps you should be taking to prepare for your retirement.
Did you know that if your estate is large enough, up to 40% of your life insurance death benefits can be lost to federal estate tax?
Although life insurance proceeds are not subject to income tax, they are included in your taxable estate, and therefore can be subject to estate tax. To prevent the taxation of life insurance proceeds, many of our clients choose to purchase their life insurance policy using an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT), or gift their existing policy to an ILIT.
In recent years, I've seen a renewed interest in "combo" retirement plans. Although not a new retirement plan design, the “combo plan” has become a popular way for higher-income business owners to significantly boost their retirement savings, while reducing taxes along the way.
