Estate Planning
Fair Versus Equal – What’s the Legacy You Want to Leave to Your Children? – Revisited
Episode 276 – Fair vs equal. Leaving your estate in equal shares to each of your children may not necessarily be the most beneficial or effective for your children. Continue Reading Fair Versus Equal – What’s the Legacy You Want to Leave to Your Children? – Revisited
Estate Planning and Sibling Rivalry
Episode 265 – Previously dormant sibling rivalries tend to turn up when large sums of money are at stake. What estate planning steps can you take to help minimize the problem? Continue Reading Estate Planning and Sibling Rivalry
Massachusetts and Other States’ Estate Taxes
Episode 255 – Massachusetts is one of twelve states with a state estate tax. Even though it just raised its state estate tax exemption amount from $1 million to $2 million, you don’t have to be ultra-wealthy to be subject to estate taxes, so plan now. Continue Reading Massachusetts and Other States’ Estate Taxes
Don’t Be Like These Famous People—Get Your Will Done Revisited
Episode 243 – Estate planning is the process of protecting your wealth and transferring a legacy to your heirs in the manner you wish. Even the rich and famous fail to plan, resulting in disaster. Everyone needs a will and estate plan. Continue Reading Don’t Be Like These Famous People—Get Your Will Done Revisited
Optimize Your Estate Plan by Incorporating Life Insurance
Episode 240 – Life insurance is the ideal tool to optimize an estate plan. It provides the money at the right time to pay taxes, replace wealth and to enhance and perpetuate a family legacy. It also makes various estate planning strategies more efficient. Continue Reading Optimize Your Estate Plan by Incorporating Life Insurance
No Step-Up in Basis for Assets in a Grantor Trust
Episode 231 – The IRS released Revenue Ruling 2023-2 stating that assets held in a grantor trust do not receive a step-up in basis upon the grantor’s death. What does that mean? Continue Reading No Step-Up in Basis for Assets in a Grantor Trust
Six Big Mistakes People Make with Their Wills
Episode 226 – Just having a will is not enough. You need to get the details right. Here are 6 big mistakes we see people making when they structure their wills. Continue Reading Six Big Mistakes People Make with Their Wills
The Sad Case of Lisa Marie Presley
Episode 224 – Lisa Marie Presley’s death in January of this year came as a shock to many. But it’s just the beginning of the story. Continue Reading The Sad Case of Lisa Marie Presley
Estate Planning After Divorce or the Death of a Spouse
Episode 214 – Every year a substantial number of people go from married to single, either through divorce or death. A recent article looked at some of the estate planning steps you may need to take if it happens to you. Continue Reading Estate Planning After Divorce or the Death of a Spouse
Don’t Forget Facebook, iCloud, Gmail, LinkedIn and Your Other Digital Assets in Your Planning Revisited
Episode 211 – Most, if not all of us, own several forms of digital assets in the form of online accounts. These assets must be included in your estate plan. Failure to do so may result in the loss of financial value or sentimental and legacy value. Continue Reading Don’t Forget Facebook, iCloud, Gmail, LinkedIn and Your Other Digital Assets in Your Planning Revisited
IRS Extends Deadline to File for Portability of Estate Tax Exemption Amount
Episode 202 – IRS extends the deadline to file for portability of the estate tax exemption amount after the first spouse’s death. Continue Reading IRS Extends Deadline to File for Portability of Estate Tax Exemption Amount
Do You Need to Worry About Gift and Estate Taxes? A Look Back in History
Episode 195 – Estate and gift taxes are financial considerations only for the wealthy, right? Maybe, maybe not! It depends! Continue Reading Do You Need to Worry About Gift and Estate Taxes? A Look Back in History
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 – What Does This Mean for You?
Episode 192 – On August 16, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to expand affordable healthcare and combat climate change. It did not materially impact income and estate tax planning. Continue Reading Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 – What Does This Mean for You?
Making the Right Choices With Your Wealth
Episode 190 – Regardless of what you want to do with your wealth, such as leaving it to family, charity, government, or spending it all, you will need to plan for your intended outcome. Doing nothing is not going to work. Continue Reading Making the Right Choices With Your Wealth
Fair Versus Equal – What’s the Legacy You Want to Leave to Your Children?
Episode 170 – Fair vs equal. Leaving your estate in equal shares to each of your children may not necessarily be the most beneficial or effective for your children. Continue Reading Fair Versus Equal – What’s the Legacy You Want to Leave to Your Children?
The Solution to Estate Tax Planning Fatigue
Episode 165 – Life insurance can be used to avoid estate tax planning fatigue caused by ever-changing tax laws and political environments. Continue Reading The Solution to Estate Tax Planning Fatigue
You’ve Been Named the Trustee of an ILIT – Now What?
Episode 164 – Trustees of irrevocable life insurance trusts or ILITs are often family members or friends of the trust creator, who are not familiar with the many duties and responsibilities that the role requires. Continue Reading You’ve Been Named the Trustee of an ILIT – Now What?
Changes to Key Estate Tax Planning Numbers in 2022
Episode 161 – The inability of Congress to reduce by half the $11.7 million estate and gift tax exemption amount in 2021, leaves us with an even higher exemption amount for 2022. Continue Reading Changes to Key Estate Tax Planning Numbers in 2022
You’ve Been Named the Executor or Administrator of a Last Will and Testament – Now What?
Episode 160 – Agreeing to act as an Executor or Administrator for the estate of a deceased family member or friend is typically an act of love. However, it often requires more work and dedication than anticipated, and can involve personal liability. Continue Reading You’ve Been Named the Executor or Administrator of a Last Will and Testament – Now What?
Thirteen Celebrity Estate Planning Lessons
Episode 154 – The rich and famous are prone to estate planning mistakes. Today we look at some real world examples, and the lessons we can all learn from all of them. Continue Reading Thirteen Celebrity Estate Planning Lessons
Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 3: Retirement Plans & Corporate Taxes
Episode 146 – The House recently released its tax proposals to fund the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act. Many provisions will impact high-income, high-net-worth individuals and small-business owners. We have created a three-part podcast series summarizing these provisions to help you consider how they may affect your financial objectives so you can start preparing for change while there is still an opportunity to do so. In this Part 3 episode, we’ll cover the proposals that affect retirement plans and corporate taxes.
Continue Reading Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 3: Retirement Plans & Corporate Taxes
Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 2: Estate & Gift Taxes
Episode 145 – The House recently released its tax proposals to fund the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act. Many provisions will impact high-income, high-net-worth individuals and small-business owners. We have created a three-part podcast series summarizing these provisions to help you consider how they may affect your financial objectives so you can start preparing for change while there is still an opportunity to do so. In this Part 2 episode, we’ll cover the proposals that affect estate and gift taxes. Continue Reading Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 2: Estate & Gift Taxes
Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 1: Income Taxes
Episode 144 – The House recently released its tax proposals to fund the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act. Many provisions will impact high-income, high-net-worth individuals and small-business owners. We have created a three-part podcast series summarizing these provisions to help you consider how they may affect your financial objectives so you can start preparing for change while there is still an opportunity to do so. In this Part 1 episode, we’ll begin with income taxes. Continue Reading Build Back Better Tax Proposals – Part 1: Income Taxes
Do You Really Know How Much Your Business is Worth? Why You Need a Business Valuation.
Episode 141 – Most business owners don’t know the true value of their company, but they need to, for a variety of reasons including business, estate and personal planning. See how your Security Mutual Life insurance advisor can help with the planning and the valuation. Continue Reading Do You Really Know How Much Your Business is Worth? Why You Need a Business Valuation.