Higher fees are coming to high earners, when income thresholds for the highest surcharge tiers drop even further next year. If you were hit with premium surcharges for Medicare Part B and Part D already, these costs will increase again in 2018, according to a recent article in Kiplinger, “Medicare…
Most life insurance companies are quite efficient. However, you will need the right documents. One of the basic tasks that follow the loss of a spouse or family member is figuring out what life insurance policies were in place and contacting the insurance company or companies to find out how…
Unless you really want to give your ex the proceeds of your life insurance or 401(k), it is best to take the time to do this one task. If you haven’t looked at the paperwork for your life insurance policies, bank accounts, retirement accounts, investment accounts and any other asset…
New regulations from the Department of Labor may come into play for Americans deciding which type of account is best for their retirement savings. There are significant differences between 401(k)s and IRAs, and as reported in a recent post on wjbf.com, “Advantages and disadvantages to a 401k and an IRA,”…
The sad truth is, foreign lottery scams are still around because they are successful for the scammers. Millions of Americans are targeted every year. The first reaction from someone receiving a letter about a large award is often a wave of relief, especially if they are facing financial problems. For…
Here’s another reason to meet with your estate planning attorney face-to-face. An overseas-based scam is targeting the elderly with a website that uses photos and content stolen from real law firm websites. A website purporting to be an estate planning law firm is the subject of a lawsuit from the…
You must sign up for Medicare Part B no later than eight months after retirement, or the penalties could be serious. These are the details that really matter when it comes to retirement and Medicare. If you signed up for Medicare Part A on your 65th birthday but were still…
If you plan on leaving the family home to your heirs when you die, be aware of the tax liabilities that are associated with inheriting a house. This is the type of estate planning decision that requires a closer look with an estate planning attorney to evaluate the pros and…
Deciding when to start taking Social Security payments has to be considered in the total picture of retirement planning. The challenge of retirement planning is that once a big decision is made, you don’t have three or four decades to fix any mistakes. The same holds true for deciding when…
Here is a helpful checklist of the top ten ways to keep your estate plan current. Review your existing Will and any trust agreements. Over the course of a year our personal and our professional lives can change dramatically. Tax laws and regulations are also subject to change as new…