Donate to a Charitable Remainder Trust For Tax and Income Benefits

July 6, 2018
If you have highly appreciated assets like stock and real estate you want to sell, it may make sense to use a charitable remainder trust (CRT) to avoid income and estate taxes—all while creating a lifetime income stream for yourself or your family AND supporting your favorite charity.   A CRT is a “split-interest” trust,…
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How Will the New Tax Law Affect Your Family?

February 9, 2018
President Trump signed the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act bill into law on December 22, 2017, and the law includes a number of historic changes to the federal tax code. However, the vast majority of the most dramatic changes are aimed at business taxation, not individual taxpayers. That said, there are several fairly significant…
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New Bill is Potential Game Changer for Your Family’s Tax Strategy

December 15, 2017
UPDATE: The new tax bill has been signed into law, so for information on the bill’s final provisions and how they might affect you, refer to the article posted on 2/9/18. If you follow the mainstream or social media news, you likely know the new Republican tax bill, which recently passed both the House and…
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Pay For a Loved One’s Education With an Education Trust Fund

December 8, 2017
Today’s parents are all too familiar with the budget-busting cost of funding a child’s college education. It can be challenging enough to put aside sufficient savings for a single child’s education, but for multiple kids, the price tag can make donating a kidney for extra cash seem downright reasonable! In fact, a survey by The…
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Tax Benefits of Buying a Second Home

November 24, 2017
Buying a second home can provide you with a place to relax, unwind, and escape from it all. It can also provide you with substantial savings if you take advantage of these tax benefits of buying a second home. Mortgage Interest Mortgage interest paid on up to $1.1 million in debt on your first and…
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Tax Lessons to be Learned from Celebrity Estate Plans

July 14, 2017
A celebrity’s image and likeness can continue to produce considerable income after death. This type of intellectual property is considered part of your estate, and the IRS can tax its value. In the case of pop star Michael Jackson’s estate, that recently meant an IRS bill to the tune of $64.5 million, years after his…
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Recently Divorced? Here’s Why You Should Put Aside Your Differences Come Tax Season

May 12, 2017
Divorce can wreak havoc on your finances. But what many divorced couples don’t realize is that they can expect to face recurring financial challenges during tax season for years after the divorce is finalized. While divorce is often adversarial, leaving both spouses with animosity in its wake, tax season is an opportune time to put…
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Think Your 401(k) Is Flexible? 6 IRA Benefits Your 401(k) Doesn’t Have

March 17, 2017
When it comes to retirement plans, IRAs and 401(k)s provide many of the same benefits. But in certain situations, an IRA can outperform a 401(k). IRAs aren’t right for everyone, so you should become familiar with the advantages IRAs have over 401(k)s before you transfer funds or set up a new account. To help you…
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Estate Taxes in Trump’s America

February 10, 2017
Donald Trump has proposed a radical tax reform agenda for his presidency. Part of this reform is his intention to repeal the estate tax. For some people, this will be a considerable change with significant repercussions. But, because more changes to the tax code are anticipated, high-net-worth families should consider what this change could mean…
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Alert: If This Language Is In Your Trust, Your Spouse Could Be Screwed Over When You Die … Check Your Plan Today!

December 9, 2016
If you created an estate plan that includes a living trust, you must review it to determine if it contains language that could create unnecessary cost, effort and stress for your surviving spouse. Back in the day, when the estate tax exemption was $675,000 to $1,000,000, most living trusts were drafted to provide for a…
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Save Money On Your Taxes

7 Last-Minute Moves To Save On Your Taxes For 2021

Although many strategies to save on your income taxes must be locked in before the end of the year, there are still numerous ways you can reduce your tax bill right up until the filing deadline, which has been pushed…

With Tax Laws in Flux: What Should You Do Now?

On September 13, 2021, Democrats in the House of Representatives released a new $3.5 trillion proposed spending plan that includes a wide array of changes to federal tax laws. Specifically, the Democrats proposed a number of significant tax increases and…

Proposed Changes To Tax Laws That Will Impact Estate Planning—Part 1

On September 13, 2021, Democrats in the House of Representatives released a new $3.5 trillion proposed spending plan that includes a wide array of changes to federal tax laws. Specifically, the Democrats have proposed a number of significant tax increases…

3 Ways To Benefit By Incorporating Charitable Giving Into Your Estate Plan

You are likely well aware of the tax benefits that come from donating to charity during your lifetime—donations to charity are tax-deductible. But you may be surprised to learn about the numerous benefits that are available when you incorporate charitable…

6 Ways The American Rescue Plan Can Boost Your Family’s Finances—Part 2

Signed into law on March 11th, President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) is the largest direct-to-taxpayer stimulus legislation ever passed, and it came just in time to save millions of Americans whose unemployment benefits were…

6 Ways The American Rescue Plan Can Boost Your Family’s Finances – Part 1

Signed into law on March 11th, President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) is the largest direct-to-taxpayer stimulus legislation ever passed, and it came just in time to save millions of Americans whose unemployment benefits were…

7 Ways To Save Big Money On Your 2020 Taxes—Part 2

2020 was a nightmarish year for many families. But thanks to recent legislation, you could see a silver lining in the form of major tax breaks when filing your income taxes this spring. First up, although it’s technically not a…

7 Ways To Save Big Money On Your 2020 Taxes—Part 1

2020 was a nightmarish year for many families. But thanks to recent legislation, you could see a silver lining in the form of major tax breaks when filing your income taxes this spring. First up, although it’s technically not a…

Start Planning Now to Prepare Your Estate for a Possible Democratic Sweep—Part 2

No matter who you vote for on November 3rd, you may want to start considering the potential legal, financial, and tax impacts a change of leadership might have on your family’s planning. As you’ll learn here, there are a number…

Start Planning Now to Prepare Your Estate for a Possible Democratic Sweep—Part 1

No matter who you are voting for on November 3rd, you may want to start considering the potential legal, financial, and tax impacts a change of leadership might have on your family’s planning. And as you’ll learn here, there are…

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