What is Probate? Probate is the formal legal process that gives recognition to a will and appoints the executor or personal representative who will administer the estate and distribute assets to the intended beneficiaries. The laws of each state vary, so it is a good idea to consult an attorney to determine whether a probate proceeding is necessary, whether the [...]
In her article, "Don't Miss Out on This Last Minute Tax Planning Tip" Megan Gorman from Forbes.com writes: It usually happens in your accountant’s office or when meeting with your financial planner. As you review your 2019 W-2, it becomes clear that you are missing out on a key tax benefit: maxing out your Health Spending Account or HSA. To [...]
The rubber really hits the road when mom and dad get sick: how to obtain proper medical care? How to pay their bills? Who is going to take them to the doctor’s appointments? Who is going to ensure that their medicine is properly administered? These questions generally turn even the most erstwhile loving family into a quagmire of emotional [...]
In an excellent article from Ellen Stark in the AARP Bulletin she points out that by the time you reach 65, chances are about 50-50 that you’ll require paid long-term care (LTC) someday. If you pay out of pocket, you’ll spend $140,000 on average. Yet you probably haven’t planned for that financial risk. Only 7.2 million or so Americans have LTC [...]
In an excellent article by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach(R) for AARP she describes the “5 Things You Didn’t Know About Life Insurance”. You already know that life insurance can provide a financial payout upon your death to your children, grandchildren and other loved ones. But did you also know that permanent life insurance offers a slew of other benefits and [...]
The whole point of creating an estate plan is to avoid probate. Want to know why? It is extremely expensive (4-10% of the gross estate); can take years to conclude; welcomes unsavory heirs and others into the estate seeking their (unlawful) piece of the pie; and allows judges and attorneys to effectively negate your true estate intentions. In an [...]
Probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law and accepted as a valid public document that is the true last testament of the deceased, or whereby the estate is settled according to the laws of intestacy in the state of residence [or real property] of the deceased at time of death in the absence of [...]
Knowing your Social Security Benefit Profile can substantially increase your annual benefits including increased annual income as well as medical benefits. In an excellent article, “Your 2019 Guide to Social Security Benefits”, Matthew Frankel wrote: Social Security is a vital source of income for millions of American retirees, as it makes up more than half of all income for [...]
Okay so the entire purpose of life insurance to provide sufficient funds to the widow or children of the insured. Certainly, the life insurance policy proceeds can make the difference between losing your home when the bread-winner dies or keeping the house—and the cars, and the private school or college attendance and a number of other dramatic financial impacts. [...]
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. In law, an heir is a person who is entitled to receive a share of the deceased's (the person who died) property, subject to the rules of inheritance in the jurisdiction of which the deceased was a citizen or where the deceased (decedent) [...]
