Estate Planning:
What is it and why do we do it?
You spend your entire life creating wealth. The more wealth you create the more unhappy the people you leave behind will be without the proper estate planning. Estate planning allows you to decide while you are alive how your assets will be distributed. It also allows you to protect your heirs from unanticipated devastating expenses ranging from debts to taxes to administrative fees.
Charitable Remainder Trusts
(CRT)
In 1969 Congress created a new type of trust that helped charities and not-for-profit organizations generate more revenue for their causes. In addition to being an excellent vehicle to make a charitable gift or bequest, a charitable remainder trust is an effective estate planning and income tax reduction tool. This vehicle allows taxpayers to reduce estate taxes, eliminate capital gains, claim an income tax deduction, and benefit charities instead of the IRS.
Retirement Planning
When planning for retirement you should fully fund the tax-deductible and tax-deferred savings plans that are available to you as an individual and through your employer. First on the list should be plans where the employer makes contributions and/or matches your contributions. Next should be any IRA’s that you qualify for. As you climb the investment pyramid, it becomes increasingly important to seek help from an expert.