Now I am 86 and almost blind. I cannot read the bills that come in the mail nor sign my own checks. I must be escorted to medical appointments. My busy children are kind beyond measure, but I am uncomfortable in these situations. And being uncomfortable makes me sharp and unpleasant. The challenges of living […]

“Kids inherit money. We don’t want it.” Sometimes too much inheritance all at once is a threat to moral development, it’s true, but sometimes a gift can threaten a college education by complicating financial aid. As parents of the college-bound understand to a dizzying degree, financial aid is a difficult calculus of have and have […]

Estate planning is the process of legally structuring the future disposition of current and projected assets. Estate planning is many things. In order to present a solid definition of this particular type of planning, a recent Forbes article posed the question, “What Is Estate Planning?”. The article concludes that “Estate planning is the process of […]

When Carol and Mike Brady got together on the classic TV show “The Brady Bunch,” there wasn’t a lot of discussion about how the couple would handle things like updating their life insurance policies to reflect their new, blended family, or covering the cost of things like braces and college tuition for their six kids. […]

A will may say to divide an estate equally among three children. But if a particular account is titled to pass to just one, only that beneficiary will get the account. Your Last Will and Testament is the legal document to put your wishes in writing and get it all straight, right? Not necessarily. The […]

Here are some potential pitfalls to keep in mind for couples who are thinking of keeping some or all of their assets separate. When two people have lived together outside of marriage for some time, the question of who owns what can get downright confusing. Obviously, jointly owned assets can be tricky. Surprising, separately owned […]

A productive family meeting can have a profound impact not only on the individual family members who attend, but also on all those they interact with afterwards. Communication is key when it comes to estate planning. In fact, the entirety of an estate plan – from the advance health directives covering your end-of-life decisions down […]

If you’re handling the finances for an older family member or are about to do so, some sticky challenges can pop up quicker than you think. Managing your personal finances can be a challenge. But what if you had to manage money for someone else? Managing the finances of a loved one is a far […]

A tax deduction for charitable giving isn’t guaranteed just because you’re feeling generous. As with everything in tax law, it’s important to follow the rules. As the holiday giving season begins with the tax year ending shortly thereafter, now is a good time to plan your giving. But take note: there is giving, and then […]

What will be the most likely exit scenario from your business when the time comes? If you own a small business, what will your last day at work be like? What is your exit strategy? The answer hinges on whether your exit will be by design or by default. To exit your business by design […]