Making Gifts Today Can Lock in Favorable Estate Tax Exemptions
The estate planning landscape is scheduled to change significantly on January 1, 2010. There is much speculation that Congress will delay, or even revise these legislated changes. Here is a strategy to consider that could save you estate taxes in this period of uncertainly.

Wills Continue To Be An Essential Estate Planning Tool
A will is a written declaration of how an individual would like the assets of his or her estate to be distributed. The will directs the probate court on how to divide the assets and to whom they should go. Despite the widespread use of trusts, wills still remain the single most widely used estate planning tool.

Why Amend The Living Trust
Why would you amend your Living Trust? Actually the question should be why wouldn't you amend your Living Trust?

Estate Planning: The Crucial Choice Of An Executor
Choosing an executor is critical for your estate. Done right, it can ensure a smooth transition for your family, and relieve some of their stress. Done wrong, it can cause more than just hard feelings.

Charitable Remainder Trusts: Benefits Now Include Liquidity
CRTs can be structured to increase an individual's income, avoid capital gains taxes, lower or eliminate estate taxes and serve as a bonus retirement plan. Now it can also be used to realize immediate liquidity, says the author.

Estate Planning Strategy: The Charitable Life Estate
A Charitable Life Estate is a gift agreement between a donor and a charity, involving either a residence or farm.The donor gifts the property to charity but retains the right to live in the property, usually until death. This estate planning tool carries many tax and other benefits.

Your Will or Trust: Why Avoiding Probate Doesn’t Solve All Your Problems
By no means do your problems disappear if the estate avoids probate. A living trust as well as other non-probate alternatives can be challenged in much the same manner as a will.

Asset Protection Planning to Safeguard Your Wealth
The purpose of a good asset protection plan is to safeguard your wealth from unwarranted claims of predators and creditors and to keep a nest egg amount of money safe if your financial world blows up.

Asset Protection Planning to Safeguard Your Wealth
The purpose of a good asset protection plan is to safeguard your wealth from unwarranted claims of predators and creditors and to keep a nest egg amount of money safe if your financial world blows up.

Charitable Giving As a Bridge Between Generations
Approached sensitively, charitable giving can be a wonderfully unifying force. Children can be quite positive about funds designated for charities when they are allowed to have a role in the charitable decision-making.

Estate Planning in Uncertain Times
This is not the first time in history that the economy has faltered. And it won't be the last. If some of your wealth has been eroded or is in jeopardy, it is more important than ever to assure that what remains of it is distributed to your heirs and beneficiaries as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Preparing Adult Children for Inheritance: How to Maintain Harmonious Relations Across Generations
Wealth created by one generation can deeply enrich the lives of generations to follow. However, multi-generational wealth may also pose challenges. In an article for Wealth Management Exchange, Joe Calabrese of Harris myCFO explores the four basic issues of inheritance: entitlement, differing needs, the grandchild conundrum, and distribution.

Ten Estate Planning Guidelines for the High Net Worth
WME takes some of the legalese out of estate planning.

Minimizing Estate Taxes: Don't Wait Until You Die To Start Giving Away Your Millions
Two case studies present tax-saving game plans.

Ten Essential Year-End Tasks to Safeguard Your Estate
The end of the year means it's time to review your investment and estate plans and make the moves that will safeguard your estate from unnecessary taxation. It is also a critical time to make sure your investments are in line with changing objectives for yourself and your family.

Transferring Wealth to Charities: What are Your Options?
Get a sense of which charitable vehicle or vehicles most suit your needs and interests.

Retirement Planning - Donating Pension Plan Assets: Charities Gain, IRS Loses
A case study on shielding pension assets from the tax collector.

Preserving the Value of Your Art Collection: Tips for Effective Art Succession Planning
Failure to plan for these assets during your lifetime can prove costly.