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  Last Updated: 5/27/2009 9:29:04 AM No parents want their children to fight among themselves after they are gone. Sadly, conflicts often arise, especially when a parent has gifted or loaned money to one child and not others. However, a few key words in your estate plan can minimize the potential for conflict. If you Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 6/8/2009 4:40:07 PM After almost a decade of changes in the federal estate tax code, and many states changing their tax structure in response to the federal changes, clarity appears to be on the horizon. Congress&#039s recently passed budget resolution would make the current estate tax rules permanent, taxing only estates over Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 10/7/2008   Whether it’s an honor or a burden (or both), you have been appointed trustee of a trust. What responsibilities have been thrust upon you? How can you successfully carry them out? Here are nine do’s and one don’t to get you started:Do read the trust document. It sets out the Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 12/1/2008 In addition to addressing the current housing crisis, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 makes changes to reverse mortgages, including higher borrowing limits and protections from aggressive marketing. A reverse mortgage allows a homeowner who is at least 62 years old to use the equity in his or her Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 10/6/2008 It’s being called the greatest shock to the U.S. financial system since the Great Depression. With major brokerage houses and insurers going under and Wall Street gyrating wildly, many are wondering if there is any safe place to put their money and what, if any, investment moves they should make. In Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 11/4/2008 If you or a family member lives in an assisted living facility, you know that assisted living costs continue to rise every year. But did you know some of those costs may be tax deductible? Medical expenses, including some long-term care expenses, are deductible if the expenses are more than 7.5 Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 10/17/2008 The annual gift tax exclusion will increase from $12,000 to $13,000 effective January 1, 2009, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced. The gift tax exclusion is the amount the IRS allows a taxpayer to gift to another individual without reporting the gift. The increase means that more can be given Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 11/7/2008 By Mark Miller, RetirementRevised.com Barack Obama’s hair turned a little gray during his 20-month quest for the presidency but he’s hardly the only one showing some age. President-elect Obama will lead a country that is aging rapidly as the huge baby boomer generation heads toward retirement. By the year 2030, there Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 11/17/2008 By Sue Woodman The story is the same across the country: the combination of a tough economy, rising food and fuel prices, and strained social services are causing dramatically higher numbers of elderly to seek out free food programs. In big cities like New York, the numbers showing up for free Read Full Article

  Last Updated: 12/2/2008 Roy Williams and Vic Preisser. Preparing Heirs: Five Steps to a Successful Transition of Family Wealth and Values. Robert D. Reed Publishers, San Francisco, CA. 2003. 182 pages. $19.77 from Amazon (click on book to order) If you have worked hard to accumulate wealth, you probably want to make sure your Read Full Article