Guest Blog: Life Insurance Basics, Part 1 of 2

I get many questions regarding life insurance, and while I am happy to advise on the many estate and gift tax consequences related to life insurance, I leave the recommendations of why, how much and why to the life insurance experts.  The information below is provided...

The Right Way to Inherit an IRA

While an inheritance is often considered a gift by the recipient, from a tax perspective, there optimal ways to inherit a retirement account.  From the language used to designate the beneficiaries to important IRS-imposed deadlines, the manner in which a retirement...

Probate—What It Is and How to Avoid It

Most people first encounter probate when a loved one passes away (the “decedent”) and his or her assets need to be transferred.  Probate is the process by which the county court validates an individual’s Will, if he or she left one, and approves the distribution of...