Archive for the
‘Estate Planning’ Category

For investors who want to have a positive impact in the community, stock market rallies and year-end bring an opportunity to donate appreciated assets to your favorite charity. In addition to making a difference for the receiving charity, donating such assets provides you with tax benefits. People most frequently donate common stock. If the stock [...]

For the vast majority of Americans in retirement, the income provided by Social Security will comprise the largest and most stable base of income derived from any single source. With this in mind, the Stanford Center on Longevity* recently published an essay about the most important retirement decisions to be made in retirement. Actuary and [...]

I have drawn the great moral lesson, perhaps the only one of any practical value, to avoid those situations of life which bring our duties into conflict with our interests, and which show us our own advantage in the misfortune of others; for it is certain that, in such situations, however sincere our love of [...]

In new rulemaking by the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), regulations that have protected investing consumers for eight decades have been dumbed-down. Tamar Frankel, professor of law emerita, Boston University Law School, considers the new rule to be a “historic, giant step backwards in securities regulation. It turns principles of advice in the client’s best [...]

Individuals searching for a corporate trustee often wonder what happens to homes after incapacity or death. As a trust officer, I understand your concerns about who will care for your home if you can’t. The most common concerns are: 1) aging in place in my home; 2) selling my home after incapacity or death; and, [...]

A trusted advisor is someone who works with your best interests in mind, making decisions based on your desired outcomes and future needs.  Being mindful of those that you choose to be in your inner-circle to advocate when you need them the most is essential.  Working amongst the vulnerabilities of older adults and individuals with [...]

Many retirees are worried about taking a required minimum distribution (RMD) in a down market and uncertain times. On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law, which alleviates this worry by suspending RMDs for 2020. Congress’s aim in suspending RMDs was to provide relief to [...]

Did you spend your career socking away money in a Traditional IRA or roll your 401k over into a Traditional IRA after you retired? A Traditional IRA is one of the most common ways that our clients save for retirement. On December 19, 2019, Congress passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act [...]

You have what it takes to be the trustee of your trust. You are responsible and sensitive to the needs of your trust’s beneficiaries. You understand business and investments. You can easily manage your trust assets. You assumed the role of trustee without much thought and it’s been an easy experience. Remember, however, that it [...]

Naming a family member or friend as your trustee may be the simplest choice, but it may not always be the best choice. Before you decide who will protect your assets—family member, friend, financial advisor or a professional trustee—consider these questions and answers carefully. Can the person devote the necessary time and attention to your [...]