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Don't wait for retirement to launch your estate plan. People often put off estate planning, until they get older.  However, life events should trigger proper estate planning much sooner. This includes things like getting married or having children.

Deductions for state and local taxes face a new limit. One of the more controversial changes in the new tax laws passed in late December was that the itemized deduction for state and local taxes is now limited to $10,000.

Spouse retains full rights to estate, unless there is a divorce. There were two deaths in the celebrity world recently that involved separations, highlighting a peculiar issue in estate law, according to Forbes...

Opponents often claim that Social Security is going broke and will soon be bankrupt.  However, that isn't true. A recent government report is being used by opponents of Social Security and government spending, as ammunition to charge that if something is not done, then Social Security will...

There are health benefits to being mentally and physically active. People seem to have no problem learning how to have fun, when they are young.  However, that often disappears when they enter the work force and began living an adult life. However, when they retire, they have the time to hav...

There is a lot of paperwork involved in transferring property and it needs to be done correctly. Ownership of property must be traced from one owner to another. However, when someone passes away, things change. There is now property that needs to change ownership.

There are some steps to follow if there appears to be no will. If a parent passes away and didn't leave a will or you can't locate one, things do not have to be too difficult. There are a few steps people need to take, if they find themselves in this situation, according to Forbes...

Standard rules for dealing with digital accounts, have yet to be developed. Rules and regulations vary greatly between different states and between different websites on which people have accounts.  However, there are a few things everyone can do now to make it easier for others to handle their ...

If you can and do work past the traditional retirement age, you may live a longer life. It is possible that people who continue to work past retirement age are not only going to make more money but live longer, according to Harvard Health Publisher...

Some estate planning mistakes should be avoided, but they aren't! Some basic mistakes should never be made in the first place.  However, unfortunately they happen over and over again. While a comprehensive list of these mistakes probably is not possible, a list of surprising errors we...

Foreign real estate can be difficult for estate planners, as well as heirs. Many countries have strict rules about who may inherit property. These rules are unlike anything in the U.S. Attorneys who practice in the foreign country need to be consulted, so any estate plan can take the foreign...

The estate has filed many lawsuits. This time it is suing the Walt Disney Company over a documentary. The Walt Disney Company is being sued by the Michael Jackson estate, over a documentary that includes footage of his two children, plus short clips of two of his songs.

You don't just have to save money, you must save money wisely. Because it takes a long time to save for retirement and investments must be chosen wisely, researchers looked into the saving habits of people in the U.S. and 15 other countries. The results were not encouraging...

Estate plans often benefit from the use of life insurance.  However, it should be approached cautiously. Life insurance is a possible solution to supplying ready cash during probate or if you don't have sufficient assets. However, mistakes can be made in the process, according to Wealth Management...

You may create a trust online or in other ways, but is your trust funded? Trusts must be funded, but that does not mean just putting money in them. It means transferring the title of property to the trust, according to the Times Herald-Record in "How to transfer assets to a trust."

No one wants to end up in a nursing home.  However, if you do, it is best to have planned ahead. People who need nursing home care do not have a choice. One of the big problems is that staying in a nursing home for any length of time is incredibly expensive. It is also likely to get more exp...

Families are often silent about what should happen, if a parent becomes terminally ill or when a parent passes away. It is generally taken into consideration within a family, that a parent will some day pass away. However, it is not often discussed how painful this can be for the children...

An inheritance can be wasted in many ways, including avoiding work and making bad investments. There are many possible scenarios that could lead to a wasted inheritance. Fears that this will happen appear to be on the rise, because in the next few decades the largest transfer of wealth from ...

There are many ways to transfer assets. The challenge is sometimes conflicting instructions. It is important that all the different ways assets can pass down do not contradict one another, or an estate plan may not be effective. A common problem that creates conflict was discussed recently....

The government continues its campaign to fight the financial abuse of the elderly in U.S. with a joint webcast by federal agencies. The government has increased its efforts in recent years to combat the financial abuse of the growing elderly population in the U.S. Despite these efforts, many...

Legislators have been working to provide greater access to digital assets for estate administrators. Estate plans almost have to include plans for what to do with digital assets these days.  However, many people are still confused about what digital assets actually are. There are four differ...

Creating an estate plan can be easy.  However, there are many opportunities to fail. The ease of writing your own will or downloading some forms from the Internet, can make you jump to the conclusion that you don't need professional assistance.

You are young, or you don't have many assets and that means you don't need an estate plan. Wrong! It is true that if people do not own any real estate and do not have any other property of high value, it will not be too difficult for their families to handle their estates.

Sometimes little thought is given in the choice of executor. That can create problems. The person in charge of your estate is the executor. Instead of thinking about whether the person they are choosing is the right person, many people just pick a close friend or relative.

Planned giving is one way to leave a good legacy. Assets are often the first thought about estate planning.  However, that does not mean your other values have to be left out of your estate plan completely. You can use your estate plan for planned charitable giving, according to the Nash...