Serving as an Executor?
What’s Involved in Serving as an Executor?
An executor is the person designated in a Will as the individual who is responsible for performing a number of tasks necessary to wind down the decedent’s affairs. Generally, the executor’s responsibilities involve taking charge of...
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Retirement Accounts and Estate Planning
Retirement Accounts and Estate Planning
For many Americans, retirement accounts comprise a substantial portion of their wealth. When planning your estate, it is important to consider the ramifications of tax-deferred retirement accounts, such as 401(k) and 403(b) accounts and traditional IRAs. (Roth IRAs...
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Overlooked Issues in Estate Planning
Top 5 Overlooked Issues in Estate Planning
In planning your estate, you most likely have concerned yourself with “big picture” issues. Who inherits what? Do I need a living trust? However, there are numerous details that are often overlooked, and which can drastically...
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Considering Online Estate Planning?
Considering Online Estate Planning? Think Twice
The recent proliferation of online estate planning document services has attracted many do-it-yourselfers who are lured in by what appears to be a low-cost solution. However, this focus on price over value could mean your wishes will...
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Guardianships & Conservatorships
Guardianships & Conservatorships and How to Avoid Them
If a person becomes mentally or physically handicapped to a point where they can no longer make rational decisions about their person or their finances, their loved ones may consider a guardianship or a conservatorship...
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Gifting to Grandchildren
Issues to Consider When Gifting to Grandchildren
Many grandparents who are financially stable love the idea of making gifts to their grandchildren. However, they are usually not aware of the myriad of issues that surround what they may consider to be a simple...
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Medicare vs. Medicaid
Medicare vs. Medicaid: Similarities and Differences
With such similar sounding names, many Americans mistake Medicare and Medicaid programs for one another, or presume the programs are as similar as their names. While both are government-run programs, there are many important differences. Medicare provides...
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Paying Off Loved One’s Debts
Do Heirs Have to Pay Off Their Loved One’s Debts?
The recent economic recession, and staggering increases in health care costs have left millions of Americans facing incredible losses and mounting debt in their final years. Are you concerned that, rather than inheriting...
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Filial Responsibility Laws
Filial Responsibility Laws
Filial responsibility laws impose a legal obligation on adult children to take care of their parents’ basic needs and medical care. Although most people are not aware of them, 30 states in the U.S. have some type of filial responsibility...
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Bank Accounts and Medicaid Eligibility
Joint Bank Accounts and Medicaid Eligibility
Like most governmental benefit programs, there are many myths surrounding Medicaid and eligibility for benefits. One of the most common myths is the belief that only 50% of the funds in a jointly-owned bank account will be...
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