Asset Protection

Understanding the Basics about Medicare

Published on: April 25, 2017 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

Even if you are still working, once you turn 65, you have to navigate your way through an entirely new and complex health care system. While there’s no HR department, there are resources.

It starts the day you turn 65, and it’s a bit of a challenge. Seniors need to get up to speed fast on the many requirements of Medicare. A recent post of Kiplinger’s, “FAQs About Medicare,” warns that mistakes can be extremely costly and difficult to fix. You’ll want to study up on this in advance.

For starters, if you signed up for Social Security before age 65, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Medicare parts A and B and receive your card three months before your 65th birthday. Part A covers hospitalization and is generally premium-free. Part B covers outpatient care, such as doctors’ visits, x-rays and tests, and costs $134 a month for people who enroll in 2017 (or more for high earners).

Wrong Answers to Two Misconceptions about Estate Planning

Published on: April 3, 2017 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

The moment you become a parent, you need a will. The same is true once you acquire any kind of asset that you want to give to someone after you die. It’s really that simple.

The reasons why so many people don’t think they need a will fall into a number of different categories. However, the two biggest ones are described in an article appearing in the Pauls Valley Daily Democrat titled “More on estate planning myths.” Chances are good you’ve heard them before, but you may not have heard why they are plain old wrong. Here’s why:

“I’m young, so I don’t need a will.” This is not true. One of the most important parts of a will for a young couple, is a provision that designates a guardian—the person(s) who will care for their young children in the event of their mutual death. This is rare, although it does happen. To make matters worse, what if there’s a family fight for custody of your children? Make this selection so the court isn’t forced to select a guardian for your minor children if the event arises. A will can give you peace of mind concerning the care of your children.

Four Decisions at the Heart of Retirement Planning

Published on: March 15, 2017 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

Are you surprised that such a complex topic can be divided into just four sections? Once these difficult tasks are accomplished, you’ll have some much needed perspective that will help the rest of the process along.

According to a recent article in Forbes, “How Much Do You Need To Retire: 4 Things For Your Checklist,” these four decisions will help you clarify many questions about retirement and help more your planning forward:

Decide on your retirement age. This is easiest for many people, but the age you choose should align with your retirement savings and Social Security benefits. At a minimum, use Social Security payments as a baseline for your retirement income.

Savvy Tips for Dealing with an Inheritance

Published on: February 9, 2017 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

Inheritances by their very nature, create many mixed emotions. While you are grateful for the inheritance, you are grieving, which is a painful experience that impacts decision-making skills.

Perhaps the most important thing to know when you are grieving the loss of a loved one and expect to receive an inheritance, is not to make any big decisions. While an inheritance may change your life in a financially good way, as reported in The Reading (PA) Eagle Business Weekly’s recent article, “What to do and what not to do with your inheritance,” you are in a state of emotional crisis. Financial planning and big financial decisions will need to be made, but nothing needs to be done immediately, except for settling the business of the estate, if you are the executor. Here are some dos and don’ts to keep in mind:

What not to do with an inheritance

RMDs for Retirement Accounts: What You Need to Know

Published on: December 16, 2016 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

New Year’s Eve is the deadline for taking RMDs if you are older than 70 ½. Haven’t started yet? Get on this right away to get it done in time. Otherwise, be prepared to pay a penalty.

You still have a little time to beat the last minute rush on taking your Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, according to Kiplinger’s “FAQs About Required Minimum Distributions for Retirement Accounts.” However, you had better hurry if you are older than 70 ½. You only have until December 31^st and any delays could be expensive. Remember that you aren’t the only one making this transaction at this time of year, and you’re hardly alone in waiting until the last minute.

Here is some additional information to help you meet your deadline for IRA withdrawals and some special rules for 401(k)s.

Senior Weddings Call for a Different Kind of Planning

Published on: December 14, 2016 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

If you’re walking down the aisle again, there are a number of smart steps to take before you say “I do” another time.

Just as your life was probably simpler the first time you married, your subsequent marriage, especially if it occurs late in life, can become problematic, if good planning doesn’t happen in advance. If you don’t know your legal rights or your responsibilities, reports New Hampshire Magazine in “Navigating Late-Life Remarriage,” you, your children and your new spouse may be in for some unpleasant surprises.

While death and the likelihood that one spouse will outlive the other is inevitable, another important fact is that the divorce rate among those who remarry later in life years is 60%. This is much higher than the rate of any other segment of the population. Some experts think that number may go even higher.

Protect Yourself and Your Money from Financial Errors in Later Years

Published on: November 10, 2016 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

There are some steps you can take now, just in case your financial savvy becomes less sharp as you age.

You may have watched first-hand as a beloved parent’s money management skills went from smart to questionable. Scam artists take advantage of this, stealing homes and emptying bank accounts of trusting seniors. Research shows that as we age, certain skills, including financial savvy, diminish. The problem is, the seniors still think they are able to manage their money, despite all evidence to the contrary.

US News explains in “8 Ways to Safeguard Your Financial Life as You Age,” that folks of just about any age should take action when they’re young to protect themselves from financial errors later in life. We’ll look at a few of these.

Gender Gap isn’t Limited to Income Levels

Published on: November 9, 2016 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

A recent international study reported that it will take 170 years before women around the globe reach pay equality with men. This study determined exactly how much income is lost when women step out of the workforce.

If knowledge is power, then the hope is that Business Wire’s article, “Millennial Women Face Significant Gender Gap in Financial Wellness,” will help women gain a better understanding of the cost of taking time out of their careers. The 2016 Gender Gap in Financial Wellness Study was done to clarify the financial impact of leaving the workforce on women’s ability to save for retirement.

There’s already a significant retirement gap between millennial men and women. Although pay parity for the typical 25-year-old may be assumed, there’s still a 28% gap in the additional retirement savings required to cover estimated retirement expenses due in large part to women’s longer life expectancy.

Fearing Loss of Control is One Reason People try to Hide Alzheimer’s

Published on: September 23, 2016 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

Planning for life with Alzheimer’s includes selecting trusted family members or friends who can assist with legal and financial matters.

It was at least three years after his diagnosis that comedic actor Gene Wilder revealed he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. This is not unusual, according to experts discussing his situation in the Investment News article, “Hiding Alzheimer's, like Gene Wilder did, is natural, so prepare for it with all clients.” Wilder, star of Blazing Saddles, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and many other classic comedies, died at age 83 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. He wanted to leave his audiences laughing, rather than being sad that he was suffering from this dreaded disease.

Most Alzheimer's patients will hide their symptoms as long as they can because they fear losing control of their lives if family or friends are under the impression they can’t take care of things on their own.

When the Heir is Not A Family Member

Published on: September 8, 2016 | By McCulloch & Miller, PLLC

A cautionary tale ends with a will being declared invalid, firings at the local police station and a lesson in elder abuse.

A wealthy 92 year old woman suffering from dementia left a $2 million estate to a local police sergeant but after three years of legal wrangling, her will was found to be invalid and the police officer and his supervisor were both fired from their positions. In New Hampshire Magazine’s September 2016 issue the article “Navigating Non-Relative Inheritance,” explains how vigilant professionals must be, especially in cases where children or other family members are being disinherited.

Just about all of the inheritances in a typical estate go to family members or to the deceased’s favorite charities. But when an unrelated individual is the beneficiary of a valuable asset or a large sum of money, it can raise questions and perhaps suspicions from those who felt they had a right to the inheritance. The issue may become how to balance the wishes of the testator—by distributing his or her assets as he or she sees fit—with the right of the bequeathed or the beneficiary of the will to accept it without creating a conflict of interest or violating the essential trust.