Retirement Watch Weekly
The Widow’s Penalty Tax and How to Avoid It
The widow’s penalty tax is one of the least known yet most onerous of the retirement Stealth Taxes.Since few people are aware of it, few retirement plans defend against the widow’s penalty. I frequently warn people about the solo years. Those are the years after one spouse has passed away. The surviving spouse must maintain […]
IRS Sets New Rules on IRAs, QCDs and More
Significant changes were made in individual retirement account (IRA) rules during the last few years. The IRS recently issued new guidance on some of those changes and how they interact with other rules.The Setting Every Community Up For Retirement Enhancement (SE-CURE) Act repealed the age limit on contributions to traditional IRAs. Previously, contributions couldn’t be […]
How to Transfer Assets Out of Your Estate Yet Retain Access to the Money
You can take advantage of today’s big estate and gift tax opportunities and still retain some access to your wealth.Estate planning strategies are never going to be as effective as they are now because of the high exemption amounts, low estate and gift tax rate and low interest rates. See our July 2020 issue for […]
How to Make a Will Without a Lawyer, Part II
In last week’s Retirement Watch Weekly, I presented Part 1 of How To Make a Will Without a Lawyer. Here’s Part 2: Name Guardians for Your Children When a testator has minor children, the will should designate one or more individuals who will serve as guardians for the children if both parents are deceased. It […]
Alternatives to Buying Traditional Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-term care (LTC) is expensive, but the cost of traditional long-term care insurance (LTCI) has increased at an even faster rate in the last few decades. Traditional LTCI became less attractive following the financial crisis. Insurers found they were paying more in claims than they had estimated and were receiving less income on […]
What is a Long-Term Care Facility?
A long-term care facility is any place long-term care (LTC) is provided, and LTC can be provided in a number of different locations depending on the extent of care that is needed. Long-term care consists of a range of services and systems that help meet medical and personal needs of people who have […]
What is a Probate Sale and How Does It Work?
Probate is the legal process that ensures your debts are paid and legal title of your assets is transferred to the appropriate heirs and beneficiaries. If you have a will, the probate process will determine whether the will is authentic and valid. A probate sale is when property that was owned by the […]
How Does Probate of Real Estate Work?
Probate is the legal process that ensures your debts are paid and legal title of your assets is transferred to the appropriate heirs and beneficiaries. If you have a will, the probate process will determine whether the will is authentic and valid. The last will and testament of the person who created it, […]
