Category Archives for Seniors and Retirement

9 Top Questions (and Answers) on the SECURE Act

If you are at or nearing retirement age or planning for retirement, there is some BIG NEWS that everyone needs to understand and act on for their own retirement planning. Just this month, the Setting Every Community Up For Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was passed by the House of Representatives and the US Senate by […]

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3 Reasons Why You Want to Take Social Security at 62

There is always a lot of discussion about when someone should start taking their Social Security payments. And often times it depends on who you are talking to as to what the pro’s and cons are for the different times you are eligible. Most people know they can start taking their Social Security payments starting […]

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It’s HERE…the Tax Tables Everyone Needs to Know for 2020

One of the most anticipated (and dreaded) time of the year is when the IRS releases the tax rates for the upcoming year. It almost always happens in the last couple of months of the year. While everyone hopes their rates will go down, for most, they either aren’t going to change significantly or could […]

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Don’t Forget About Your “Other” Loved Ones…Your Pets

Are you (or do you know) one of those pet owners who is “over the top” passionate about their pet? They are a member of the family and are loved as much as anyone else in the family. Their pets might even get more attention when it comes to posting pictures on social media than […]

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The “Four Pillars” You Need in Your Estate Plan so it “Works” the Way You Want It To

Regardless of whether you have an estate plan in place or are just starting to think about one, there are some key elements everyone should know about (or refresh their thinking about). It will be worth your time to refresh yourself (or educate yourself) on some core goals you should consider when thinking about estate […]

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Do You Have an Estate over $11M…You’ll Want to Know About This Technique

The federal estate and gift tax exemption is at an all-time high ($11,400,000 as of January 1, 2019). This means that the vast majority of people will be tax exempt when it comes to gift taxes and only a tiny percentage of people who will have taxable estates. But for those of you who do […]

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Are You Going to Take Advantage of the Proposed “Clawback” Changes?

Estate tax issues with new tax laws

Because of the recent tax law changes, there is an interesting proposal on the table that will be voted on in March of 2019. It is expected to pass with little opposition. If it does pass, there will be some interesting “opportunities” for people between now and 2026. This is the window where you will […]

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Celebrity “Fail” Series…Fail #3…How Burt Reynolds and Aretha Franklin Failed at Estate Planning

Burt Reynolds and Aretha Franklin fails in estate planning

This is the third in our “Celebrity Fail Series” that talks about how celebrities failed to do the proper planning for their estates. Besides having some great entertainment value, there are some important lessons that can be learned from some of the most recognized celebrities. It also demonstrates that effective estate planning isn’t about having the […]

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Celebrity “Fail” Series…Fail #2…How Frank Sinatra Jr. Failed at Estate Planning

Frank sinatra jr. failed at estate planning

This is the second in our “Celebrity Fail Series” that talks about how celebrities failed to do the proper planning for their estates. Besides having some great entertainment value, there are some important lessons that can be learned from some of the most recognized celebrities.It also demonstrates that effective estate planning isn’t about having the […]

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Celebrity “Fail” Series… Fail #1…How Prince Failed at Estate Planning

Prince the musician and lack of estate planning

​In a world where people envy the lives of celebrities, there are some realities that might not make you quite so envious. One of these areas is Estate Planning. When we think they have it all together we often times discover ​this is not necessarily the case. When they pass away and their estate plans […]

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