News & Articles

Survey Says Start “The Talk” with Mom

“To the extent that there is a disconnect between parents and their grown children on these financial topics, our data show that families can look to mom to help bridge that gap,” says Lauren Brouhard, senior vice president of retirement in Fidel… Read More
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An Inherited IRA Still Requires an RMD

John and Sue were both 75 years old last year. They both took their RMDs for the year. John died early in December. Sue was his beneficiary. She rolled his IRA into her own IRA in January. The question was – “What is Sue’s RMD for this year?&qu… Read More
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Categories: Uncategorized

The Appropriate Time for Asset Protection Planning

…Proper Asset Protection is most appropriately done when the client knows that he or she has no outstanding claims, i.e., the skies are perfectly clear of creditors. Asset Protection is all about avoiding fraudulent transfers, not designing and imp… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning

Hospice Still Waiting on Help from Medicare

"The effect is very negative for end-of-life care in the country. The way hospice is designed now may have worked fine 30 years ago, but it doesn’t work now and we need to think about alternatives." U.S. health care has been in flux since… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning

Beware! Pay Attention to Your State Death Taxes

Even if death and taxes are the only things certain in life, state legislators say they can never be certain about death taxes. The fiscal cliff-bridging budget set and made “permanent” the estate tax at a generous $5.25 million exemption amount.… Read More
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Don’t “Escheat” Your Family Inheritance

Nearly 2.5 million Americans died last year, many without signing a will. One of them was apparently Roman Blum, a Holocaust survivor and New York real estate developer who was worth almost $40 million when he passed away in January 2012 at the age o… Read More
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Categories: Uncategorized

Asset Protection and the Limited Liability Company (LLC)

In terms of new formations, the Limited Liability Company (“LLC”) is the new King. The former King, the corporation, has been deposed, and relatively few corporations are now being formed other than for companies that have a future hope of being… Read More
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Categories: Uncategorized

Can One Attorney Meet Both Your Estate Planning Needs?

If a conflict of interest arises in fact between the spouses, their estate planning attorney should withdraw and advise the spouses to retain separate counsel.  Having represented both of the spouses, the attorney may not thereafter represent on… Read More
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Categories: Uncategorized

Accurate Gift Tax Returns Can Literally Stop the Clock (on the IRS)

In 1972, President Richard Nixon cruised to re-election. “The Waltons” premiered on CBS. And Sumner Redstone, who wasn’t yet a global media mogul, (allegedly) made a taxable gift to his children and failed to file a return. Why wouldn’t you f… Read More
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Categories: Estate Planning

Can You Transfer IRA Funds to Charity?

Tax-free transfers are limited to those over age 70½ mainly to contain the drain on the federal budget. One thing you should never forget about your IRA – even though you make contributions with pre-tax dollars, and once inside these accounts your… Read More
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Categories: Uncategorized