Estate Planning
Estate Planning is the process of determining how your wealth and assets should be transferred to the heirs of your choice: your children, grandchildren, friends, families, charitable causes, etc. and then deciding which legal tools and structures to use to best meet your estate planning goals.
Estate planning is not simply reducing or eliminating taxes and avoiding probate. Only after establishing how you want your estate’s assets to be distributed should you consider ways to reduce taxes and avoid probate. From there, good estate plans deal with a host of other issues. Now, with all but a few estates exempt from the federal estate tax, those other issues are, or should be, at the forefront of estate planning.
An estate plan is to ensure that you are taken care of the rest of your life and that your wealth is transferred to the people you want to have it. A good estate plan ensures these goals are accomplished with as much efficiency and as little cost as possible. An estate plan addresses the management and distribution of an individual’s property and financial obligations after he or she dies with financial tools such as wills, revocable living trusts and power of attorney.
For a comprehensive overview of Estate Planning, please start with our article:
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How to Avoid Unexpected Estate Battles over Personal Items
Few things amaze estate planners more than the property heirs choose to fight over. The worst disputes often seem to occur over items that most outsiders consider trivial. Furniture, personal mementoes, and the like seem to trigger emotional reactions in heirs. Sometimes an heir simply is looking for an excuse to vent a long-held grievance; […]
March 2008
March 24, 2008 01:00 p.m. Finally, a Bottom? There have been several false bottoms in the markets since the mortgage and credit crises began in August 2007. Last week’s holiday-shortened market action looks more positive than the previous bottom attempts. It was accompanied by several prominent forecasts that we had reached a bottom, including a […]
Nuts & Bolts of Estate Planning
Most discussions of Estate Planning, including in this newsletter, focus on discrete topics and strategies. Once in a while, especially early in the year, it is good idea to step back and look at the broader picture. There are concepts and strategies common to every estate plan and estate owner. Use these concepts and strategies […]
February 2008
February 24, 2008 03:00 p.m. A Digest of Analyses and Forecasts This past week I was treated to a range of presentations by a number of top investment professionals. You haven’t heard of many of them, but they are well regarded and worth listening to. I attended a seminar in Stamford, Connecticut and also heard […]
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Estate Planning for IRAs
Unique Estate Planning strategies are required for Individual Retirement Arrangements. Many people focus on how to build their IRA balances and how much to withdraw. The treatment of IRAs in estate planning often is overlooked. An estate plan for IRAs should answer these questions: What will be the estate tax and income tax bills? Who […]
A Shrewd Look at Power of Attorney – Part 2
The Power of Attorney is an essential part of every estate plan, but few people understand it or give it much thought. Last month we discussed some details of POAs that help ensure your wishes are followed. This month we will look at a few more details of the documents with an eye toward protecting […]
A Fresh Look at Family Limited Partnerships
Family limited partnerships have been a key element in many estate plans, and that is why they have been targets of the IRS for years. The tax law regarding FLPs has fluctuated, but there now are enough court cases decided to develop a road map for securing the benefits of an FLP. An FLP is […]
January 2008
January 22, 2008 02:10 p.m.The Big Sell Off It seems I caused a substantial decline in world stock markets. Last week I posted the February 2008 issue of Retirement Watch in which I argued that today’s market environment is more like 2001 or early 2002, with more losses to come, than it was like late […]
Asset Protection
Building a Legacy
Business Ownership and Succession
Digital Assets Estate Planning
Estate Planning Basics
Estate Planning Checklist
Estate Planning for Singles
Estate Planning Forms and Documents
Estate Planning Mistakes
Estate Planning Strategies
Estate Tax
Executors and Trustees
Family Limited Partnerships
Gifts and Gift Giving
Grandchildren
Heirs, Beneficiaries, and Children
IRAs & Your Estate
Power of Attorney
Probate
Trusts
Wills and Estate Planning
