Safeguard Your Children’s Inheritance With a Lifetime Asset Protection Trust

July 19, 2019
Last week, we discussed the benefits of a unique estate planning vehicle known as Lifetime Asset Protection Trusts. We referenced this planning tool based on how a Lifetime Asset Protection Trust could have protected Clare Bronfman, the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Seagram’s fortune, who was manipulated into blowing much of her $200 million inheritance by…
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Seniors and Their Families Should Be Wary of Reverse Mortgages—Part 2

June 28, 2019
In the first part of this series, we discussed the dangers of reverse mortgages for senior homeowners. Here, we’ll look at how these complex loans can negatively impact your family and estate plan. For decades, reverse mortgages have been touted as an easy way for seniors to access extra money during retirement. Indeed, there was…
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Seniors and Their Families Should Be Wary of Reverse Mortgages

June 21, 2019
If you’ve watched TV lately, you’ve likely seen ads touting the benefits of reverse mortgages. The spots typically feature famous actors like Henry “Fonzie” Winkler, Robert Wagner, and former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson telling elderly homeowners how they can dramatically improve their retirement with a reverse mortgage. But what the ads don’t show is that…
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4 Ways Wise Planning Can Protect Your Family’s Assets

May 17, 2019
While most people assume only the uber wealthy need to worry about asset protection, those with less wealth and fewer assets may be at even greater risk. For example, if you’re a multi-millionaire, a $50,000 judgment against you might not be that big of a burden. But for a family with a modest income, home,…
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6 Questions to Consider When Selecting Beneficiaries for a Life Insurance Policy

March 29, 2019
Selecting a beneficiary for your life insurance policy sounds pretty straightforward. You’re just deciding who will receive the policy’s proceeds when you die, right? But as with most things in life, it’s a bit more complicated than that. It can help to keep in mind that naming someone as your life insurance beneficiary really has…
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Why You Might Actually Owe Taxes in 2018

March 8, 2019
Like many taxpayers, if you’ve already filed your federal income taxes for 2018, you may be surprised to discover you’re not getting a refund this time.  If so, this was almost certainly due to the sweeping tax overhaul made by the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA). Since personal tax rates were lowered by…
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Could an IRA Trust Benefit Your Family?

February 22, 2019
Unlike most of your assets, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) do not pass to your family through a will. Instead, upon your death, your IRA will pass directly to the people you named via your IRA beneficiary designation form. Unless you take extra steps, the named beneficiary can do whatever he or she wants with the…
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Overlooking This Basic Part of Your Estate Plan Can Be Tragic

February 15, 2019
The recent death of the CEO of QuadrigaCX, a major cryptocurrency exchange in Canada, demonstrates a basic, yet often-overlooked, tenet of effective estate planning: In the event of your incapacity or death, if your heirs don’t know how to find or access your assets, those assets are as good as gone. Indeed, it’s as if…
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How to Fix Errors in Your Credit Report

November 9, 2018
While some of those TV commercials for free credit-score report companies are pretty funny, having errors on your credit report is no laughing matter. Indeed, your credit score is one of the main factors determining your access to loans, credit cards, housing, and sometimes even jobs. From late payments that were actually made on time…
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3 Deadly Sins of Retirement Planning

October 26, 2018
Retirement planning is one of life’s most important financial goals. Indeed, funding retirement is one of the primary reasons many people put money aside in the first place. Yet many of us put more effort into planning for our vacations than we do to prepare for a time when we may no longer earn an…
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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…

lawyer talking to two clients

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,…

lawyer talking to two clients

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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