Talking with aging parents about their finances, their wishes, and the future, is never an easy conversation. When it became clear that her mother was starting to suffer from memory loss, Gwen started to speak with her mother about finances, accounts and final wishes. While she felt uncomfortable pressing her…
While some estate planning is better than none, most Americans don't speak with their heirs about basic issues – like where the wills can be found – and most wills are not updated. A recent study from the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College, estimates that between 2007…
The Internal Revenue Service has won a settlement of $388 million from the estate of Detroit Pistons owner Bill Davidson. According to the IRS, the estate owned more than $2 billion in additional taxes. To gain some perspective: in 2013, the US Treasury took in a total of $12.7 billion…
Unlike previous generations, the baby boomers are more concerned with having enough money to last through their retirement years than with leaving substantial assets to their heirs and to charities. But they are still concerned with leaving a legacy for their children and grandchildren. A new definition of a legacy…
Drafting your will and testament is not exactly on most summer to-do lists. For many, the process is a memento mori, a task more foreboding than mowing the overgrown lawn. It's no surprise that according to the American Bar Association, 55 percent of Americans do not have a will or…
Many people set up trusts to help provide for loved ones and favorite causes after they pass away. A trust can help manage the wealth you wish to transfer and ensures the efficient distribution of assets—such as property or a sum of money—over a set period of time. Yet a…
Let's take a closer look at what a life estate is and how using one could help you save your family home. Home is where the heart is. The thought of losing your home can be devastating. What options do you have to prevent this from happening? Motley Fool’s recent…
What can you do to push past the emotional aspects of estate planning to make sure your surviving family members can successfully deal with issues that may arise after you pass away? Start early. Patrick Severo is the senior vice president and financial advisor at RBC Wealth Management. He also…
In some parts of the U.S., like West Virginia, without a will, your estate is first distributed according to your marital status and children, including those of previous marriages. However, if you have no spouse or children, you may want to pull out your family tree to see who could…
A bar owner who never attended college has left $200,000 to the alma mater of her best customers. Ida F. Meyer of Lake Placid, Fla., died March 22 at 103 years of age. “I might as well give it back to the College,” she told her attorney Michael A. Rider,…