Whether it’s an honor or a burden (or both), you have been appointed trustee of a trust. What responsibilities have been thrust upon you? How can you successfully carry them out? Here are nine do’s and one don’t to get you started:
Do read the trust document. It sets out the rules under which you will […]
A million low-income seniors have become eligible for a big assist on prescription drug expenses this year under a newly expanded federal program. The subsidy can defray thousands of dollars in costs, and in many cases eliminate prescription drug expenses entirely for participating seniors.
The Extra Help program which is administered by the Social Security Administration […]
The Good – The Estate Tax Is Repealed, For Now
Effective January 1, 2010, there is no longer a tax on the estates of those dying during 2010. Although Congress may reinstate the tax retroactively in 2010, perhaps as part of broader tax reform, this is by no means a certainty.
If Congress fails to act, the […]
Many of our clients have asked us what impact, if any, the legislative health care reform being considered would have on their future long term care costs. Most of the discussion about health reform has centered on issues like the “public option” and abortion restrictions. Putting aside the issue of whether such reform is warranted, […]
It is that time of year again — time to reassess whether your Medicare plan is working for you. Medicare’s open enrollment period began November 15 and continues until midnight December 31. During this period, you may enroll in a Medicare Part D (prescription drug) plan or, if you currently have a plan, you may […]
As the New Year approaches, taxpayers around the nation are thinking about making gifts or other financial moves before January 1 that will benefit them come April 15, 2010. Here are some year-end considerations relating to gifting, distributions from retirement accounts, charitable donations, retirement account rollover options and more.
A Reprieve on RMDs
Last year, as the […]
Price rollbacks throughout the U.S. economy during the past year did not apply to long-term care service providers, according to the 2009 MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home, Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, and Home Care Costs. Private room nursing home rates rose 3.3 percent to $79,935 a year or $219 a day, while assisted […]
Many people think that estate plans are for someone else, not them. They may rationalize that they are too young or don’t have enough money to reap the tax benefits of a plan. But as the following list makes clear, estate planning is for everyone, regardless of age or net worth. (For more information on […]
After not rising last year, the basic premium for Medicare Part B will shoot up 15 percent to $110.50 a month in 2010 from $96.40 in 2008 and 2009. But most beneficiaries will be exempted from paying this increase. Whether the rest will be able to avoid it as well remains to be seen.
The explanation […]
Getting remarried can be a joyous event, but it can also make estate planning more complicated. Adding additional family members to your life can make it much richer and happier However, when deciding how to provide for the surviving spouse at the death of the first, and how your combined estate shall be divided amongst […]
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