Estate planning. It’s not one of
the most pleasant topics because you have to admit your own mortality. But, for
people who want to take care of their loved ones, estate planning is essential.
Without a plan, distribution of your estate will be determined by a court or a
bureaucrat—probably not the way...
In 2012, the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) established, for the first time, a permanent estate tax and gift tax exemption. The exemption is the amount an individual can pass on at death without paying estate taxes. The legislation set the exemption at $5 million per person, indexed for...
What to do? What to do? The 2020 presidential election is just around the corner and questions are being asked about how to protect your wealth, no matter who’s elected.
Each candidate has broadly divergent views about income taxes, capital gains taxes, estate taxes; how much you keep and how...
A loved one has died and you’re in charge of settling the estate. There’s a long checklist of things that need to be done, from notifying Social Security to probate to disposition of assets. One other item on that list is filing the final tax return for the deceased.
The...
You spend a lifetime earning, saving, acquiring. But the old adage is true—you can’t take it with you. So, what do you do with your assets when you’re gone? How do you want them distributed? That’s where a good estate plan comes in. However, some estate plans are based...
PROBATE—a word that strikes terror in the hearts of people planning the distribution of their estates. They worry that the probate process can drag on for months or years, that probate costs will eat up a chunk of what they want to leave their heirs, or that people will...
Alhambra's Bob Williams offers tips on being the executor of an estate.
You’ve done all the planning. Your trust is set up. You’re comfortable that your estate will be distributed exactly as you want. There’s just one more decision to make—an important one. Who should be the trustee?
James J. Ferraro, JD is vice president and legal counsel at Argent Trust Company....