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What You Should Know About Social Security Funding Uncertainty
Social Security benefits, which are funded through 2 trusts, may not be available for much longer. The US Social Security Administrations funding trusts are known as the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund and the Disability Insurance (DI) Trust Fund. In their annual report to Congress, the Board of Trustees has published some startling […]
How to Avoid Probate and Keep Your Family out of Court
Many people have been told that it is important for people to “avoid probate.” But just because people may have heard that term, doesn’t mean they know exactly what probate means, why it can be a problem or how to successfully avoid it. In this post, we will take a look at the term probate […]
Common Misconceptions About Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents you can have. It allows someone who you appoint (your agent) to make decisions on your behalf in the event you become incapacitated. If you have not appointed an agent then your friends and family may not have the authority to […]
What to Expect with Child Custody Mediation and How to Prepare for It
Battling out child custody matters in court can be hard on both parents and children, which is one reason why child custody mediation is a good choice for many families. If you and the other parent can agree on most aspects of who will take care of the children, mediation may help you save time […]
How Does Divorce Impact Medicaid?
Harry and Wanda got married late in life. This was their second marriage, and both had children from the prior marriages. The couple wanted their children to inherit from their respective parents, so Harry and Wanda signed a prenuptial agreement to keep their property clearly separated. Unfortunately, Harry was then diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Medical bills […]
Things You Should Know About the Fiduciary Rule
On March 15, 2018, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the United States Labor Department acted outside of its authority by creating the fiduciary rule and no longer has the authority to enforce this Obama-era protection for retirement savers. The fiduciary rule required financial advisors to act solely in their clients’ best interest […]
Understanding Misconduct During a Divorce Proceeding and Its Consequences
In New York, you can seek a “fault” or a “no-fault” divorce. Fault-based grounds means that one person allegedly committed an act against the other party, while no-fault-based grounds simply means that the marriage irretrievably broke down for at least six months. Either way, misconduct can factor into divorce proceedings and affect the outcome of […]
Does Your Estate Plan Warrant More Than Just A Will?
Roughly half of all Americans don’t have a will, so if you’ve already taken this vital step to protect your assets and successors then congratulations are in order – you’re already ahead of the curve. While a will is a necessary document that every person who owns assets should have, it is still […]
How Does a Prenuptial Agreement Impact Your Estate Plan?
George and Ginny had a great marriage, with an extended family to whom they wanted to leave everything when they passed. Unfortunately, Ginny was then diagnosed with cancer. She began to worry: What could happen if she died before George did, and George remarried? Or vice versa? What if the second spouse started pushing to […]
Why You Need a Power of Attorney Now More than Ever
It is beneficial for all seniors to create a detailed estate plan, regardless of how much money they have or what their family situation is like. Part of an effective estate plan is appointing a power of attorney, which is perhaps more important than ever now that we are in the midst of the COVID-19 […]
