Archive for December 2016
The Common Misconceptions about Wills and Trusts
Misconceptions about wills and trusts often creates confusion. TCPalm recently discussed common misconceptions surrounding wills and trust in “Common misconceptions about wills and trusts.” Among the misconceptions are: Having a will means that your estate does not have to go through probate. This is completely false. In most cases, wills have to be submitted to…
Read MoreTrump Policies Could Have Impact on Charitable Giving
There could be a big impact on estate planning and charities. Bloomberg took a close look at what impact may occur if President-elect Trump follows through on some of his campaign statements in “Where Charitable Giving May Head With Trump.” Trump has stated that he will increase GDP growth by 4% per year, which would…
Read MoreFamily Dynasty Trusts Head toward Termination
Trustees need to plan for automatic termination of Great Depression trusts. Dynastic trusts from the days of the Great Depression are near expiration and planning is required, according to Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog in “Preparing for Trust Termination.” Most of the trusts created at that time have mandatory termination dates at which time,…
Read MoreIRA Go into Your Trust?
Consider carefully before making your trust the beneficiary of your IRA. For tax purposes, it is not always a good idea to designate a trust as the beneficiary of your IRA, according to the Financial Advisor in “Is Naming A Trust As Beneficiary Of A Client’s IRA A Good Idea?” The biggest and most important…
Read MoreAn Estate Plan Protects Your Family in the Future
The key reason for an estate plan is simple: protecting your family from future problems. Gathering the information to create an estate plan is probably not a pleasure. However, the reason for the estate plan is to protect your family from problems in the future, according to J Weekly in “Estate planning wards off problems…
Read MoreYou May Be Surprised by the Impact of Inheritance
Received an inheritance? It may create more problems than it solves. A person or family could actually end up with less wealth after an inheritance, according to Chase News & Stories reports in “How to make sure your inheritance is a boon, not a bust.” An inheritance doesn’t always grow a family’s wealth. The biggest…
Read MoreA United Family Can Ease Suffering
Squabbling within the family can make a parent’s final days even more difficult. An end of life patient could find themselves in the middle of a family feud often fueled by long standing disagreements, according to the Washington Post in “A united family can make all the difference when someone is dying.” Doctors have a…
Read MoreRate of Dementia Declines 12% in U.S.
Reasons for decline remain uncertain. Offsetting projections of an increase, researchers have found that the rate of dementia among the U.S. population has declined by 12% in the last 24 years, according to The New York Times in “U.S. Dementia Rates Are Dropping Even as Population Ages.” While this is good news, the reasons for…
Read MorePlan Ahead If You Want a Charitable Legacy
An estate plan can put you on the path of being remembered for charitable giving. If you want to be remembered for being a charitable benefactor, you need to get started and an estate plan is a good beginning, according to the Port Huron Times Herald explains in “Plan today to make a difference tomorrow.”…
Read MoreA Homemade Will? Save Now and Risk Paying Later
An Online will may save you some money now but you can rack up a big bill in probate. Creating a homemade will that later goes to probate may be a big disappointment, according to the Huntsville Item in “A humorous look at the danger of homemade wills.” A will is designed to pass on…
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