Category Archives: Uncategorized

QUESTION Q: Can I leave my 401(k) to my minor children when I die? -Pondering Parent ANSWER ______________________________________________________________________________ A: Dear Pondering: Though you are technically allowed to name a minor child as beneficiary of your 401(k), IRA, or other employment-sponsored retirement account, it’s never a good idea. Minor children cannot inherit the account until they […]

As we head into the peak of wedding season, if you are a newlywed or are about to tie the knot, add “estate planning” to your do list. And yes, we imagine that at this happiest time of your life, planning for your potential incapacity and eventual death is probably the farthest thing from your […]

As we are in the peak of wedding season, if you are a newlywed or are about to tie the knot, add “estate planning” to your do list. And yes, we imagine that at this happiest time of your life, planning for your potential incapacity and eventual death is probably the farthest thing from your […]

Nearly three years have passed since Aretha Franklin, known as the “Queen of Soul,” died from pancreatic cancer at age 76. When she first passed away in August 2018, her family thought that Aretha died without any estate plan at all. But since then, four different wills attributed to the late singer have been discovered. […]

Nearly three years have passed since Aretha Franklin, known as the “Queen of Soul,” died from pancreatic cancer at age 76. At the time, her total fortune was estimated to be worth up to $80 million. Yet due to poor estate planning, the late singer’s children have yet to see a dime of their inheritance, […]

Q & A: How can I avoid being placed under the care of a professional guardian? ______________________________________________________________________________ Q: How can I avoid being placed under the care of a professional guardian? —Senior Planner ANSWER ______________________________________________________________________________ A: Dear Planner: Should you become incapacitated without any planning in place, your family would have to petition the court […]

The Netflix movie I Care a Lot provides a dark, violent, and somewhat comedic take on the real life and not-at-all funny dangers of the legal (and sometimes corrupt) guardianship system. While the film’s twisting plot may seem farfetched, it sheds light on a tragic phenomenon—the abuse of seniors at the hands of crooked “professional” […]

The Netflix movie I Care a Lot provides a dark, violent, and somewhat comedic take on the real life and not-at-all funny dangers of the legal (and sometimes corrupt) guardianship system. While the film’s twisting plot may seem farfetched, it sheds light on a tragic phenomenon—the abuse of seniors at the hands of crooked “professional” […]

Q & A: Q:What estate planning documents should my son, who just turned 18 and is planning to attend college in the fall, have in place? -Prudent Papa ANSWER A: Dear Prudent: At age 18, your son is now an adult in the eyes of the law. This means you no longer have the authority […]

Signed into law on March 11th, President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) is the largest direct-to-taxpayer stimulus legislation ever passed, and it came just in time to save millions of Americans whose unemployment benefits were about to expire. In addition to extending unemployment relief, the ARP provides individual taxpayers and […]