Posts Archive
estate planning
Tax & Estate Planning with Charitable Trusts
Written by Bruce Yates, Financial Advisor & Doug Custer, CFP® Investment assets have two primary benefits: the income they produce, and their hopefully increasing value. With Charitable Trusts, charitably inclined investors can support their chosen charity or foundation by donating one of these two components (principal or income), while retaining the other for themselves or…
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Why Do I Need an Estate Plan If “I Don’t Have an Estate”?
Guest article written by Sabrina Go of Rehberg Law Group Before you can answer the question of, “Why do I need an estate plan if I don’t have an estate?”, another question must be answered first, “What is an estate?”. An estate is all of the assets that you own or have a legal interest in…
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Bypassing Probate
You may have heard about the horrors of probate, but in truth, probate has gotten an undeservedly bad reputation, especially in recent years. If you bypass probate, your estate will go to your beneficiaries without any court proceeding, and you may save a certain amount of time and expenses. However, there is usually little reason…
Read MoreAsset Protection in Estate Planning
You’re beginning to accumulate substantial wealth, but you worry about protecting it from future potential creditors. Whether your concern is for your personal assets or your business, various tools exist to keep your property safe from tax collectors, accident victims, health-care providers, credit card issuers, business creditors, and creditors of others. To insulate your property…
Read MoreFacing the Possibility of Incapacity
Incapacity means that you are either mentally or physically unable to take care of yourself or your day-to-day affairs. Incapacity can result from serious physical injury, mental or physical illness, advancing age, and alcohol or drug abuse. Incapacity can strike anyone at anytime Even with today’s medical miracles, it’s a real possibility that you or…
Read MoreMedicaid Liens and Estate Recoveries
What are Medicaid liens and estate recoveries? Federal law encourages states to seek reimbursement from Medicaid recipients for Medicaid payments made on their behalf. There are two types of cost-recovery actions against the assets of Medicaid recipients: (1) real or personal property liens, and (2) recovery from decedent’s estate. A Medicaid lien is a form…
Read MoreSelecting an Executor
What is an executor? An executor is a personal representative who acts for you after your death. You nominate or designate an executor in your will to settle your estate. The person chosen will act in your place to make decisions you would have made if you were still alive. The probate court has final…
Read MoreCoordinating Long-Term Care Insurance with Government Benefits
If you’re a senior, the future may present more of a concern than it once did–you may wonder what you’ll do if your health deteriorates. If you must enter a nursing home, for example, how will you pay for it? Fortunately, you may have several options. One such option is long-term care insurance (LTCI). Government-regulated…
Read MoreMedicaid and Nursing Home Care
As you enter your 60s and 70s, health may become more of an issue than it once was, and your thoughts may turn to the future. Who will take care of you when you can no longer care for yourself? If you must enter a nursing home, how will you pay for it? By learning…
Read MoreEstate, Gift, and GST Taxation and Trusts
How are trusts treated for federal estate, gift, and GST tax purposes? A trust is created when you (the grantor) transfer property to a trustee for the benefit of a third person (the beneficiary). The act of transferring property to a trust is generally treated no differently than if it were transferred to an individual…
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