Wow! 2021 has been a whirlwind… sometimes literally in paper. It seems we have had a new proposal almost every day from lawmakers. Social Security alone has been addressed in 10 different bills this year. And taxes? Keeping up with introduced or impending changes is a full-time job. The good news is that we are…
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It’s that time of year when families get together, laugh, tell stories, and eat too much. And like most holiday movies, some of it is remembered fondly all year – and some of it you just grit your teeth to get through. No matter where you fall on that spectrum, I want to bring a…
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There is a bit of chaos and change in the world today. Okay, a lot. And everyone is looking for answers. Whether it is how to lower taxes and keep your hard-earned dollars, find people to work, invest in markets (financial, real estate or otherwise) that appear overpriced, but also feels necessary to fight the…
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End-of-life issues can be a touchy subject for some people. No one wants to talk about the issues before they happen, no one wants to go through them, and…no wants to talk about them after. The result: Very few people know how to navigate end-of-life issues successfully. Most families that go through them suffer in…
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It is inevitable. Change is coming for 2021 and beyond. The problem is no one knows for sure exactly what that change will be. There are several things we have a good hunch will happen, and we will discuss a few key notes. No matter, the big question is how do you plan around a…
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You finally got your Will done. So, your estate plan is complete, right? Well… maybe not. Donna was a widow for many years before she died. She had updated all of her legal documents just a couple of years beforehand. Her goal was to make sure everything went equally to her three kids and to…
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$400,000 and $3.5 Million A few weeks ago, we were working with a family that could have severe estate tax issues in the future. When this risk was first exposed, the immediate response was this: We have until 2026 before anything can be changed, right? Unfortunately, this is a misconception. The tax code can be…
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Beyond grief, one reality that loved ones must face when someone passes is the responsibility of dealing with the departed’s estate. This undertaking can be quite cumbersome, especially due to the seemingly “foreign” language of the law. One aspect, the probate process, is public. It is filed in the city or county in which the…
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All of their fame and money may be one thing, but when they die – as we all do – celebrities are not so different from the rest of us. The same estate planning blunders they make are the same ones we see on an every day basis. Here are the top ten lessons to…
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Wow! Where has 2019 gone? There are only two months left—the busiest two months of the year with the holidays in full swing. The funny thing is that most people try to cram everything they intended to do all year into this hectic, compact time-frame. I guess the old adage is true—done beats perfect every…
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