Proposed U.S. Treasury rules could mean a bigger estate tax bite for your family-owned entity.

The U.S. Treasury recently proposed regulations that, if implemented in its current form, could mean higher valuations – and reduced valuation discounts – for family-controlled entities, meaning increased estate and gift taxes for families with large taxable esta...

How to have a valuable family conversation about your estate.

Talking to family members about estate planning and legacies can be difficult and even painful. These discussions, however, are an important way to share your choices with your children and prepare them for their financial futures. Here are a few suggestions on approaching this tricky topic....

While keeping in mind your long-term investment goals, meet with your advisor and coordinate with your tax professional to examine nuances and changes that could impact your typical year-end planning.

Mind Your RMDs

Be thoughtful about required minimum distributions (RMDs) to ensure that you comply with the rules. If applicable and you have yet to do so, ta...

When it comes to retirement planning, we typically tally up our daily expenses – housing, transportation, utilities, food, insurance, healthcare, entertainment – and budget accordingly for enough income to cover those wants and needs. But we may not factor in an annual expense we can’t avoid: taxes. One reason may be that our complex tax code treats vario...

Leonardo da Vinci called simplicity the ultimate sophistication. Bruce Lee called it the key to brilliance. And Gandhi, who many believe was the definitive minimalist, said the secret of life lies in never missing material things. What’s no secret is having less seems to be bringing more peace and happiness to those who have embraced this way of life. Fro...

In an ideal world, when we're ready to retire, we'd bid our co-workers farewell and do a few laps in a pool of cash (not unlike Scrooge McDuck on his daily money swim). In reality, there’s a little more planning involved to ensure that your cash flow doesn’t end at the same time your paycheck does. A financial advisor who specializes in retirement can hel...

One of the great things about wealth is getting to share it with those you care about, during your lifetime or after. Current tax laws enable you to do just that quite generously.

As a quick reminder, here are a few ways you can make the most of your giving nature:

Know your Limits

Federal gift taxes can be as high as 40%. To avoid potential taxation, you sh...

That 30th birthday can be a somewhat traumatic event, but with people living longer, they say 50 is the new 30. If that’s the case, then you’re just a kid!

That doesn’t mean, however, that you should be childlike about your finances. If your 20s are the years when you lay the foundation for good financial habits, then your 30s are when you build on that fo...