Personal Planner Thoughts and suggestions on how to improve your present and future life. Trusts to Protect Children March 6, 2026Trusts are an excellent way to provide for the support and care of children while protecting them. Two important reasons to create a trust are to care for minor children or for a special needs child... Trusts for Surviving Spouse February 27, 2026There are three different basic types of trusts for a surviving spouse: a qualified terminable interest property trust (QTIP), a qualified domestic trust (QDOT) or a charitable remainder trust (CRT)... Income for Surviving Spouse February 20, 2026Elliot and Alexis were concerned about planning for the future. They had built a substantial estate of $1,600,000. When Elliot was 70, he rolled over his $600,000 qualified retirement plan into an IRA. Because he is now over age 73, Elliot is taking distributions... How to Fund Your Living Trust February 13, 2026A revocable living trust is one of the principal estate planning methods. While everyone should have a will, there are many benefits of a revocable living trust... Living Trust - Life and Death Decisions February 6, 2026In discussing your living trust with your attorney, there are several very important decisions for you to consider. Some of your decisions affect the management of property during life, and others will determine how your successor trustee manages your property for the benefit of family, friends and charity after you... Your Living Trust Choices January 30, 2026The living trust is becoming quite a popular estate planning strategy. It costs more than a will, but includes many features that are helpful during life and in your estate. Let's review some of the basic principles of the living trust... Bequests to Your Favorite Charity January 23, 2026Bequests to charity are the most popular type of planned gift. A donor may retain assets during life and then leave a bequest to a charity... Online Accounts January 16, 2026At any given time, the average American maintains between 30 and 80 online accounts. These may be with banks, financial institutions, utility companies, email providers, social media outlets, commercial shopping or travel sites and accounts unique to technology such as an account to purchase apps for a smartphone... Living Trusts Versus Wills January 9, 2026Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was diagnosed with cancer in January 1994. She signed a will in the New York offices of a large law firm on March 22, 1994... Ten Reasons to Update Your Estate Plan January 2, 2026You have completed a will and perhaps a revocable living trust. Your durable power of attorney for healthcare and a living will are in place. All of your records are safely in place and carefully organized... Passing Unequal Shares in Your Will December 26, 2025Because children often look at their inheritance as a representation of their parents' love, most parents leave children equal shares of their estate. However, there are a number of good reasons why a parent might leave unequal shares... Wills - Good and Bad December 19, 2025More than 40 wills were submitted to the probate court, with a multitude of potential heirs each claiming to be the true recipients of the estate of Business Owner who passed away in 1976. With a $2.5 billion estate at stake, there was intense interest in the decision of the... Wills - Perils of Probate December 12, 2025Business Owner passed away on April 5, 1976, with an estate of $2.5 billion. Many people appeared claiming, "I am Business Owner's heir" and submitted wills with themselves as beneficiaries... IRA and 401(k) Designated Beneficiary Options December 5, 2025Each year, IRAs and 401(k)s are subject to required minimum distributions (RMDs). Because the distributions start at just under 4% at age 73 and then slowly increase, many IRA and 401(k) plans earn more than those payouts and will continue to grow... IRA Charitable Rollover November 28, 2025The IRA charitable rollover was created in 2006 and made permanent by Congress in 2015. Another name for an IRA charitable rollover is a qualified charitable distribution. This giving plan is available for IRA owners who are over age 70½... IRAs - Regular and Roth November 21, 2025While Social Security will provide approximately 40% of the average person's retirement income, an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is an essential addition for a successful retirement... 401(k) Retirement Plans November 14, 2025The 401(k) is rapidly becoming the most popular qualified retirement plan. More than 90% of large companies now offer a 401(k)... Social Security November 7, 2025Linda asked, "When should I take my Social Security? I will turn 57 this year and have a strong earnings history, having paid into Social Security for nearly 35 years."... Married Couples and Property October 31, 2025Mary was a surviving spouse. She and her first spouse Ryan owned a lovely home and placed it into joint tenancy with right of survivorship... Separate and Joint Property October 24, 2025"My brother Pete and I own a ranch together," said Joe to his advisor. "We inherited the four sections of our ranch from my mother. As a single person, I think that I will plan to leave 50% of my share to Pete and the other half to my favorite... Showing 21 - 40 of 52Previous123Next