Financial & Estate Planning

Remarried people often include qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trusts in their estate plans. In essence, the first spouse to …More

A trust can be revocable or irrevocable. * A revocable trust must be created during your lifetime. If you change …More

Qualified disclaimers, as they’re known, have become an integral part of many estate plans. For example, Alan’s will might leave …More

If you take money from your IRA before age 59 1/2, you’ll usually owe income tax plus a 10 percent …More

If you want to leave some or all of your IRA to someone who is now a minor, you can …More

A trust can be a vital component in an estate plan. What they offer: * Protection against possible incompetency. To …More

Revocable trusts, which can be cancelled by the trust creator, have become popular. Assets held in a trust, including a …More

You might think of wills and trusts when you make up your estate plan. Life insurance may not be on …More

Some people are reluctant to use trusts in their estate planning. You might think that leaving money in trust will …More

You (or a loved one) shouldn’t give away all of your assets if you think you’ll need nursing home care …More

You’re likely to encounter many people calling themselves “financial planners,” “financial advisors,” or “financial consultants.” No matter what they call …More

In a remarriage, a qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust can be a valuable estate planning tool. After the first …More

To protect yourself and your loved ones, you should execute a power of attorney authorizing someone (an “agent”) to act …More

Revocable trusts can be revised or annulled, as the name suggests. In some areas, they’re promoted as “living trusts.” As …More

Before you sign an engagement letter with a financial advisor, be cautious about where his or her interests lie. Here …More

Some states permit trusts to last for many years, even centuries. This can enable you to establish a “dynasty” trust, …More

Once you have enough assets to provide for yourself and your spouse, consider making gifts to your children and grandchildren. …More

When you set up a trust, it’s a common to name a friend or family member as trustee. This is …More

Charitable gift annuities are part-gift and part-annuity. You contribute assets to a qualified organization and receive a stream of cash …More

If you are among the co-beneficiaries of an IRA, you may want to divide up that inherited account so that …More

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

A health care power of attorney, sometimes known as a health care proxy or a medical power of attorney, should …More

Naming your estate as IRA beneficiary seldom makes sense. If you die after the required beginning date (RBD) for minimum …More

If you name a trust as the beneficiary of your IRA, you can have a say in how your IRA …More

When you open a 529 college savings account, you’ll be asked to name a successor or contingent owner of the …More

Careful handling of an inherited IRA can lead to long-term wealth building. Suppose Betty Jones dies and leaves her IRA …More

When you create a charitable remainder trust (CRT), you can specify a stream of payments to a beneficiary or beneficiaries …More

If you become ill or injured, a power of attorney will be extremely valuable. This document is drafted by you, …More

Variable annuities allow you to put your money into a variety of investment accounts, including stock funds, while deferring the …More

If you draw up a will, any property included in that will must go through probate before it can pass …More