Category Archives for 2016
Turning 65? -What To Know About Social Security and Medicare
Retirement used to be simpler. At age 65 you would generally start collecting Social Security and also begin to be insured under Medicare. It was the frequently accepted retirement date from your job and, with your gold watch and farewell party, everything was set. Today Boomers might decide to begin collecting Social Security at 62 […]
Continue readingBusiness You Need To Know When a Family Member Dies
When you are dealing with illness and grief the chances are that you may not be able to pull together what to do when your husband, wife, parent or sibling dies. You might look for a Will or the location of bank accounts but decisions likely pass in a blur. This column is to help […]
Continue readingLast Chance Tax Tips for 2016
So you have a few more days in 2016 and would like to know how to minimize income taxes for the year. This is a last chance emergency plan to rescue you from additional federal taxes, if possible, for 2016. First, note that some suggestions could be too late for the year so the focus […]
Continue readingWhat Is Home For the Holidays
An old song “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays,” brings to mind the pleasure and the conflict inherent at this time of year through Christmas, Hannukah, New Years, and the related holidays for many groups and religions. Pleasure comes with reestablishing old ties. Conflict can come with reminders why some old ties were […]
Continue readingSpecial Needs Trust Fairness Act
As a follow up to last week’s column on the 21st Century Cures Act it is only fair to fill you in on additional provisions of the soon to be new law that explicitly concern Special Needs Trusts, a portion known as the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, and also relief from some IRS penalties. […]
Continue readingReasons For Concern With 21st Century Cures Act
Just when we thought nothing could pass in a divided Congress, a proposed law referred to as the 21st Century Cures Act made its way through the U.S. House of Representatives and is slated to go to the Senate. It might well soon become law since President Obama has indicated his agreement as well as […]
Continue readingHow to Gift to Lesser Beneficiaries
Most clients know when planning their Wills who they want to name as their primary or most important beneficiary. They do struggle, though, sometimes for years, as to how to benefit others further down the line. There are ways to remember other beneficiaries at the time of your death. For married couples, using the typical […]
Continue readingTime To Double Down On Truth
Truth took a serious hit in this election. It seemed that anything could be said. In fact, truth might have taken enough of a hit to cause us to question the point of taking Ethics courses as professionals or why bother to try. At the risk of sounding like a lecturer I would say that […]
Continue readingFinal Election Observations
As luck would have it, my Tuesday column falls on Presidential Election Day and elections for several other national, state and local candidates so it was necessary to have some absolutely final final thoughts. Tuesday I expect to be monitoring at the polls so any comments on my comments would likely be received and reviewed […]
Continue readingLast Words On The 2016 Election
In case you have not heard enough about the Presidential Election being held on November 8, a week from today, here is some additional information regarding what to expect on your ballot on election day. Judicial Ballot Question. If you thought that the only choice was between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, you would be […]
Continue readingIt’s Medicare Open Enrollment Time Again
It’s Medicare Open Enrollment time again and that means time for another refresher on what that expression means. The first thing you need to know, by the way, is not to get Medicare Open Enrollment confused with Open Enrollment for the Healthcare Marketplace. Medicare Open Enrollment is for those age 65 and older or disabled […]
Continue readingChester County Problems After Bank Acquisitions
Change is not always good and when it comes to banking, local banks, smaller banks, and credit unions may be found to have significant advantages over many of the larger behemoths that have been created or that have grown to unmanageable proportions in the past several years. Chester County may have experienced this with acquisition […]
Continue readingWhy Women Often Have Lower Social Security Benefits
Maximizing Social Security benefits has joined the ranks of other planning techniques to add to retirement income. Recognizing just one fact, for instance, that there can be a 32% increase in benefits between collecting benefits at age 70 instead of at full retirement age at age 66, can make most people think. How many safe […]
Continue readingConsumer Alert: Some Large Banks Remove Right To Jury Trial
In this area of Southeastern Pennsylvania we are well accustomed to our smaller banks being eaten up by ever larger banks and the transitions these moves involve. One of the transitions for which we might not be prepared is that 9 of 10 larger banks have been found in a recent study by Pew Charitable […]
Continue readingWhat Happens With a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) When You Run Out of Money
When clients ask me to review an agreement to enter a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), the most frequently asked question is “what happens if I run out of money?” The issue may be presented in another way such as “what are the major risks?” or “Will I have to move if I run out […]
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