Avoid Probate With Proper Asset Titling

Dying without a properly structured estate plan often means months of expenses and frustration for surviving family members. While a complex estate plan is necessary for those with wealth, there are some things you can do to relieve your heirs of the hassles and expenses of probate - without spending a lot of money to get it done!

A Joint Tenancy Is Where Two Persons Co-Own A Property

A Joint Tenancy is where you and another person co-own or cohabitate the same property. Joint Tenancy also refers to where a married couple owns a home or property together. You might also want to know that a Joint Tenancy can have more than two people who own the property. The only stipulation to this is that no matter how many people own the property, they all own equal parts.

An Endowment Will Last Forever

An endowment can be a great way to gift money or property to an institution. It stipulates that the gift be invested and the principal always remain intact. This means that the institution will have a continuous flow of funds from the interest.

Estate Planning

Estate planning is necessary to ease your loved ones pain.

Charitable Remainder Trust - Having Your Cake & Eating It Too

Using this method of charitable giving, you can actually give your assets away and keep them. It's like having your cake and eating it, too!

Spendthrift Trusts – Checks And Balances For Dysfunctional Beneficiaries

You want to pass on your hard earned assets BUT one of your heirs is an X-factor. Drugs, alcohol, gambling have entered their lives - you're not sure they can act responsibly - here's where the Spendthrift Trust comes in...

Offshore Annuity, Deferred Variable Annuity

An Offshore Annuity is an annuity that will gain interest at a rate determined by the investment portfolios, and either the owner or annuitant will be taxed at beginning of withdrawal period. Used in wealth preservation. Offshore Trust is usually owner of Offshore Annuity. Difference of Deferred Variable Annuity. Benefits of Offshore Annuity: flexibility, asset protection, tax advantages. On fraudulent transfer laws of Offshore Annuity and Offshore Trust. How to purchase an Offshore Annuity?

Living Trust Confusion

With all the misinformation on the web about living trusts, it's easy to be confused. The truth is that living trusts are good for some people and not for others. Only by educating yourself can you know if a living trust is for you.

Estate - Signed, Sealed, Delivered - It's Theirs

My last few articles have focused on various end-of-life issues that were made very real to me due my mother-in-law's recent death. In this article, we'll discuss the simple steps you can take that will make dividing your personal possessions easier on your family.

Estate Planning Made Easy....Easier

A major intergenerational transfer of wealth is underway, like nothing before seen in this country-or the world, for that matter. Estimates from the Federal Reserve Board have the richest 5% of U.S. households likely to pass along nearly 60% of the nation’s wealth within the next 50 years.

Estate - Beyond The Living Will

Living wills have received a great deal of attention due to the recent Terry Schiavo situation. Because her end-of-life wishes were in dispute, family members battled each other in the courts over her treatment and care. By having a proper Living Will, you can avoid such confusion. But a Living Will doesn’t ensure you have all your bases covered. There are other equally important documents you must have in place.

Family Limited Partnership-Abusive Tax-Free Wealth Transfer

General Partners in family limited partnerships cause red flags for abusive tax-free wealth transfers. Describe how family limited partnerships work. Gifting to the younger generation as a tax deferral strategy can use two discount estate tax valuations of underlying assets up to 70%. Disadvantages of family limited partnerships do not receive stepped-up basis as bequeathed property. There are capital gains tax liability issues. General partners have no asset protection. Briefly discuss family succession estate planning for asset protection, wealth preservation, avoiding probate, defer capital gains, eliminate estate taxes, reduce income taxes- dispute resolution and control of family business matters.

Division Without Divisiveness

You've probably heard the horror stories - how sometimes families are torn apart by hard feelings stemming from the inequitable division of estates or even from the perception that the division was not fair. As an outside observer, it might be easy to dismiss such cases as pointless, petty, and avoidable. But how easy it is for all of us to repeat the same mistakes that led to these tragic consequences!