6 Tax Questions to Ask Before Year-End

December 11, 2013
Everyone’s “to-do” lists seem to grow longer at this time of year, but yours is incomplete until you ask your Personal Family Lawyer® to support you to get these six tax questions answered before the end of the year: Should I defer or accelerate income?  If it looks like you’ll be in a higher tax…
Read More →

10 Tips for Charitable Giving This Holiday Season

November 20, 2013
According to a recent Forbes article, Americans donated more than $316 billion to charity last year – and most of that came from individuals.  Holidays are a traditional time of giving, and not just because we like to get in those year-end tax deductions! Forbes provided 10 tips for getting the most out of your…
Read More →

Windsor Ruling Expands Estate Planning Prospects for Married Same-Sex Couples

September 11, 2013
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Windsor invalidated the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  The Windsor ruling has led to a number of recent federal rule changes from the IRS, Social Security Administration and other agencies that provide new estate planning opportunities for legally married same-sex couples. Earlier this…
Read More →

7 Steps for Effectively Managing an Inheritance

July 24, 2013
Research shows that a majority of baby boomers will receive an inheritance at some time during the lives, with the average inheritance estimated at almost $65,000.  Should you be the recipient of family largesse, here are 7 steps you can take to be sure your inheritance is managed wisely: Re-examine your financial goals. This should…
Read More →

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…
Read More →

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…
Read More →

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…
Read More →

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…
Read More →

Savvy Year-End Tax Moves for Retirement Plan Owners

November 23, 2012
Even though the elections are over, no one knows what Congress will do by the end of the year when it comes to taxes so retirees are advised to look at strategies to cut their tax bills now rather than wait for Congress to act.  Some considerations from Kiplinger’s: Max out on tax-deferred retirement savings…
Read More →

Retirement Planning Guidelines for Every Age

November 16, 2012
You’re never too young or too old to save for retirement; here are some guidelines by age group: Under 25:  If you graduated from college with debt, you are certainly not alone – the average debt burden is currently $26,500 for 65 percent of college graduates.  Once you are able to get a good job,…
Read More →

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…

View More

PFL® firms in your area

Find your Personal Family Lawyer
Group 247

Everything you need to start planning today.

Use our PFL directory to find the right Personal Family Lawyer for you and the people you love.

Find your PFL