Wealth transfer occurs in a number of different ways, and sometimes there are too many choices. How do you decide which strategy to use? Start by educating yourself about some of the fundamentals of lifetime gifting. Gifting strategies are used to minimize the tax burden on estates and preserve assets,…
At 65, Americans are shifting their focus from accumulating to giving of time and resources. It seems like a natural progression: after living for more than six decades, there’s a greater understanding of what matters. The generosity of the 50 million Americans over 65 may be in part because of…
People think of estate plans as one-off documents, but they should think of them more like cars. Estate plans need maintenance, oil changes, tune-ups and if there’s an accident, repairs. As life progresses, you’ll go through a number of stages, from being a teen to an adult, getting married, retiring,…
The co-founder of Microsoft serves as an excellent example of advance planning, maintaining privacy and creating a legacy. Through a trust established years ago and several companies, Paul Allen began building his legacy of philanthropy long before his death. His last will and testament was a simple six-page document, according…
Trusts serve a variety of functions in estate planning, and they aren’t just for wealthy people. Trusts can be simple, or they can be complex, depending on what type of trust is being considered and how they are structured. Trusts should be set up by an estate planning attorney, who…
Your legacy is far richer than your assets and possessions. Planning to pass on a legacy to your family becomes more rewarding, when it includes non-tangibles, like values and treasured family stories. Who wants to think about death, dying and bank accounts? Not too many people do. That’s why so…
Some believe that Meghan McCain and her siblings will follow their father’s legacy of service. Questions about the estate he left behind are mostly known, as his family’s holdings were revealed by the opposition when he ran for the presidency. The challenge about John McCain is less about his estate,…
The old saying that the first generation builds the business, the second generation struggles to maintain it and the third squanders everything, is sadly, statistically true. However, creating a legacy might give you better odds of success. If you’ve been responsible and had an estate plan created, you are way…