Setting Up Your Estate to Avoid Probate
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 accumulated assets. Think tens of thousands of dollars, perhaps more. So how you can exempt more of your assets from probate and its costs? Here are some ideas.
4/29/13 Weekly Economic Video Update
Here is this weeks update - take just a few minutes to stay up-to-date...
Ways the Middle Class Can Make a Difference for Charity
If you’re not yet a millionaire or simply a “millionaire next door,” yet want to give, consider the following options which may bring you immediate or future tax deductions.
How LTC Insurance Can Help Protect Your Assets
As baby boomers leave their careers behind, long term care insurance will become very important in their financial strategies. The reasons to get an LTC policy after age 50 are very compelling.
Bonds & Interest Rates (April 2013)
Is the bond bull history? Bond titan Bill Gross called an end to the 30-year bull market in fixed income back in 2010, and he has repeated his opinion since. Legendary investor Jim Rogers predicted an end to the bond bull in 2009, and he still sees it happening. This belief is starting to become popular...
Gold's Big Plunge
On April 12, the precious metal settled at $1,501.40 on the COMEX – diving 4.1% in a single trading day and 20.5% under its all-time closing high of $1,888.70 on August 22, 2011. Statistically, that was the end of a lengthy bull market – one marked by 12 years of annual gains.
4/22/2013 Weekly Video Update
A quick summary of last week's economic events and some items to watch for this week.
Merits of Fee-Based Management
I want to let you know about five key reasons why fee-based management has great merit and why I've transitioned many of my clients to it.
Living Trusts - Fact vs. Fiction
Living trusts are created with a clearly defined objective: to avoid probate. Misconceptions about living trusts have spread to the point where people think they can accomplish much more than they really do. Here is a realistic assessment of living trusts.
A Primer for Estate Planning
No matter what your age, here are some things you may want to accomplish this year with regard to estate planning.
Can Stocks Advance Further Without a Weak Dollar?
In recent years, stock market gains have been associated with a weak dollar (among other factors). This latest rally on Wall Street seems to be an exception: years of dollar weakness may be giving way to renewed foreign investment in U.S. currency, spurred by global belief that things are getting better in America.
Mistakes Families Make with 529 College Plans
Most families that start 529 college savings plans have done their “homework” about these programs. Missteps are made, though, often with the distribution of 529 plan assets...
The Treasury Plan to Issue Floating Rate Notes
Floating rate notes are nothing new – Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have issued them for years, along with foreign banks and some corporations. What is new is the U.S. Treasury’s move to offer these bonds. It plans to do so by Q1 2014.
How & When to Sign Up for Medicare
Medicare enrollment is automatic for some of us - others may need to sign up.
When a Family Member Dies...
The passing of a loved one irrevocably alters family life. After a death, there is so much to attend to that addressing financial matters related to a family member’s passing may be put on hold. This should be done, though, and it is better to do it sooner rather than later. Here, then, is a list of what commonly needs to be looked after.
IRA Deadlines are Approaching
Many of us associate April with taxes. We should also associate it with IRAs, for April is the month with the deadlines for IRA contributions and mandatory IRA withdrawals.
What Does the Dow's Record High Really Mean?
As the Dow Jones Industrial Average settled at a new all-time high of 14,253.77 on March 5, the psychological lift on Wall Street was undeniable – the market was finally back to where it was in 2007. Or was it?
Retirement Through Your Eyes
If you are like many baby boomers, your view of retirement is likely pragmatic compared to that of your parents. That doesn’t mean you have to have a “plain vanilla” tomorrow. Even if your retirement savings are not as great as you would prefer, you still have great potential to design the life you want. With that in mind, here are some things to think about