A new report finds that almost no retirees are making financially optimal decisions about when to take Social Security and are losing out on more than $100,000 per household in the process. The average Social Security recipient would receive 9 percent more income in retirement if they made the financially optimal decision. When claiming Social … Continue reading
Category: Estate Planning
When You Should Update Your Estate Plan….
Life has a way of moving fast. People come and go. We succeed and we struggle. And the unexpected sometimes greets us at our doorstep. But what do these changes mean for an estate plan? When our circumstances change, we may wonder which changes are significant enough to merit a revision in our final wishes. … Continue reading
Why Was I Told To Disinherit My Spouse?
Unfortunately, one spouse will often become ill before the other. In the event that one spouse needs nursing home care, an attorney will often tell the well spouse, often known as a community spouse, to disinherit his or her spouse. Obviously, the thought of disinheriting a spouse is a very emotional and stressful moment in … Continue reading
What Is A Life Estate
The phrase “life estate” often comes up in discussions of Estate and Medicaid planning, but what exactly does it mean? A life estate is a form of joint ownership that allows one person to remain in a house until his or her death, when it passes to the other owner. Life estates can be used … Continue reading
How Do You Terminate A Trust In Colorado?
Trusts allow you, the grantor, to safeguard property for your beneficiaries after you pass away or become incapacitated. With a trust, you can rest assured that you can carry out your wishes for your loved ones after you are gone. You could choose a revocable living trust as part of your estate plan. A revocable … Continue reading
Are You Entitled To Your Biological Parent’s Estate….
Child adoption is a common practice in the United States. Some estimates suggest that more than 265,000 children enter foster care each year. However, adoption does make it more difficult to recover assets from the estate of a biological parent. When a child is legally adopted, parental rights transfer from the child’s biological parents to … Continue reading
Do Millennials Need Estate Planning?
Millennials absolutely need estate planning. Their youthfulness seems to belie the need to consider such an “old person” topic. Millennials are described as physically active, health-conscious, tech-savvy, independent, entrepreneurial, and socially conscious. However, many have also watched parents and older family members struggle from the Great Recession, and are keenly aware that life doesn’t always … Continue reading
Will My Advance Directive Work In Another State?
Making sure your end-of-life wishes are followed no matter where you happen to be is important. If you move to a different state or split your time between one or more states, you should make sure your advance directive is valid in all the states you frequent. An advance directive gives instructions on the kind … Continue reading
Using a Donor-Advised Fund May Be a Way to Get a Charitable Tax Break Under the New Tax Law
Donor-advised funds are a growing trend in giving that may get more popular due to the new tax law. These funds allow you to donate money, receive a charitable tax deduction, and continue to grow the money until you are ready to distribute it to a charity or charities of your choice. A donor-advised fund is … Continue reading
How to Deal With Student Loan Debt as You Age
The number of older Americans with student loan debt – either theirs or someone else’s — is growing. Sadly, learning how to deal with this debt is now a fact of life for many seniors heading into retirement. According to a study by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the number of older borrowers increased by at least 20 percent … Continue reading