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Estate Planning Strategies

Found 73 Articles.
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estate planning

Estate Planning for Community Property

July 1, 2004

Estate Planning can be different for married couples who live in the eight community property states. The one-third of Americans who live in those states need to take their state laws into account and make a few adjustments from traditional estate plans. Community property laws say that property acquired before the marriage and inheritances are […]

estate planning

How Markets Affect Your Estate Planning

May 1, 2004

The financial markets have changed many estate plans, and most people don’t even know it. Estate planners don’t always realize what the markets have done to their clients’ plans. After the market upheavals of the last year, it is a good idea now to review your estate plan to see how its results might have […]

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Developing the Complete Estate Planning Strategy

April 1, 2004

A will plus a trust or two simply do not make a complete estate plan. Most estate plans are woefully incomplete. Heirs and loved ones often suffer as a consequence. A complete estate plan does more than decide how your assets will be divided and how taxes will be reduced. A full estate plan meets […]

Estate Planning

Estate Planning Strategies to Help Heirs While Protecting Wealth

March 1, 2004

Incentive trusts and protective trusts are all the rage. Many people want to be generous with succeeding generations – now or in their wills – but they want some assurance the wealth won’t be wasted. People are concerned that inheriting wealth might reduce an heir’s work ethic. They don’t want the money to disappear in […]

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Ten Simple Estate Planning Strategies To Protect Assets

June 1, 2003

For the first time in years, I am hearing again from subscribers who seek to protect their assets from lawsuits and creditors. Those in the medical profession feel especially vulnerable. Other business owners and professionals are hurt by rising insurance costs or reductions in coverage. All are seeking other ways to protect themselves. In addition, […]

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How to Reduce Asset Wastage In Your Estate Planning

June 1, 2003

Estate Planning is much more than tax planning, as I’ve said in past visits. One function of estate planning is to reduce the ‘leakage’ caused by costs and other expenses. There are steps you can take now to reduce the wasting of assets. Here’s my list of the key steps. Write it yourself. A lawyer […]

estate planning

How Low Interest Rates Can Boost Your Estate Planning

April 1, 2003

Low interest rates and depressed stock prices are making a classic Estate Planning strategy significantly more attractive. People who could benefit from the strategy should look into it before interest rates rise. This tool has the un-sexy name of grantor retained annuity trust, or GRAT. It has the sexy result of allowing you to pass […]

estate planning

Estate Planning Strategy: Roth IRAs For Youngsters

January 1, 2003

A Roth IRA is one of the best investment and wealth building vehicles for youngsters. That’s right, for youngsters. Establishing a Roth IRA for your children or grandchildren creates a valuable, low-cost legacy for which the youngsters later will be very grateful. A few thousand dollars now could be worth hundreds of thousands of tax […]

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