I’m getting married in 5 short days. One thing that is important when you decide to tie the knot is to consider who should be your agent on your healthcare directive. A even more important questions: Do you have a health care directive? If not, the Los Angeles Times has just given you one more […]
Read moreWe post on this Blog often about preparing your estate plan: writing a will, setting up a trust, choosing beneficiaries, selecting agents for power of attorney; but there is another side to estate planning, a “fun” side… the receiving end. You may assume that the receiving end of estate planning is the fun and easy […]
Read moreI am asked often, “Do I need a Will or a Trust?” When it comes to estate planning there are two major vehicles for the distribution of assets: A will and a trust. Both are very useful tools and can accomplish specific goals—but what’s the difference and how do you know which one is best […]
Read moreWe frequently urge you here on our blog to create the documents necessary to protect yourself in case of emergency, and to ensure that your family and loved ones know your wishes for health care if you are ever unable to make those decisions yourself. But a recent article on MSNBC reminds us that creating […]
Read moreA month and a half into 2010 and Congress’ failure to stop the lapse in estate tax is still making waves. These two trusted news sources explain why having “no estate tax” this year should worry you. One of the first reasons you should be worried, as revealed by this article in the Wall Street […]
Read moreIt goes without saying that nobody wants to give up control of their finances and put themselves at the mercy of someone else’s decisions; which is why most people spend hours and hours considering who to name as their agent when they sign a power of attorney. But what happens if you pick the wrong […]
Read moreDo you have an e-mail account? Do you participate in Facebook or other Social Networking sites? Do you do any of your banking, bill paying or investing online? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you might want to think about this next question… what will happen to all of your online […]
Read moreDo you have a will or a trust? Has your will or trust been reviewed or updated in the past 3-5 years? If you answered yes to these questions then you are two steps ahead of 2/3 of the rest of Americans. But the next question is the big one: Does your family or executor […]
Read moreAmong the many changes in tax law to go into effect in 2010 was the change in cost basis for inherited assets. Previously, all inherited assets were “stepped-up” from their original value at date of purchase to their fair market value at date of death. In this way, if inherited assets were sold shortly after […]
Read moreIt’s the beginning of a New Year, a time of new beginnings when many people set goals for themselves and make their New Year’s resolutions; but according to Wikipedia, in spite of all this optimism and confidence, only 12% of people who make resolutions will actually achieve their goals! Why is it that so many […]
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