#estate planning

#estate planning

Losing a parent can be a tough blow. The grief alone can feel overwhelming, and the last thing anyone wants during that time is additional stress or conflict. But one thing that can make the process even harder is having to fight to gain access to the assets you know your parent intended for you to inherit. When the emotional burden is already heavy, dealing with red tape, unresponsive institutions, or unclear documentation can push anyone to their limit.

The changes approved by lawmakers in July lock in a friendlier tax climate for affluent Americans with lower rates and generous exemptions. While middle-income households may see some modest relief, the lion's share of the benefits will flow to those with substantial earnings, investment income, or large estates. "By definition," says Joseph Rosenberg, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, "these are very wealthy people who benefit."

My parents moved to a new house in a new state 30 years ago. For some reason, they put the house in my mom's name only. I think it might have been to lower state estate taxes, but their state doesn't currently have any estate taxes (and their estate is definitely lower than the $13.99 million federal limit for 2025). In the past 30 years, the house has appreciated considerably.

Not to be a Nosy Nelly, but in this investment environment, I have my MBA accounting and finance students watching investments that have motion. The age-old expression that accounting and finance students can quote in their sleep is that cash is king. And from the looks of things, Paris Hilton is proving that saying to be right. It's not uncommon for homeowners, whether high-net-worth or not, to refinance their homes for liquidity or investment flexibility.

Joe Fulton (Bill Sage), a filmmaker referred to as "the quiet and unassuming elder statesman of American romantic comedies," decides to prepare his last will and testament while also jockeying for a job as a cemetery groundskeeper. The timing of his estate planning combined with the drastic professional pivot concerns some of the people in Joe's life, most of whom assume that he's near death.

Q: I have been investing for decades, and I now want to transition into a safe, non-volatile, income producing account without penalties or capital gains. What are my options? A: Who wouldn't want a consistent return without risk or capital gains taxes? Sadly, this doesn't exist. If you seek safety, consider a money market fund, a CD, or treasury bills. Once the Fed starts to cut interest rates, which could be any day, rates on these investments will start to drop.

My first marriage left me a wealthy widow where we had several vacation homes but sadly no children. My second husband has two adult sons and a thriving business that is basically his third child. Despite us both being retired, he is still very involved in the business. Neither of his sons ever showed interest in taking over, so my husband has been approaching his lifelong employee, "Mike," to take over.

"I was shocked that this process was so hard. It's paper-driven. It's archaic. You're googling to-do lists that are not helpful. You're calling attorneys who might do a sliver of the work, and they cost thousands and thousands of dollars."

Managing the logistics after a death involves a series of practical steps such as transporting the body, obtaining death certificates, and planning a funeral service.

A trust is a legal arrangement where assets are managed by a trustee for the benefit of a beneficiary. They are popular estate planning tools to ensure financial security, control asset distribution, and potentially reduce taxes.

Most people avoid estate planning because it feels like preparing for death. But if you're living with a chronic condition, it's not about dying - it's about staying in charge.

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Dealing with added financial liabilities upon the passing of a loved one can feel like a few ounces of salt poured into one's deep wound.