Tag: Legacy

What Happens When There Are No Beneficiaries

Feb 5, 2025

Blank Book on desk
Where do these accounts and policies end up?

Some accounts have no designated beneficiary. Rarely, the same thing occurs with insurance policies. This is usually an oversight. In exceptional circumstances, it is a choice. Without beneficiaries what happens to these accounts and policies when the original owner dies? (more…)

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Leaving a Legacy to Your Grandkids

Nov 6, 2024

Passing a key to a child
Now is the time to explore the possibilities

There is almost nothing stronger than the unconditional loving bond between grandparents and grandchildren. And for many grandparents, they recognize the importance of family legacies, the passing of the torch to the youngest generation. (more…)

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Life Insurance and Estate Planning

Oct 28, 2024

Free Selective Focus Photography2 Blue Egg on Nest Stock PhotoLife insurance has come a long way since the days when it was known as burial insurance and used mainly to pay for funeral expenses. Today, life insurance is a crucial part of many estate plans. You can use it to leave much-needed income to your survivors, provide for your children’s education, pay off your mortgage, and simplify the transfer of assets. Life insurance can also be used to replace wealth lost due to the expenses and taxes that may follow your death, and to make gifts to charity at relatively little cost to you.

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Trust Basics

Oct 7, 2024

Trust written on 2 pieces of paper
This vital investment account question should be answered sooner rather than later

Whether you’re seeking to manage your own assets, control how your assets are distributed after your death, or plan for incapacity, trusts can help you accomplish your estate planning goals. Their power is in their versatility — many types of trusts exist, each designed for a specific purpose. Although trust law is complex and establishing a trust requires the services of an experienced attorney, mastering the basics isn’t hard.

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Charitable Lead Trusts

Sep 25, 2024

Charitable Lead Trusts
How they work, how they may help you reduce taxes.

Are you concerned about the inheritance taxes your heirs may have to pay? Then you may want to consider creating charitable lead trusts. (more…)

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Organizing Your Finances When Your Spouse Has Passed

Sep 20, 2024

Losing a spouse is a stressful transition. And the added pressure of having to settle the estate and organize finances can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make dealing with these matters less difficult.

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Gift and Estate Taxes

Sep 15, 2023

If you give away money or property during your life, those transfers may be subject to federal gift and estate tax and perhaps state gift tax. The money and property you own when you die (i.e., your estate) may also be subject to federal gift and estate tax and some form of state death tax. These property transfers may also be subject to generation-skipping transfer taxes. You should understand all of these taxes, especially since the passage of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (the 2001 Tax Act), the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the 2010 Tax Act), the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the 2012 Tax Act), and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The recent Tax Acts contain several changes that make estate planning much easier.

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Estate Planning for Baseball’s $300 Million Players

Apr 13, 2022

Baseball glove and baseball in field
Ballplayers shouldn’t be the only ones preparing for the future

The San Diego Padres signed infielder Fernando Tatis, Jr., to a 14-year, $340 million contract roughly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers inked outfielder Mookie Betts to a 12-year, $365 million deal. That brings the total to 8 baseball players who have signed long-term, $300+ million contracts. Think he needs estate planning? (more…)

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Business Continuity Plans

Dec 10, 2021

Business Continuity Plan Pencil Notebool
Prepare now to better protect your business in the future

As a business owner, you’ve worked hard for your success. The long hours, the difficult decisions, and the sacrifices you have made have led to where you are today. The last thing you want is to suffer a disruption to your business. However, in the event that you do experience an unavoidable mishap­, it may be smart to have a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in place. (more…)

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Ways to Fund A Special Needs Trust

Jul 7, 2021

Special Needs Trusts
A look at the different choices and strategies

If you have a child with special needs, a special needs trust may be a financial priority. There are many crucial goods and services that Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income might not pay for, and a special needs trust may be used to address those financial challenges. Most importantly, a special needs trust may help provide for your disabled child in case you’re no longer able to care for them. (more…)

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More Insights

Feb 7, 2025

The new month brings two major market-moving stories to digest. First is the advances in artificial intelligence (AI) by Chinese startup DeepSeek. It has caused some investors to question America’s lead in the AI race and American Exceptionalism more broadly. To answer that question, it’s important to look at this idea holistically.  U.S. advantages in … Continue reading “Market Update – AI Advances and Tariff Tactics”

Feb 5, 2025

Some accounts have no designated beneficiary. Rarely, the same thing occurs with insurance policies. This is usually an oversight. In exceptional circumstances, it is a choice. Without beneficiaries what happens to these accounts and policies when the original owner dies?

Feb 3, 2025

What Is DeepSeek? The buzz around Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek began to stir over the weekend, prompting a “sell now ask questions later” attitude across tech shares on Monday. AI has been a major investment theme, but this time the headlines didn’t feature new chips or bold development plans. The AI chatbot utilized … Continue reading “Market Update – DeepSeek What Happened and What are Implications?”

Jan 31, 2025

You can prepare for the transition years in advance. In doing so, you may be better equipped to manage anything unexpected that may come your way.

Jan 29, 2025

Information vs. instinct. When it comes to investment choices, many people believe they have a “knack” for choosing good investments. But what exactly is that “knack” based on? The fact is, the choices we make with our assets can be strongly influenced by factors, many of them emotional, that we may not even be aware … Continue reading “Making Investment Choices”

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