If I am unmarried but have a partner who I will leave my assets to, what is the best way to do so and how would it differ if I was married? When it comes to protecting your unmarried partner, there are several options to consider. Depending on the value of your money and property, your […]
Now, more than ever before, Americans are using a variety of tax-deferred accounts such as 401(k)s and IRAs to save for retirement. And while the laws are currently designed so that people must start withdrawing the money when they retire, it is not uncommon for many of these accounts to still have significant value at the […]
One common storyline in Hollywood movies is the rich father disinheriting the family outcast. The story usually traces a child’s attempts to win their family back. But can fiction imitate reality? Can you actually disinherit a child? In most circumstances, the answer is yes you can disinherit a child in most states. However, you must understand […]
When reading through a will or trust agreement, you may see language that grants a right to an individual to purchase certain property from the estate or trust at “fair market value.” At first glance, this phrase may seem a perfectly reasonable method of setting a suitable purchase price for a property to be sold. But […]
Do you have an individual retirement account or other type of retirement account that you plan to leave to your loved ones? If so, proceed with caution! Inherited retirement accounts do not have asset protection when they pass to your loved ones, meaning creditors can seize the money in the accounts to satisfy any claims against […]
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 be […]
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. It […]
The death of a loved one is never easy. Regardless of your relationship with the deceased, you need space and time to process and grieve your loss. Once you have had time to cope with all that has happened, you should consider updating your own estate plan in light of your loved one’s death. We are […]
On December 20, 2019, President Trump signed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE Act), which became effective on January 1, 2020. The Act is the most impactful legislation affecting retirement accounts in decades. It will have a positive impact for many older Americans but could have negative tax consequences for many beneficiaries […]
Sweeping retirement changes were just signed into law that bring both positives (for savers) and potentially disastrous consequences (for heirs). The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was signed into law on December 20, 2019, ushering in the largest retirement planning bill since the Pension Protection Act of 2006. The SECURE Act has […]
