Latest articles by Tracy Craig, Fellow, ACTEC, AEP®
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Should a Donor-Advised Fund Be Part of Your Estate Plan?
A donor-advised fund, or DAF, lets the donor reap tax benefits while also being able to direct how the money is distributed and invested.
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An 'Equal' Inheritance for All the Kids Doesn't Always Work
Here are four scenarios in which it'd be appropriate for one or more of your children to inherit differently than their siblings.
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How to Prepare for Upcoming Estate Tax Law Changes
High-net-worth families have time to take advantage of higher estate and gift tax exemptions before they’re significantly reduced if provisions of the Tax Cuts and Job Act are allowed to sunset.
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How to Handle Estate Planning for Multigenerational Living Arrangements
When multiple generations live on the same property, issues over ownership, who inherits what and who provides what can get complicated fast.
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Making a Killing in Cryptocurrency? There’s a Tax on That
If you sell it, capital gains (or losses) kick in, and if you gift or inherit a lot of it, the IRS might want a piece of the action.
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Got Cryptocurrency or NFTs? They Need to Be in Your Estate Plan
cryptocurrency Handled incorrectly, these popular assets could go poof. You need a password-sharing plan, a plan for naming beneficiaries and possibly a trust.
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Your Vacation Home Needs an Estate Plan!
estate planning There are several ways to pass on a vacation home down to your loved ones, and they all come with some pros and cons to consider.
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TOD Accounts Versus Revocable Trusts – Which Is Better?
savings Both help you pass down assets while avoiding the time and expense of probate, but one comes with a lot more flexibility than the other.
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5 Ways to Incorporate Charitable Giving into Your Estate Plan
retirement Giving appreciated stock shares, donating your RMDs and using charitable remainder trusts are just a few of the options you may not be aware of to help charities and your heirs at the same time.
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So, You Have an Estate Plan ... Now What?
retirement These legal documents can't just be put in a drawer and forgotten for years and years. They need to be tended to periodically, or else they may cause problems when you need them the most.
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To Gift or Not to Gift
retirement Sometimes it can be wise (or just pleasurable) to give your assets away while you're still alive.
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Beneficiary Designations: 5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid
retirement You may be surprised at how easy it is to make an expensive mistake with your beneficiary designations. Here's how to help avoid the five most common mistakes.
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No Children? Why You Still Need an Estate Plan
retirement Someone has to inherit your assets, and if you don't decide, state laws will do it for you. That means your awful Great Uncle Ed may inherit, while your beloved cousin Mary may get nothing. That's only one reason to get busy.
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Joint Ownership: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
retirement Putting a child on your bank account can make life easier as you get older, and it can help your heirs avoid probate after you're gone. But it comes with some pretty severe downsides. In fact, a revocable trust may be a better move.
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Even Your Pet Needs an Estate Plan
estate planning Who will feed Fifi once you’re gone? It's something you should probably put in writing. There are three different ways to do that, some offering more protections than others.
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Are You Ready for Longevity? 4 Steps to Take Now
Making Your Money Last A long life is a great gift, but with the joys come some financial and legal challenges. The earlier you act to address them, the better off you and your heirs will be.
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Should You Give Your House Away?
retirement If you’re thinking about it because you want to make sure it stays in the family or you have some concerns about Medicaid in the future, be careful. There can be serious consequences if not executed just right.
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Is Estate Planning Now Dead?
retirement Thanks to the new tax law, that's what some people may think. But estate planning is about a lot more than just taxes.
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