Desert Law Group Blog

• Posted in: General interest

For those of you who plan to file your 2014 tax return timely so that you can get your refund promptly, you should probably postpone your shopping spree. According to article by Stephen Ohlemacher of Associate Press, Congress again passed a tax bill this year just before shutting down for the holidays, extending more than […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

You’ve got plenty to do this time of year. Buy presents. Get a turkey. Decorate the house. But there’s one more thing that you should add to the list – update your estate plan. Your estate plan needs to change as often as your life changes, says an article on savannahnow.com. Maybe there is a […]

• Posted in: Estate Planning

The estate tax exemption for 2015 has jumped to $5.43 million per person, up from $5.34 million, due to an adjustment for inflation, the IRS has announced. For a married couple, the combined exemption increases to nearly $11 million, notes a story in the Wall Street Journal. The annual gift exclusion, however, will remain at […]

• Posted in: Beneficiary Designation

Even though many people think so, retirement accounts are not included in wills. A story in Forbes points out that who gets the money invested in a retirement account such as an IRA depends on who is named on the account’s beneficiary form. Lots of people make mistakes when it comes to retirement accounts. They […]

• Posted in: Elder Care

Seniors often say, practically without exception, that they wish to grow old in their own homes. But, as a recent Huffington Post article by Rachel Adelson points out, the elderly also need to ensure they don’t sentence themselves to isolation and loneliness by doing so. “Although folks want to stay in familiar surroundings to be […]

• Posted in: Asset Protection

Reverse mortgages seem like a good idea and it is in the right set of circumstances. They allow older homeowners to borrow against the value of their homes and the money doesn’t have to be paid back until they move or die. As a result, they have money to provide for themselves during their later […]

• Posted in: General interest

I often joke about the fact that wisdom usually comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. This interesting article in the New York Times shares some interesting facts. What is wisdom? Some say it is staying positive and kind in the face of challenges and as such it is one of the most important […]

• Posted in: Antiques/Heirlooms

Antique Roadshow, a popular television show where people discover treasures in their attics and basements and have them appraised, has spawned a copycat craze. People all over the country are now getting items appraised free at walk-in events at a variety of locations. However, these kinds of appraisals, called “verbal approximations of value,” give only […]

• Posted in: Long Term Care Insurance

You probably have heard how expensive long term care insurance is. And it is. Premiums could range from $1,000 to $3,000 a year. But that may still be less expensive than paying your own way at a nursing home or other facility. Still, there are some strategies to reduce the costs of those premiums. The […]

• Posted in: health care

While there has been plenty of attention paid to the Affordable Care Act, another change in the way we deliver and pay for health care is underway without much fanfare. But it too may bring with it a number of concerns. California is among at least 26 states that are introducing mandatory programs that put […]