Author Archives: Linda Fisher
How Does a Life Estate Work?
Life estates are used for a number of estate planning purposes. However, the most frequent strategy is to use a life estate where a parent transfers a home to a child and retains a life estate for themselves. nj.com’s recent article, “How does a life estate work to transfer a home to a child?”… Read More »
What Bills Has Congress Introduced to Help Veterans?
radio.com’s article “Congress introduces bills to increase veteran benefits, refund home loan fees, help women veterans, ” lists all of the legislation that’s been introduced in Congress aimed at helping veterans. Cost of living adjustment (COLA). Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans… Read More »
Why the Secure Act May Make Your Retirement Less Secure
Congress can’t wait to get its hands on America’s retirement account assets, says The Wall Street Journal in the article “Congress is Coming for Your IRA.” In May, the House passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act, known as the Secure Act. It is widely expected to pass the Senate. While… Read More »
The Secret to Spousal Benefits for Social Security
Whether you are married now or were married in the past, it’s likely that you are eligible for Social Security spousal benefits, as reported in the article “How to Maximize Social Security With Spousal Benefits” from U.S. News & World Report. Spouses who devote their lives to raising families and performing other tasks that… Read More »
What Kind of Money Do I Need to Put into a Special Needs Trust for my Child?
One of the toughest things about planning for a child with special needs is trying to calculate the amount of money it’s going to take to provide both while the parents are alive and after the parents pass away. Kiplinger’s recent article asks “How Much Should Go into Your Special Needs Trust?” The article… Read More »
Why It’s Always Better to Plan Ahead
Two stories of two people who managed their personal lives very differently illustrate the enormous difference that can happen for those who refuse to prepare themselves and their families for the events that often accompany aging. As an article from Sedona Red Rock News titled “Plan ahead in case of sudden sickness or death”… Read More »
Things You Need to Know About Handling Your Aging Loved One’s Finances
Sometimes a loved one starts having trouble managing her money because of confusion, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, or some other form of dementia. When that happens, you might find yourself having to serve as her money manager. Here are some things you need to know about handling your aging loved one’s finances. Changes to… Read More »
Should I Get Attorney to Write My Will?
Drafting a will is an essential part of estate planning. Even though it’s vitally important, a recent survey from AARP revealed that two out of five Americans over the age of 45 don’t have one. The Reflector’s recent article, “Things people should know about creating wills, ” says that writing your wishes down on… Read More »
Does Your Estate Plan Include Your Pets?
Estate planning helps to create a strategy for managing assets while we are living and their distribution when we pass away. That includes determining what happens to our tangible property as well as financial investments, retirement accounts, etc. An estate plan can also be used to protect the well-being of our beloved companion animals,… Read More »
I Want to Make a Generous Gift but the Taxes?
That’s the short answer to the question, which is often asked in a roundabout manner: “How much am I allowed to gift?” There are more details in the complete answer, as reported in The Mercury’s article, “Can I gift more than $15, 000?” You can gift as much as you wish, to whomever you… Read More »