Financial & Estate Planning

If you leave your IRA to minors, perhaps your grandchildren, they may enjoy substantial wealth by stretching out distributions, thus …More

If you are holding Section 529 college savings plans, possibly for your children or grandchildren, chances are that you’ll accumulate …More

In a truly worst-case scenario, you or your spouse may someday wind up in a coma, on a feeding tube, …More

Employees typically fill out an IRS Form W-4 when they start a new job and then forget about it. The …More

In the U.S. legal system, the slightest misstep can lead to a huge award or a sizable settlement in a …More

When you buy or sell stocks through a broker, there are two types of orders you can place: A market …More

If you set up a trust with more than one beneficiary, how can you avoid family squabbles? With a “total …More

About two-fifths of households with heads aged 60 through 64 have primary mortgages and about one-fifth also have secondary mortgages, …More

Some assisted living communities are willing and perhaps eager to accept residents who might need more than a little assistance …More

Many investors take risks in non-traditional investments, including startup businesses. They don’t realize that most startups fail, and that such …More

If you’re thinking about investing in real estate, you also should think about how to hold title to the property. …More

Many charities offer charitable gift annuities (CGAs). With these arrangements, you donate assets to charity in return for a stream …More

For older homeowners, a reverse mortgage might increase the money available for retirement spending. With a reverse mortgage, you get …More

When you create a trust as part of your estate plan, there are three roles to fill: * The grantor. …More

Putting assets in trust can protect them from creditors but not every asset can or should be transferred to a …More

There are several advantages to setting up a payable-on-death bank account, known as an “in trust for” account in some …More

When you annuitize a variable annuity, you take the risk that you might die right away, and the payment stream …More

Many estate tax plans use an "A-B" trust structure: * The A trust may be called a marital trust. The …More

Qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs) can be used to pass a principal residence or a vacation home to trust beneficiaries …More

Many people, especially married couples, hold real estate, securities, and other assets as "joint tenants with right of survivorship" (JTWROS). …More

What you put into your will won’t determine who inherits your IRA. The same is true if you create a …More

A well-executed prenuptial agreement is vital when both spouses come into a marriage with significant assets, children, or both. A …More

When you’re developing an estate plan, avoid these four common errors: * Don’t give away assets too soon. Youngsters may …More

So-called "living benefits" can pay off for variable annuity purchasers during their lifetime, in contrast to the guaranteed death benefits …More

QTIP (qualified terminable interest property) trusts are valuable tools in estate planning. Here’s how they work: * The first spouse …More

One way to reduce estate tax is to create a charitable remainder trust (CRT). The assets you contribute to the …More

Many individuals with disabilities get vital support from programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). With these programs, …More

A family limited partnership (FLP) may help to coordinate family finances. Mom and Pop might create an FLP and transfer …More

Assets left to a surviving spouse avoid estate tax, no matter how large the bequest. However, some people are reluctant …More

If you include a trust in your estate plan, the trust document should spell out how the trustee will distribute …More