What you should know about naming an IRA beneficiary. Can your IRA be put directly into a trust? In short, no. Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) cannot be put directly into a trust. What you can do, however, is name a trust as the beneficiary of your IRA. The trust would inherit the IRA upon your […]
Tag: estate
Tax Efficiency
What it means; why it counts. The after-tax return vs. the pretax return. Everyone wants their investments to perform well. But for many investors it’s their after-tax return that may make all the difference. After all, even if your portfolio is earning double-digit returns, it may not matter if you’re also losing a percent of […]
An Estate Strategy for Your Digital Assets
What should you know? What should your executor know? When you think about your estate, you may think about your personal property, real estate, or investments. You also have other, less-tangible assets – and they deserve your attention as well. Your digital assets should not disappear into a void when you die. Nor should they […]
Your Financial Co-Pilot
If anything happens to you, your family has someone to consult. If you weren’t around, what would happen to your investments? In many families, one person handles investment decisions, and spouses or children have little comprehension of what happens each week, month, or year with a portfolio. In an emergency, this lack of knowledge can […]
Minimizing Probate When Setting Up Your Estate
What can you do to lessen its impact for your heirs? Probate subtly reduces the value of many estates. It can take more than a year in some cases, and attorney’s fees, appraiser’s fees, and court costs may eat up as much as 5% of a decedent’s assets. Probating a “routine” estate valued at $400,000 […]
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Leaving a Legacy to Your Grandkids
Now is the time to explore the possibilities. Grandparents Day provides a reminder of the bond between grandparents and grandchildren and the importance of family legacies. A family legacy can have multiple aspects. It can include much more than heirlooms and appreciated assets. It may also include guidance, even instructions, about what to do with […]
Including Digital Assets in Your Estate Plan
What should you know? What should your executor know? When people think about estate planning, they may think in terms of personal property, real estate, and investments. Digital assets might seem like a lesser concern, perhaps no concern at all. But it is something that many are now considering.1 Your digital assets should not disappear […]
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Why Life Insurance Matters for New Homeowners
It addresses a significant financial risk. If you buy a home and you have no life insurance, there is a financial risk. It may not be immediately evident, but it must be acknowledged – and it should be addressed. What if you die, and your spouse or partner is left to pay off the mortgage […]
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Why Life Insurance Will Always Matter in Estate Planning
With or without the estate tax, it addresses several key priorities. Every few years, predictions emerge that the estate tax will sunset. Even if it does, that will not remove the need for life insurance in estate planning. Why? The reasons are numerous. You can use life insurance proceeds to equalize inheritances. If sizable, illiquid […]
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