Category Archives: Current Topics
Who Owns What? Titling Your Assets
Asset titling is a misunderstood but important part of estate planning. It is easy to believe that the so-called experts like banks, investment companies and escrow companies automatically place property into the “proper” name, but that is not always the … Continue reading
Financial and Estate Planning for Possible Dementia
I remember the doctor’s appointment I made for my mother when I first began questioning whether she had dementia. I sat and listened to his questions testing her cognitive loss. The questions, which I later discovered were fairly standard, were … Continue reading
Oh, Thank You Mr. Bobrow: IRA Rollover Rules Have Changed
In 2008, Mr. and Mrs. Bobrow made a series of single-day transfers from several Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRA”) to others. Unfortunately for all of us, one of the transfers occurred more than 60 days after the corresponding withdrawal, which the … Continue reading
Protecting Your Estate from “Social Engineering” Fraud
One aspect of estate planning is keeping your assets, and not having them stolen. This came to my attention this weekend, when I received an automated “social engineering” call on my cellphone, something like: “This is ATT. It has come … Continue reading
Lessons from “Little Sweetie’s” Estate
Most of us live pretty mundane lives. But not Hong Kong billionaire Nina Wang, who died in 2007 at age 69. Wang, nicknamed “little sweetie” because she liked dressing in traditional Chinese clothing and wore pigtails, was the heiress to … Continue reading
Thoughts on Giving to Charities
I have had a number of clients who have no children or natural heirs, and have struggled with what to do with their estates after death. Others want to “mix it up,” giving some to their heirs, but not everything. … Continue reading
Problems with a Joint Tenancy
While the method is often used, holding property in joint tenancy is not always the best estate planning tool. It often has unexpected results. What is joint tenancy? Under California law, a joint tenancy is property held in undivided equal … Continue reading
An Alzheimer’s/Chronic Stress Link?
It seems like there is a new study every few months concerning the causes of Alzheimer’s disease. However, this new study from the University of Kuopio in Finland, reported in the U.K. Express, suggests that lifestyle may be a significant … Continue reading
Some giving is tax free
This blog and so many others dwell on taxes, and how to avoid them. It is easy to forget that the gift of our time is tax free – and can be a much more meaningful gift than money. Joplin, … Continue reading
Consumer Reports Examines Legal Estate Planning Software
Consumer Reports examined three software and internet products, concluding that buyers should beware, reporting that “among the problems we found in one or more of these products: outdated information, insufficient customization, incompleteness, inability to handle some tax issues, and lack of flexibility.” … Continue reading