If you’re in a second marriage, or planning another trip down the aisle, estate planning can be complicated, especially if you have children from a previous marriage and your net worth is large enough…
If you’re an employer, you may think of your employees as family. But if you plan to provide for employees in your estate plan, watch out for unintended tax consequences. IRS rules Generally, money…
Estate planning is often associated with death. But it’s just as important for your plan to address incapacity associated with illness, injury, advanced age or other circumstances. Unless you specify how financial and health…
If you own a life insurance policy that has built up a sizable cash value, be aware that the death benefit will be included in your taxable estate. Depending on the size of the…
As the federal gift and estate tax exemption continues to climb, the number of people subject to estate taxes is shrinking. For those with charitable giving goals, this may increase interest in charitable remainder…
If you have minor children, perhaps the most important element of your estate plan doesn’t involve your assets. Rather, it involves who will be your children’s guardian. Questions to consider When evaluating potential…
Last year’s landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision making same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states affects estate planning for many same-sex married couples. Now, like opposite-sex married couples, same-sex married couples may be able…
It’s tax-filing season, and the April 18 deadline to file a 2015 gift tax return is fast approaching. But do you need to file a return? The rules surrounding gift tax returns can be…
A common estate planning mistake is to designate a minor as beneficiary — or contingent beneficiary — of a life insurance policy or retirement plan. Insurance companies and financial institutions won’t pay large sums…
