It’s a constant, death and taxes. And even death doesn’t stop the tax man. As part of wrapping up your estate, your executor must file a final income tax return with the IRS. This tax return is for the portion of the last year you were alive. For Whom Must an Estate Tax Return Be […]
Your retirement account provides asset protection during your lifetime, but as soon as you pass that account to a loved one, that protection evaporates. When a loved one inherits your retirement account, creditors can seize it and use the funds to satisfy their claims. All it takes is one lawsuit and your life savings could […]
Although spouses receive special treatment when inheriting a retirement account such as an IRA (the ability to roll over the account into a personal retirement account and to stretch the distributions over their lifetime), the retirement account you leave for your spouse can still be seized in a divorce, a lawsuit, or a bankruptcy proceeding. […]
The most common stated goal of estate planning is to avoid probate. While a relatively straightforward process in Texas, probate can be somewhat costly and does require a time investment. Finally, when probating a will, that information becomes a matter of public record, all of which most people prefer to avoid. Whether or not your […]
