It may be one of the biggest misconceptions people have about Medicare—thinking that when they’re eligible they can enroll and then they’re set for life—set it and forget it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Never changing your Medicare plan can be a costly mistake. Every year, insurance companies...
You’ve worked hard to get your estate plan in place. The appropriate documents have been created and signed. You’ve named the person who’ll carry out your final wishes. But have you completed the final piece of the estate planning puzzle? If this last piece is in place, it will...
Americans are living much longer. Some are running out of money before their death and need additional assistance from the Federal Government, which puts more strain on a system that’s bringing in less money than it’s paying retirees. On January 1, 2020, the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up...
The desire to leave a legacy when you depart this world has always been the reason to do estate planning. Until now, that’s been enough. But in today’s world of technology, few people are considering what to do with their digital assets—Facebook accounts, Twitter accounts, your business website, online banking. What happens to...
The use of special needs trusts has become common for the care of qualifying children with challenges. However, the process of properly setting up a special needs trust requires expert advice and well thought out planning so the beneficiary of the trust is taken care of in the manner the trust grantor intended. Here...
Do I need a will or a trust? That’s the most basic question to begin creating an estate plan. And, let’s face it, you really do want a say in who gets what after your gone. That’s just human nature. Without some kind of legal instructions, you can’t guarantee...
Yes, it’s still a few months before you have to strap on the gloves and step into the ring with the IRS again, but you still have some time to create the maximum amount of legal deductions and reduce the tax bite. Here are some to consider: Adjust your W-4 withholding If...
Have you ever had that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realize there was a tax deduction you could have taken and didn’t? There’s just something deflating about knowing Uncle Sam got more of your money than he had to. The folks at TurboTax have...
This is the time of year when leaves fall and the Social Security Administration announces the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) for people receiving Social Security. For 2020 the increase will be 1.6 percent, or about $24 per month, raising the average monthly individual payout to $1503. It will boost the maximum...