Retirement Watch Weekly
How To Create a Trust for Your Heirs
“Great Fortunes Lost” was an article in Fortune magazine years ago. It described how various individuals, usually heirs, lost or squandered very large fortunes. Some of the individuals lost more than money. They lost their health or wasted their lives because of the effects wealth had on them. It’s nice to leave enough to make […]
Bob’s Journal for 7/23/20
Some Notable Events That Grabbed My Attention This Week Looking Beyond the Unemployment Claims Headlines The employment market probably is worse than the weekly data indicate. Most of the focus is on the number of new unemployment claims and the continuing claims. Those are very good measures of trends in the economy and labor markets. […]
What is a Grantor Trust?
A grantor trust is one in which the grantor retains control of its income and assets. Grantor trusts are a type of living trust that is created during the lifetime of the individual who creates it. The grantor typically is self-appointed as the trustee to maintain control over the assets. The grantor can then name […]
What is a Variable Annuity and How Does it Work?
Variable annuities are a specific type of contract issued by an insurance company that requires the annuitant, or the annuity owner, to choose from a variety of investments to put the principal. The funds put into the investment are called the principal, and the payouts received by the annuity owner are contingent upon the […]
Estate Planning for the Growing Unmarried and Single Population
In last week’s edition of Retirement Watch Weekly, I presented Estate Planning for “Modern Families.” There’s a lot more ground to cover, so let’s dive right back in – starting with estate tax implications for single people. Under the estate and gift tax, singles do not have the advantage of the marital deduction. An unmarried […]
At What Net Worth Do You Need a Trust?
Trusts are typically thought of as tools for the wealthy, however, affluence is not a prerequisite to reap the benefits of owning a trust. Trusts can be useful estate planning tools for many people, but it may not be worth the expense for people who do not have many assets. Background: What is a Trust? […]
Bob’s Journal for 7/16/20
Some Notable Events That Grabbed My Attention This Week Good News on the Coronavirus Front There has been a surge of positive news in the last few days about the prospects for one or more vaccines against the coronavirus. The German firm BioNTech, which is partnering with Pfizer on a vaccine, is indicating it plans […]
