6 Cases When a Trust is Better Than a Will

May 8, 2013
A will is one of the most basic estate planning documents, and everyone should have one to make sure that there is no question about what would happen to your assets and kids if something happens to you.  But there are some cases when having a trust in addition to a will is imperative; here…
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5 Key Decisions to Make With Your Spouse Before You Retire

April 24, 2013
Retirement decision-making for boomers is very different than it was for our parents, when it was usually just one spouse (Dad) who retired, with Mom sometimes reminding him that, “I married you for better or worse, but not for lunch!” Now both working spouses must make a decision together on their retirement, and each may…
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Striking a Balance Between Funding Your Retirement and Your Child’s Education

March 28, 2013
Many parents perceive a conflict between funding a child’s college education and building their own retirement nest egg.  The conflict usually arises from the lack of financial resources to do both while funding daily living expenses, so parents become stuck between priorities and usually wind up doing nothing at all. One of the things a…
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The Risks of Poorman’s Estate Planning: How to Pass on Property & Avoid Probate the Right Way

March 22, 2013
They call it the “poor man’s estate planning.”  Put your child on the title to your deed and avoid probate.  Yet this “poor man’s” planning often ends up, well, poorly; and costing a lot more for the people you love. Here’s why and what you can do about it: Risk #1 of Poorman’s Estate Planning:…
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Congratulations! It’s an Estate Plan! Protecting Your Newborn From Birth

March 13, 2013
In the process of becoming new parents, many couples become experts at planning – scheduling the birthing classes, planning the new nursery, even picking out a preschool. There is so much to think about before you welcome your new child. Unfortunately, one of the most important things you can do to protect your child is…
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New Social Security Rules and Services for 2013

March 1, 2013
There have been a number of new rules and services implemented by the Social Security Administration for 2013 that affect a majority of American workers as well as retirees: Expiration of the payroll tax cut.  Workers may have already noticed the hit their paychecks took this year due to the expiration of the payroll tax…
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5 Ways to Ease the Pain of the Payroll Tax Hike

February 8, 2013
While the fiscal cliff tax deal cut by Congress last month targeted primarily higher wage earners, every American worker is feeling the effects of the payroll tax hike that went into effect on January 1, raising the Social Security payroll tax from 4.2% to 6.2%. According to the Tax Policy Center, the average employee will…
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How to Secure Your Personal Information Online

February 1, 2013
Most of us conduct a lot of our personal business online these days, so the necessity of being savvy when it comes to security has never been greater.  Hackers are becoming much better at scouring our online lives – including social media networks – to get the information they need to compromise our security. Here…
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Tips to Help You Reboot Your Retirement Plan

January 18, 2013
Planning for a long and prosperous retirement is no longer just about the money; because of the recession, boomers are needing to reboot their retirement plans. Here are six tips to get you on the right track again: Get healthy. This should take priority even over saving more money, since significantly improving your physical health…
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The Fiscal Cliff Tax Deal: For Most of Us, It’s a Wash

January 10, 2013
The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 that Congress passed on New Year’s Day extended the Bush era tax cuts, but the benefits of those cuts for most American taxpayers will be offset by a 2% increase in payroll tax. According to the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan Washington research group, less than 1% of…
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Family Financial Planning

What the National Debt Ceiling Extension Means for Your Family

You’ve probably heard about the national debt ceiling and its recent extension, but you might wonder what it has to do with your everyday life as a family. While it may seem like a distant matter, the national debt ceiling…

Want to Grow Wealth? Warren Buffet’s Unexpected Investment Advice

If you are going to take investment and estate planning advice from anyone, Warren Buffett is likely one you want to consider. As one of the most successful investors in history, his track record speaks for itself. However, his wisdom…

Checklist: 5 Financial Decisions to Consider Before December 31

This week, before the year ends, consider these 5 financial, retirement and tax actions you may need to take before it’s either too late or very costly for your family. And, if you have living parents in their 70s, make…

4 Year-End Tax-Saving Strategies For 2022

Although the end of the year can be a hectic time, it’s also the deadline for your family to implement a number of key tax-savings strategies. By taking action now, you can significantly reduce your tax bill due in April,…

Trusts & Taxes: What You Need To Know

People often come to us curious—or confused—about the role trusts play in saving on taxes. Given how frequently this issue comes up, here we’re going to explain the tax implications associated with different types of trusts in order to clarify…

President Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan Explained With FAQs

This August, President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) announced a three-part plan to help low and middle-income families deal with the increasingly burdensome cost of paying for college, while also making the student loan…

Saving For Your Child’s College Education—Part 2

If you have started to save for your child or grandchild’s college education, it’s worth considering whether to use a 529 plan, an education savings account, or an irrevocable trust.  Last week, in part one of this series, we discussed…

Saving For Your Child’s College Education—Part 1

If you have started to save for your child or grandchild’s college education, it’s worth considering whether to use a 529 plan, an education savings account, or an Irrevocable Trust.  Here’s what we think you should consider as you decide: …

Key Milestones For Planning Your Retirement

The road to retirement is a long one, and as with any journey, it helps to have a few key milestones along the way to help gauge your progress. While your individual retirement plan and goals will be unique to…

Does Your Family Need Umbrella Insurance?

In today’s highly litigious society you are at near-constant risk for costly lawsuits—even if you’ve done nothing wrong. This is especially true if you have substantial wealth, but even those with relatively few assets can find themselves in court facing…

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