Think twice before creating a UTMA account. Custodial investment accounts permitted under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) allow families to gift assets to a child without having to set up a trust. In addition to that convenience, a UTMA can offer a distinct tax advantage to parents. While such perks are nice in…
Read MoreIn its May 1 policy announcement, the Federal Reserve reaffirmed its commitment to its current stimulus campaign, or QE3 – its monthly purchase of $85 billion in bonds. QE3 has undeniably boosted the stock market and assisted the real estate recovery. Yet at some point, the Fed will decide to let the economy stand on…
Read MoreThe IRS extends a major tax break. Thanks to the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, charitable IRA gifts are once again allowed in 2013. An IRA owner aged 70½ or older may gift up to $100,000 this year to either a 170(b)(1)(A) public foundation or a 501(c)(3) charity. Congress may elect to extend this…
Read MoreProbate subtly reduces the value of many estates. It can take more than a year in some cases, and attorney’s fees, appraiser’s fees and court costs may eat up as much as 5% of a decedent’s accumulated assets. Think tens of thousands of dollars, perhaps more. What do those fees pay for? In many cases, routine…
Read MoreThere is no “typical” retirement. Many baby boomers want one and believe that they will have one, and their futures may indeed unfold as planned. For others, the story will be different. Just as there is no routine retirement, there are no rote financial moves that should be made before or during this phase of…
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Living trusts are created with a clearly-defined objective: to avoid probate. Misconceptions about living trusts have spread to the point where people think they can accomplish much more than they really do. Here is a realistic assessment of living trusts. If you fear probate, consider a living trust. If you worry about your will being…
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Do you need a college degree to succeed? That assumption is long-entrenched, and it isn’t hard to see a relationship between education and earning power. Yet the cost and debt linked to getting a degree are so significant now that some contrarians are saying “skip it” – go learn in the world rather than on…
Read MoreIs the bond bull history? Bond titan Bill Gross called an end to the 30-year bull market in fixed income back in 2010, and he has repeated his opinion since. Legendary investor Jim Rogers predicted an end to the bond bull in 2009, and he still sees it happening. This belief is starting to become…
Read MoreHow will you pay for long term care? The sad fact is that most people don’t know the answer to that question. But a solution is available. As baby boomers leave their careers behind, long-term care insurance will become very important in their financial strategies. The reasons to get an LTC policy after age 50…
Read MoreSuddenly, a bear market in gold. On April 12, the precious metal settled at $1,501.40 on the COMEX – diving 4.1% in a single trading day and 20.5% under its all-time closing high of $1,888.70 on August 22, 2011. Statistically, that was the end of a lengthy bull market – one marked by 12 years…
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