You may have heard about the horrors of probate, but in truth, probate has gotten an undeservedly bad reputation, especially in recent years. If you bypass probate, your estate will go to your beneficiaries without any court proceeding, and you may save a certain amount of time and expenses. However, there is usually little reason […]
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Teaching Your College-Age Child About Money
When your child first started school, you doled out the change for milk and a snack on a daily basis. But now that your kindergartner has grown up, it is time for you to make sure that your child has enough financial knowledge to manage money at college. LESSON 1: BUDGETING 101 Perhaps your child […]
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Tips for Those Caught in the Sandwich Generation
At a time when your career is reaching a peak and you are looking ahead to your own retirement, you may find yourself in the position of having to help your children with college expenses or the financial challenges of young adulthood while at the same time looking after the needs of your aging parents. […]
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Spring Cleaning Your Way to Better Finances
Spring is a good time to clean out the cobwebs, and not just in your home or apartment. Your personal finances can benefit from a good spring cleaning, too. Here are some questions to ask yourself regarding your budget, debt, and taxes. IS THERE ROOM IN MY BUDGET TO SAVE MORE? A budget is the centerpiece […]
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Is it Time to Review Your IRA Estate Planning Strategies?
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which was passed in December 2019 as part of a larger federal spending package, included a provision that warrants special attention from those who own high-value IRAs. Specifically, the “stretch” IRA provision — which permitted no spouse beneficiaries who inherited IRAs to spread distributions over […]