Our Commentary

Mortgage rates are near all time lows and Congress has extended tax credits for first-time home buyers that was set to expire last week. In addition, they expanded the law to provide tax credits for existing homeowners who purchase a new home. It all adds up to an excellent opportunity to buy a home now. Here are all […]

There is no one that has not been touched by the current recession. Past habits of overspending will not serve us this year and it’s imperative that we begin next year in better financial shape. To make sure that this goal becomes your reality, follow these three rules for holiday spending:   Don’t spend money you don’t […]

Thanksgiving Day is coming…a time for families to get together and share turkey dinner. It’s a tradition that goes back to the founding of our country. Consider the true meaning of Thanksgiving: ‘To give thanks’. This Thanksgiving, take a moment to give thanks for all of your blessings: all the things you have; all the people that you […]

Last week, I discussed a strategy for making charitable gifts by using the beneficiary designation under your retirement account instead of a specific bequest under your will and thereby potentially saving hundreds or thousands of dollars in taxes owed by your heirs. Today, I’ll review the various ways to give to charities before the end of […]

I recently met with a client couple as part of an estate planning review. As is true with so many people, this couple expressed a strong desire to give to charities both during their life and at their death. This week, I’ll focus on a strategy for giving to charities at death. Often people will make charitable […]

Current law does not impose death taxes unless your taxable estate exceeds $3.5 million. That $3.5 million becomes unlimited for calendar year 2010 unless Congress takes action before year-end. This means that if Bill and Melinda Gates died next year, instead of the government receiving perhaps billions in death taxes, they would receive nothing…nada…zippo! And think of all […]

One positive result of the national healthcare debate is that it has Americans talking about many facets of healthcare. Even such red hot topics as ‘death panels’ have encouraged conversations about end of life issues among folks who before would never breach the subject.    In last week’s column, I offered a five-question quiz that would […]

I’m often asked, “Do I need estate planning if I don’t have a lot of money?” The answer is, most often, yes. Estate planning is definitely not only for the wealthy. Take our estate planning quiz to see if you need your own plan:   Do you have an Advance Health Care Directive? In cases where you can’t […]

Last year as the wings came off the banking sector causing the economy to spiral out of control, credit card companies responded to mounting customer defaults by raising fees, raising interest rates, instituting hidden transaction fees and reducing credit limits with little or no notice. The reaction from consumers was loud and angry and congressional representatives […]

If you are a perpetual optimist, you can always find something good that, like the Phoenix, rises from the ashes of something bad. Take the generational bear market of 2008. From the peak of the market to its lowest point, the U.S. stock market was down more than 50%. Even the most recent market run-up has left the […]