Articles

The probate process can be lengthy and complex. There are strategies you can use to help avoid the probate process.

If you haven't taken steps already, consider planning now for the distribution of the assets of your estate.

An A-B trust can be an effective way to help reduce estate taxes and preserve family assets for heirs.

A living trust can help control the distribution of your estate upon death.

Life insurance can be used to help preserve the value of your estate for your heirs.

To retain the tax advantages associated with charitable giving, your gift must be made to a qualified organization.

A designated income beneficiary could receive payment of a specified amount from a charitable remainder trust.

Careful estate planning is still one of the most important ways to manage and protect your assets for your heirs.

Charitable lead trusts are designed for people who would like to benefit a charity now rather than later.

A wealth replacement trust could be used to gift appreciated assets to a charity as well as provide for heirs.

Wills and trusts allow you to spell out how you would like your property distributed, but they also go beyond that.

Sole ownership, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and community property have special benefits for property owners.

If you believe your estate will be subject to estate taxes, consider how your heirs will pay the bill.

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of different gifting strategies available for planned giving.

One estate planning strategy that families with closely held businesses could consider is the family limited partnership.

If you start saving for retirement sooner, the more money you are likely to accumulate and possibly retire sooner.

Many realize it’s important to save for retirement, but knowing exactly how much to save is another issue altogether.

The Social Security Administration’s retirement estimator gives estimates of your future benefits based on your actual Social Security earnings record.

Tax-deferred retirement plans for self-employed individuals have higher contribution limits than IRAs.

There are a variety of retirement planning options that could help meet your needs. Here are some of the most popular.

Greater demand is being placed on the Social Security system as the baby boom generation has begun to retire.

Selecting health insurance is often one of the most important decisions you will make. Do you know the different types?

Company-owned life insurance is one way to help protect a business from financial problems caused by the death of a key employee.

Some of the pros and cons of whole life insurance.

Medicare is the federal health insurance program for those persons age 65 and over. But what does it cover?

As a business owner, a disability can create an economic hardship putting both your personal finances and business at risk.

Term life insurance differs from permanent forms of life insurance in that it offers temporary protection.

When selecting a life insurance policy, examine all your options, as well as the positives and negatives of each type.

There are three basic types of medical insurance plans: fee-for-service, managed care, and high-deductible health plan.

Couples who want to help protect their legacy from estate taxes could consider last-survivor life insurance.

Consider a universal life insurance policy if you want the flexibility to change your premium or death benefit.

Several factors could undermine the financial security provided by the proceeds of your life insurance policy.

To help you choose insurance wisely, determine how much coverage and what kind of policy is best for your situation.

The odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. Prior planning can help protect you from financial ruin.

A business owner policy is an insurance package that assembles the basic coverages required by a business owner in one bundle.

Knowing the basics of a disability income insurance policy is a good first step toward protecting your family.

If you have a family who relies on your income, it is important to have life insurance protection.

If you were to suffer an illness or disability that required long-term nursing care, would you be covered?

Split-dollar life insurance is an arrangement to purchase and fund life insurance between two parties.

There can be a substantial benefit to deferring taxes as long as possible.

For the grantor, there are a few potential tax benefits that can come with setting up a charitable trust.

Consider a trustee-to-trustee transfer to an IRA versus a lump-sum distribution from a workplace retirement plan.

United States tax law is a constantly changing landscape. The latest major piece of tax legislation is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Changes to the tax code have left a few key deductions for itemizers, like medical, dental and some business expenses.

Capital gains are profits realized from the sale of assets; a tax is triggered only when an asset is sold, not held.

Required minimum distribution is the annual amount that must be withdrawn from a qualified retirement plan/account.

The federal gift tax applies to gifts of property or money while the donor is living.

Tax-deferred retirement account withdrawals before age 59½ generally trigger a 10% federal tax penalty.

Everything you own, whatever the form of ownership, is subject to federal, and possibly state, estate taxes.