» Planning for the Future

Making Charitable Contributions Work

While you're alive and have philanthropic goals, give appreciated assets held in a taxable account to charity. For charitable bequests, designate your IRA or tax-deferred employer retirement plan. Why? Suppose a hypothetical Al Cole wants to giv… Read More
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Is the Family Business a Part of Your Estate Plan?

Family business contributes to over 70 percent of global productions, but owners of them don't update their estate planning. It's estimated that over 50 percent of family business owners didn't update their estate planning documents fo… Read More
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Can You Do Estate Planning for Your Farm?

Succession planning is one of the most important aspects of passing on a farm to future generations, but having a conversation about it is not always easy. Jolene Brown, an Iowa farmer and professional speaker, and Nelson Schoon, certified financial… Read More
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Can I Survive Financially if I Live to be 100?

How long will you live? It’s a key question in retirement planning. If you’re healthy and your family tree has branches with staying power, you may figure that you have decades ahead. If your parents died early of natural causes, you may assume a… Read More
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Don’t Forget Estate Planning for Your Family Business

Skilled estate planning is essential to the tax-efficient transfer of the family business across the generations. While the majority of family business owners have estate plans, the majority of these plans can be considered dated. Family businesses a… Read More
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Estate Planning After your First Child Arrives

When young couples expect their first child, the to-do list never seems to end. From lining up in-home help to managing hectic daily schedules, the process can prove daunting. Then there's financial planning. Financial advisors often urge parent… Read More
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What’s that Document Called Again?

"Mistitling of assets is one of the prominent causes of failed estate plans," asserts Avani Ramnani, CFP®, director of financial planning and wealth management at Francis Financial, a wealth management firm in New York. What might go wrong… Read More
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“Will” You or Won’t You?

Natural disasters happen! Catastrophes! Accidents! Illness! No one gets out of this world alive, but we can plan to make it easier on those we leave behind. If you have accumulated assets or have minor children, you need to do some estate planning. T… Read More
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Who's Quarterbacking Your “Money Team?”

When it comes to managing and growing your wealth, it pays to have a deep bench. Who’s on your money team? Among Millionaire investors who work with a team of advisors, one-third consider a team of two advisors to be ideal, while 36 percent prefer… Read More
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“Estate Planner” Scams Customers with Turkish Bond Investment

A Naperville businessman was sentenced recently to seven years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $3.3 million in restitution for conning clients into investing in nonexistent Turkish bonds as part of an elaborate, $28 million Ponzi schem… Read More
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