For once, it seems that the IRS did something to be helpful for families that want to preserve wealth. The Internal Revenue Service issued guidance back in August on the treatment of basis for certain estates of decedents who died in 2010. This guidance assists executors who are making the choice to opt out of… Read More »
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Protecting Your Family From ‘Deep Pockets’ Lawsuits
We live in a litigious society. As a matter of fact, America files more lawsuits than any other place in the world. As much as we would like to think that all (or at least most) of these lawsuits are about justice, the truth is that very often they are about money. In fact, quite… Read More »
When Unexpected Tragedies Occur
When unexpected tragedies occur, it can be a sad reminder to everyone that life is fleeting. The recent disaster at the Reno Air Show brought to mind that disasters such as these, that cause death and serious injury to others, do happen. In the case of this most recent aircraft disaster, there are 10 dead… Read More »
Petter Estate Is a Big Victory That Highlights a Great Safety Net Plan
Anne Petter — Modest Teacher and Favorite Niece Anne Petter was a teacher who died in 2008. Her favorite uncle (this distinction may or may not be true) was an early investor in UPS. In 1982, she inherited stock from him. In 2001, she held $22 million worth of UPS stock. At the time, the… Read More »
Asset Protection is Essential for Doctors, Lawyers, and Other Professionals
We all know that there are certain risks that come simply with owning property and building wealth; this is why just about everybody has some kind of insurance coverage, from simple home or auto insurance to more complicated asset protection strategies. But doctors, lawyers, accountants, and other “professionals” carry a different kind of risk; these… Read More »
Consider Not Only HOW to Protect Your Assets, But Also WHY
I write a lot on my blog about how to protect your assets, but just as important as the question of how to protect your assets is the question of why? At some point every person asks themselves “what (or who) am I doing this for?” British fashion designer Alexander McQueen certainly knew the answer… Read More »
Help Elderly Relatives Protect Assets from Scam Artists and Financial Abuse
According to this article on CNBC, “Roughly half the population over 80 suffers from significant cognitive impairment — problems with memory, language, thinking and judgment. That includes one in five who have dementia.” This cognitive decline can have very serious consequences on many levels. “Elderly investors regularly harm their finances, or their families, through ill-considered… Read More »
How to Protect Your Assets During a “Grey Divorce”
One year ago Al and Tipper Gore announced their plans to divorce after 40 years, 3 children, 8 years of vice presidency, and one presidential campaign. The announcement was a shock not only to the public, but to their friends and family as well. After all, if marriage isn’t safe after all that, what is… Read More »
Take Advantage of All Your Options with Out of State Trusts
If you have a family trust—or are considering creating a family trust—to protect your assets you may want to ask your attorney about creating an out of state trust. It’s a grantor’s market (so to speak) and creating a trust these days doesn’t mean you have to simply accept the tax laws of your state… Read More »
Real Estate Investments: Protect Your Property from Liability Risks
If there is one way to be sure money stays in the family and grows over time it is through real estate. Despite the year-to-year ups and downs of the real estate market, the value of real property continues to grow over the long term. And the recent low real estate prices mean that it… Read More »