Estate Planning Basics to Address in 2017

If you spent the holidays catching up with friends and family, you saw how many lives changed over the course of the year. Kids grow up, get married and have kids themselves. Life is filled with changes, and estate plans need to reflect those changes. If you die without a will in North Carolina, what…

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Leave a Legacy as Well as an Inheritance

Cash and investments are only part of the legacy you leave behind. Your family history, stories, values and personal items can also be shared across the generations. Most people think about money and property when they hear the word “inheritance.” However, in addition to passing along wealth and assets, families can take certain steps to…

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Brother and Sister Fighting over Multimillionaire Father’s Estate

Prolific spending gave Del Dunmire a high profile in his hometown, but he was also generous, supporting a number of charitable organizations. Locally famous for overcoming an unsuccessful bank robbery and founding what became an international aviation parts company, Kansas City’s Del Dunmire had a reputation for throwing extravagant parties while also supporting Children’s Mercy…

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Timing is Everything, Even in Estate Planning

When both spouses die at the same time, whether as the result of an accident or natural disaster, sticky estate planning questions must be resolved concerning which spouse died first. Here’s one you didn’t see in the movie! When the Titanic sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic, there were estate issues created…

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Trump’s Tax Plan and Your Budget

Get ready for what may be the biggest changes to the tax code since the Reagan era. For starters, President Trump’s proposed tax changes cut the number of income tax rates from seven brackets to three: 12%, 25%, and 33%. He also wants to increase the standard deduction to $15,000 (from $6,300 for single filers)…

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Social Security and Timing: What You Need to Know

Knowing when to start taking Social Security can make a significant difference in your household cash flow in retirement. You want to make the smartest decision possible, when it comes to taking your Social Security benefit, but it’s not always clear what the best choice is. Kiplinger’s “5 Keys to Your Social Security Benefits Strategy,”…

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