Blog
Estate Planning Strategies in a Low-Interest-Rate Environment
January 12, 2021
The federal government requires the use of certain interest rates (published by the IRS) to value various items used in estate planning, such as an income, annuity, or remainder interest in a trust. The government also has interest rates that a taxpayer may be deemed to use in connection with certain installment sales or intra-family…
Lessons from the Lockdown: A Back-to-Basics Holiday
November 24, 2020
If there is one thing the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders demonstrated, it was the need to find joy in simple pleasures. In fact, 43% of respondents to one survey said they had “changed their ways for the better” as a result of the lockdown.1 By applying some of the lessons learned from pandemic purgatory to the holiday…
Five Tips to Regain Your Retirement Savings Focus in 2021
November 24, 2020
In early 2020, 61% of U.S. workers surveyed said that retirement planning makes them feel stressed.1 Investor confidence was continually tested as the year wore on, and it’s likely that this percentage rose — perhaps even substantially. If you find yourself among those feeling stressed heading into the new year, these tips may help you focus…
Sharing Your Money Values Can Be Part of Your Legacy
November 24, 2020
When it’s time to prepare the next generation for a financial legacy, you might want to bring your family members together to talk about money. But sitting down together isn’t easy, because money is a complicated and emotionally charged topic. Rather than risk conflict, your family may prefer to avoid talking about it altogether. If…
Year-End 2020 Tax Tips
November 2, 2020
Here are some things to consider as you weigh potential tax moves before the end of the year. Defer Income to Next Year Consider opportunities to defer income to 2021, particularly if you think you may be in a lower tax bracket then. For example, you may be able to defer a year-end bonus or…
Seeking Sun or Savings? Explore a Retirement Move
November 2, 2020
Many people intend to retire in the place they call home, where they have established families and friendships. But for others, the end of a career brings the freedom to choose a new lifestyle in a different part of the country — or the opportunity to preserve more wealth and protect it from taxes. This…
Is Now a Good Time to Consider a Roth Conversion?
November 2, 2020
This year has been challenging on many fronts, but one financial opportunity may have emerged from the economic turbulence. If you’ve been thinking about converting your traditional IRA to a Roth, now might be an appropriate time to do so. Conversion Basics Roth IRAs offer tax-free income in retirement. Contributions to a Roth IRA are…
The Changing College Landscape
July 29, 2020
The 2020-2021 academic year is right around the corner, and the coronavirus pandemic has upended the college world, like everything else. Not only has COVID-19 impacted short-term college operations and student summer plans, but the virus could end up being the catalyst that changes the model of higher education in the long term. Here are…
Four Things to Consider Before Refinancing Your Home
July 29, 2020
Mortgage refinancing applications surged in the second week of March 2020, jumping by 79% — the largest weekly increase since November 2008. As a result, the Mortgage Bankers Association nearly doubled its 2020 refinance originations forecast to $1.2 trillion, the strongest refinance volume since 2012.1 Low mortgage interest rates have prompted many homeowners to think…
Could You Be Responsible for Your Parents’ Nursing Home Bills?
July 29, 2020
In 26 states (and Puerto Rico), laws generally hold children financially responsible for certain debts of their parents. These laws are referred to as filial responsibility laws (or filial support or filial piety laws). The details of filial responsibility laws vary by state. Most require that a parent must be deemed unable to pay for…