Divorce is a time of massive change. Change in schedule, change in routine, change in living situation, change in dynamic, change in budget – you name it, it changes after a divorce. Many divorcing couples do not understand, however, that divorce should also be accompanied by a change in estate plans. (An estate plan […]
Tidbit #57 on Life Insurance
July 12, 2018
I read a lot. I much prefer non-fiction over fiction though the other day, the (very) fictitious article entitled, “Whole Life Insurance vs. 529 College Savings Plans…Who Wins?”, got my interest as no other piece of fiction that I can recall. The author’s position (which I deduced from the title alone), is that whole life […]
The Right Way to Inherit
December 20, 2015
While an inheritance is often considered a gift by the recipient, from a tax perspective, there optimal ways to inherit a retirement account. From the language used to designate the beneficiaries to important IRS-imposed deadlines, the manner in which a retirement account is inherited can significantly affect its value. If you are the beneficiary of […]
Don’t Delay! To-Do List for the End of the Year
December 2, 2014
It is hard to believe we are at that time of year again when a new year will be upon us in only a matter of days. The countdown is on – only 30 days until 2015. Here are a few reminders of things to do before we say goodbye to 2014. Take Your Required […]
Supreme Court Rules on Inherited IRAs
July 17, 2014
On June 12, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a divisive bankruptcy and estate planning case. At issue was whether an individual retirement account (“IRA”) that a debtor inherited was exempt from the debtor’s bankruptcy estate under the Bankruptcy Code. The Bankruptcy Code permits a debtor to protect assets that are in a “retirement […]
Don’t Leave Your Money Behind
March 13, 2014
Recently, Joe Larson wrote about what to do when you’ve been terminated by your employer and what your rights are with respect to your personnel file. It raises a reminder that whether you have been laid off, terminated or voluntarily opted to leave your job you shouldn’t forget about your 401(k) when you move on. […]
Beneficiary Designations and Estate Planning for Retirement Accounts
October 7, 2013
One of the most commonly overlooked items I see in client’s estate plans and during probate administrations is retirement accounts and their beneficiary designations. I think this has to do with the cumbersome nature of updating beneficiary designations. You call the plan administrator or custodian who sends you paperwork with tiny print and all sorts […]
Avoiding Power of Attorney Abuse
July 26, 2013
In a previous post I spelled out the basics of the changes made to Minnesota’s Statutory Short Form Power of Attorney that will take effect January 1, 2014. As I mentioned, many of these changes were made to address the potential for abuse. Indeed, a Power of Attorney document gives broad and sweeping powers to […]
Backdoor Roth IRAs
February 20, 2013
Although you may earn too much to contribute to a Roth IRA, there is no income restriction to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. What is a Backdoor Roth IRA? The Backdoor Roth IRA is an indirect way to contribute to a Roth IRA when your income is too high to contribute directly […]
Inherited Retirement Accounts Part II: Non-Spouse Beneficiary
April 27, 2012
We previously discussed the options available to a surviving spouse inheriting a qualified retirement account. This article will address the options available to a non-spouse beneficiary inheriting a qualified retirement account. Just for a brief reminder, for purposes of this article, the term “retirement account” will be used to encompass all qualified retirement accounts, meaning […]
Inherited Retirement Accounts Part I: Spouse Beneficiary
April 13, 2012
There is often confusion about what to do when a beneficiary inherits a retirement account. The answer is… it depends. There are different factors to determine the best course of action, such as the beneficiary and the age of the decedent. For purposes of this article, the term “retirement account” will be used to encompass […]