DIY Will Pitfalls
You’ve undoubtedly heard that it’s important for all adults to have a will or other legal plan for passing assets and getting debts settled when they pass away. You may also have heard that, despite [...]
Pay Attention to the Small Details When Dealing with Long-Term Care Insurers
A long-term care insurance company recently cancelled the insurance coverage of an elderly woman who accidentally wrote the wrong amount on her premium check. The case illustrates the need for policyholders to pay attention to [...]
How Does an IRA Fit Into Your Estate Plan?
When you think of IRAs, you probably think of retirement. But what happens to your IRA money after you’re gone? The answer depends on how you go about creating your estate plan and selecting beneficiaries, [...]
Tips for Choosing a Trustee
Trusts can be a powerful tool for protecting assets, passing property to loved ones after your death, or providing for a loved one who is disabled or incapacitated. You can work with your trust attorney [...]
New Baby? Time to Create Your Estate Plan
Estate planning is often one item that gets pushed back on nearly everyone’s to-do list. The reasons you might be delaying vary: lack of time, not thinking you have enough assets, not knowing how to [...]
Preparing to Meet with an Estate Planning Attorney
Creating a comprehensive estate plan requires a thorough assessment of your holdings, your family structure and the people you want to provide for. Of course, the average person doesn’t have an in-depth understanding of the [...]
How Much Long-Term Care Insurance Should You Purchase?
A number of considerations go into how much long-term care insurance any consumer should buy. The average cost of a private room in a nursing home is nearly $250 a day, and the average monthly [...]
Single and Childless? You Still Need a Will
Most American adults don’t have wills. Reasons vary, including procrastination, believing they’re too young to need a will, not thinking they have enough property to bother with estate planning and discomfort thinking about end of [...]
How A Living Trust Helps Your Family
There are several parts to an estate plan, one of them being a living trust. Common factors that prompt someone to create a trust include privacy, tax benefits, avoiding probate, and caring for family members [...]
The Young Parents’ Legal / Financial Planning Checklist
In an increasingly complex and costly world, there’s more to taking care of a young child than changing diapers, walking to the park and cutting the crusts off of sandwiches. If you’re like most parents, [...]
Be Aware of the Kiddie Tax Before Leaving an IRA to Children
Grandparents may be tempted to leave an IRA to a grandchild because children have a low tax rate, but the "kiddie tax" could make doing this less beneficial.An IRA can be a great gift for a grandchild. [...]
Why You Should Use a Lawyer for Medicaid Planning
Many seniors and their families don't use a lawyer to plan for long-term care or Medicaid, often because they're afraid of the cost. But an attorney can help you save money in the long run [...]
HUD Makes Reverse Mortgages a Little Less Attractive
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced changes to the federal reverse mortgage program. Citing the need to put the program on better financial footing, HUD will raise reverse mortgage fees for [...]
You Can Pay Your Medicare Premiums Online
Online bill paying has become a popular way to make paying bills easier, and now you can pay your Medicare premiums online too. If your bank allows customers to pay bills online, you can use [...]
Estate Planning For the Newly Married
Now is the perfect time to start working on an estate plan—because, as newlyweds, you may not have a list of your accounts, but you've effectively just done a working inventory of your possessions—as you've [...]
What are the Duties of the Administrator of a New Jersey Estate?
Serving as the administrator of an estate is more complex than many people anticipate. Whether you’re choosing the administrator you’ll name in your will or have been appointed administrator and are unsure of your responsibilities, [...]
Kids Going Away To College? Why You Should Include Estate Planning in the Preparation
You may have been running around for weeks, getting your new college student off to school. It's exhilarating, and your heart likely is bursting at the seams. You're probably prouder than you can say, but [...]