Clik here to view.
Charitable donations and appreciated assets – tax advantages and other...
It is very easy to write a check to a charity and take a charitable deduction. However, this may not be the most efficient gift to make to a charity from a tax standpoint. One of the best ways to make...
View ArticleSpecial needs benefits: keeping them when receiving an inheritance or settlement
Receipt of governmental special needs benefits requires that a person maintain assets under a certain level. But what happens when a recipient receives an inheritance or legal settlement that puts...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Help Employment Law Bits become a Top 25 blog!
Great news: our sister blog, Employment Law Bits, has been nominated as one of LexisNexis' top 25 employment law blogs 2011. Please help us win by voting here: Please hurry. Voting closes September...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Social Security facts and fiction for women – what will it take to retire?
Are you dreaming of a leisurely retirement enjoying a second cup of morning coffee, or is a sunrise round of golf more your speed? Either way, you'll need to know the facts so you can guide your...
View ArticleEstate planning with a special needs beneficiary
Your estate plan will become more complex if you have a beneficiary who has special needs and receives government benefits. This video will help you understand how to protect that beneficiary so...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Financial elder abuse – warning signs to look for
A recent survey revealed that elder abuse has increased approximately 20% in the past several years. This takes on many forms, including physical, psychological, emotional, verbal, sexual, and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pooled trusts for special needs individuals: Federal court throws out...
The general rule relative to Medicaid eligibility is that all transfers from a person are considered to be available to them for 5 years from the date of transfer, thus denying the person making the...
View ArticleDeed with life estate: risks & advantages of this estate planning tool
Learn about the risks and greatest advantages of creating a deed with life estate. Todd C. Ratner, Esq. 413.781.0560. TRatner@BaconWilson.com© 2011, Bacon Wilson, P.C. This video has been prepared...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Evaluating your current life insurance policies
It is common for people to purchase life insurance policies and then to place them in a file and subsequently forget to review them ever again. However, as life and circumstances constantly change,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Accepting government payments electronically – reviewing your options and...
As many of you already know, the U.S. Treasury Department decided that government benefits need to be paid electronically. This means that benefits have to be electronically deposited into your bank...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Contesting an end of life marriage – dealing with a surprise beneficiary
Over the past several years, some estate litigation cases have included the marriage of a person who was close to death, whether an elder or a younger person with limited life expectancy. These cases...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pooled trusts, Medicaid, and Section 1414: what this means for special needs...
The general rule relative to Medicaid eligibility it that all transfers/gifts from a person are considered to be available to them for 5 years from the date of transfer, thus denying the person from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Beware: Section 2036(a,) lifetime transfers, and what the tax court thinks of...
The purpose of Section 2036(a) is to include in a decedent’s gross estate the values of any inter vivos (during life) transfers that are essentially testamentary (at death) in nature. Section 2036(a)...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Estate administration 101 - preparing your estate to make it easier on your...
If something happened to you, how would your family would feel about the way you left your affairs? Are your financial assets and legal affairs in order or are they a mess. Have you carefully...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Special Needs Trusts and qualified funds
Often a person who wants to leave funds to his or her disabled child is advised to not leave the funds outright, as they may push the recipient over the threshold for assets and income and disqualify...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Petition to partition: when property owners disagree
When someone owns real estate with another person, or many individuals own it together, they often disagree about how it should be sold, at what price, or whether one person should buy out the others....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Reassessing your valuables and insurance in light of 2011’s many natural...
In light of 2011’s many local weather disasters, this may be a good time to review the coverage you have on your tangible property and your dwelling. Many homeowners’ policies do not provide for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why your estate plan should change with your life
It is important to periodically review your will and estate plan, especially in light of the following changes in your life….Children Most parents are concerned about how their children will be cared...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Reverse mortgage – costs are down, so it might be time to reconsider
In the past year or so, the cost for reverse mortgages has decreased. Previously, this type of mortgage was fairly expensive to obtain, so it was questionable as to whether it was economically...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Alzheimer's Disease: the long goodbye
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan called members of the Alzheimer's Association to the White House for the signing of a proclamation declaring November as the National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness...
View Article