One critical component of a solid estate plan is the named successor trustee(s) and executor(s). This is the person (or people) who will safe-guard and carry out your wishes at death. Every situation is different and there is no one-size-fits-all solution, however there are some universal considerations that may help you organize your search for … Continued
Like any classic “Spaghetti Western”, the recent major tax law has some “good” elements with regards to residential real estate, some “bad” outcomes, and some “ugly” aspects, too … with the “u” in ugly standing for unclear, unknown, and unresolved. These various factors are laid out below. But the main overriding feature of the law … Continued
As our lives are increasingly spent online from bill pay, to email and blogs to Facebook and Instagram, have you thought about what happens to your digital assets when you die? How will your successor trustee, executor or loved ones gain access to important records or treasured photographs stored in a vault in the cloud? … Continued
Silicon Valley is home to countless entrepreneurs who have created significant wealth, all concentrated in a single stock with very low cost basis. These positions can be quite volatile and often do not generate much income, if at all. Also, by selling the shares, the individual is faced with what can be sizeable capital gains … Continued
Custodial accounts are the simplest way to give property to minors, easily established at banks and brokerage firms, and do not require the need for an attorney to create a special trust. The gifts are deemed irrevocable, and age limits then apply for when the assets become fully available to the beneficiary child, typically age … Continued
One of the biggest changes occurred here, with the taxable estate exemption doubled. The number of estates predicted to owe tax in 2018 versus 2017 may be cut in half thanks to the change in the estate and gift tax exemption amount. The new limit, which applies to gifts made during life or assets left … Continued
A major dilemma with navigating the divorce process is that it forces a person into an extremely emotional and gut-wrenching situation, and yet also requires extremely logical decision making to avoid major financial and legal mistakes. A quote by Winston Churchill – who was in the thick of trying to save his country while under … Continued
From setting allowances to extending shared credit, parents must contend with constant challenges related to how money affects their children. But challenges are also opportunities, and most money matters involving children have the potential to provide useful learning experiences. Take, for example, the basic issues surrounding credit and debt. Since even young children can use … Continued
The new tax law has brought about significant financial changes and opportunities for individuals and families, not least of which is the substantial increase in the estate and gift tax Lifetime Exemption amount. This amount has essentially doubled overnight, to a newly available $11.2 million per person in 2018 ($22.4 million for married couples). As … Continued
It is estimated that the newly passed tax law could result in a reduction of billions of dollars in charitable giving starting this year. Although the long-standing charitable deduction methodology was preserved, overall giving could be significantly hindered due to the new higher standard deduction reducing the number of tax payers who itemize on their … Continued