What is a reverse mortgage? Similar to a conventional mortgage (“Conventional Mortgage”), the borrower in a reverse mortgage (“Reverse Mortgage”) will continue to own the home. The lender does not take title to the home, but rather will have a lien on the property. The term “reverse” is essentially referring to a chronological difference compared […]
Yes, in that the state furnishes everyone with a plan to settle their affairs and distribute their assets when they die. That plan is called the laws of intestacy. However, that is a far cry from having your own plan to provide for who is to be in charge (the Executor) and who is to […]
Will my beneficiaries owe taxes on the retirement accounts I pass down to them? Most retirement account, including so-called “traditional” IRAs and employer sponsored 401(k) accounts, are funded with the pre-tax contributions of the plan participant (“Participant”). When withdrawals are made from that account, whether by you or by your beneficiaries, the withdrawals will be […]
Life is complicated, protecting your family shouldn’t be! Come to our free workshop and see how easy protecting your family can be. This presentation will review the 7 major threats to your family’s security. Learn what you need to know to avoid these threats and preserve your family’s assets and values. An hour and a half of […]
Inherited IRAs Can Be Taken From the Beneficiary Last month, in its unanimous decision in Clark v. Rameker, the United States Supreme Court decided that an inherited IRA does not have the same bankruptcy protection as a non-inherited IRA. In that case, Heidi Clark-Heffron inherited a $300,000 IRA account upon the death of her mother. […]
Preserving Wealth Over Generations Several common sayings refer to the phenomenon of losing inherited wealth. One is “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.” Another is “the first generation makes it, the second spends it, and the third blows it.” These sayings are supported by numbers. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, […]
Successor Trustee Meeting May 2014 On May 31, 2014 we held our annual Successor Trustee Meeting. More than 80 of our clients and their family members attended! We were delighted to see such a crowd, and even more delighted to spend some time chatting with many of you and answering your questions. We began […]
Planning for a Loved One with Special Needs In general, a trust is a legal device whereby property of some sort (real estate, cash, tangible personal property, etc.) is managed by a person, termed the Trustee, for the benefit of certain other people, termed the beneficiaries. A special needs trust, also called a “supplemental needs trust,” […]
An affluent client comes in for estate planning and explains that one of her foremost objectives is to make sure that the wealth she has accumulated over a lifetime of hard work is left to her children. A significant amount of her net worth happens to be held in an IRA account. After a thoughtful […]