An IRA Trust can be a beneficial estate planning tool for families under certain conditions. However, many investors are unaware of the IRA Trust and the benefits that it may provide. Trusts are only for the super wealthy, right? Wrong! The Kokomo Perspective recently posted an article titled “Are You…
Articles Posted in Asset Protection
Divorcing? Re-Visit the Details of Your Houston Estate Plan
Once you're divorced you should immediately create a new estate plan — a will or revocable living trust, a healthcare power of attorney, and a living will ("pull the plug") designee. Read on for more estate planning must-do’s regarding divorce. A recent article in the The Huffington Post, titled “Divorce and…
“House of Cards” Offers Life Lesson: You Are Entitled to Nothing
Frank Underwood is not a real person. He’s the crooked politician portrayed by Kevin Spacey in the Netflix series “House of Cards” who claws his way into the White House by manipulating the press and ruthlessly crushing anyone that might get in his way. But sadly, with one line, he…
Don’t Just Think about Your Houston Estate, Plan It!
The sad truth is that most of us — some 70% of adult Americans — have neglected to write a will. Some think their assets are just too puny to worry about, others worry that the costs of writing a “last will and testament” are too high. But wills aren’t…
Houston Couples Can Avoid Retirement Pitfalls
n nearly every way you could make a mistake — for example, saving too late — you can also make up ground by availing yourself of all resources at your disposal (say, your employer's 401(k) matching program). With that in mind, here’s a list of 28 major retirement pitfalls to…
Distributing Houston Estate Among the Kids – Who Gets What?
In the book The Charles Schwab Guide to Finances After 50, author Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz poses the following scenario: “I’m confused about how to divide my estate between my children, who have different needs and financial resources. Is it best to divide it into equal parts?” This question is directed at…
Houston Families Can Explore Advantages of Charitable Giving
Lifetime gifts may carry considerable advantages over charitable bequests, according to Atlantic Trust, the U.S. private wealth management division of CIBC (NYSE: CM) (TSX: CM). Lifetime gifting allows you to see your donation make a difference. In addition to this giving advantage, there’s also the goals of receiving an income…
Should a Trust Last 360 Years? Several Mississippians Think So
Legislation allowing Mississippians to place their assets in a trust for up to 360 years passed the state House and is now pending before Gov. Phil Bryant. How long should a trust really last? According to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Mississippi’s House Judiciary Chair Mark Barker said many states…
529 College Savings Plans Key for Houston Families
Given the rising cost of most college tuitions, the complexity of college loan agreements and the difficulty for most middle-income families in simply maintaining their budget for ordinary daily household expenses, planning for your children’s college education is an important topic to consider at the earliest possible stages of a…
Estate Planning in a Virtual World for Houston Planners
Roos said it’s important that people plan ahead and put “someone in charge of these digital assets and giving the family the opportunity to take over accounts if something were to happen, so they can control the information so it doesn’t get into the wrong hands.” Have you heard the…