by Leslie Marenco | May 1, 2015 | Articles, Estate Planning, Health Care Directive, Probate, Trusts
A 2010 study conducted by the Investor Protection Trust found that more than seven million older Americans — 20 percent of those over the age of 65 — had already been a victim of financial abuse. Here are some tips on how you can ensure your parents (or...
by Leslie Marenco | Apr 24, 2015 | Articles, Estate Planning, Probate, Trusts
A common estate planning mistake many people make – including celebrities like Michael Jackson – is not ensuring the trust you have created holds all your assets. Unfortunately, most lawyers simply do not make sure this is properly handled for their clients, so if...
by Leslie Marenco | Apr 23, 2015 | Articles, Celebrity Estates, Estate Planning, IRAs / 401(k), Trusts
Sometimes families (even ultra-wealthy ones) end up dumping their businesses to cover the estate tax bill. Case in point: Joseph Robbie, despite his business acumen, made poor decisions when it came to planning his own estate. He was founder of the Miami...
by Leslie Marenco | Apr 17, 2015 | Articles, Asset Protection, Estate Planning
The poverty rate among seniors is rising, giving rise to the question of whether or not it is possible to inherit debt. In general, when a loved one passes, his or her debts fall to the estate to be paid. However, in situations where debt is shared — for...
by Leslie Marenco | Apr 17, 2015 | Articles, Estate Planning
Once you have chosen the people you want to receive any of your assets — either from a will, a trust, a life insurance policy or a retirement or bank account — the way you designate how they will inherit should be a key consideration. Here are five things...
by Leslie Marenco | Apr 10, 2015 | Articles, Estate Planning, Estate Tax, Gift Tax, Income Tax, IRS
The recession made many parents and grandparents into personal bankers, making loans to strapped children or grandchildren to help them cope with unemployment or other financial misfortune. However, family loans need to be prepared properly to avoid tax...