Neel Shah | Shah & Associates, P.C. Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog

April 10, 2014April 10, 2014

The Entrepreneur’s Dilemma: Success Tips For Passing The Family Business On To Children

Owning and operating your own business is an exciting venture, but it can present you with challenges when you are unwilling or unable to continue managing the business. If you are considering passing the company on to your children or grandchildren, make sure you put some time into the planning process so that the transition is as smooth as possible.

(Photo Credit: Darlingonlinemarketing.com)

Start Early

The best recommendation for succession planning is to start five years in advance of when you might need an exit strategy. Many people make the mistake of assuming that they will only need to consider this need later in life. With rising numbers of people impacted by a disability, succession planning is something you should consider early. Getting the planning done well in advance gives you room to alter your plan if needed. Throughout this process, keep your family members engaged in the conversation so that relevant individuals understand their role.

Consider Options

While you have many options as a business owner, you should consider the talent of your children and grandchildren in order to decide how they might fit into the bigger picture. It’s critical that you are realistic about this decision. While it’s important for whoever takes over for you to have the passion and interest in running the business, you should also evaluate business skill and potential in making your decision. If you have several children, it may not be feasible for them to each own an equal portion of the company. In this circumstance, you should plan to transfer the whole business to a child who wants to follow you as the owner. Other assets can then be transferred to other children. This may be the most effective move for your business and future family harmony, too.

Plan For Existing Employees

Unless you are the sole person managing a company, it’s likely you have a team behind you. Make sure you have considered what will happen to these employees after you go as well. Will then be incorporated into the transition phase? Are there key employees who could help your children understand the big picture and smaller operational issues as well? Remember that in the event of a major disruption in a company such as the departure of a longtime leader, key employees may not want to stay. Having a conversation with them about your succession plans, as well as providing incentives for them to stay, may be in your best interest. Keeping valuable and knowledgeable employees on the team after you leave will make the transition easier for all and is less likely to cause financial issues for your business.

Train and Document

Once you have decided the best approach for your planning, train those individuals that will play a role at the time of your departure. Keep them clued in to vital issues. Remember that it’s much easier to update your succession planning once it has been documented. Working with an experience estate planning attorney will give you confidence and peace of mind about your decision.

April 9, 2014April 9, 2014

Risky Do-It-Yourself: Wills

Software or online programs to help you plan your estate are popping up everywhere, but that doesn’t mean they are the best choice for your needs. Many of these programs lead you to believe that generating your will is easier than it truly is. Heirs might find out too late that your self-created will doesn’t really match up with your state laws or even your own intent.

(Photo Credit: rightscale.com)

When it comes to estate planning, intent is everything. Too often, the wishes of an individual don’t come across clearly in self-generated wills. Many modern court cases have focused on the determination of the testator’s intent, but judges are hesitant to cross certain lines to clear up confusion. As a result, your heirs may discover that your wishes aren’t carried out as you planned at all. Simply put, doing your will on your own can have big consequences.

Consider the Estate of George Zeevering. Last fall, a Pennsylvania appellate court was evaluating an unclear DIY will. Since the testator had not worked with a lawyer to generate the document, which was incomplete, it was difficult to determine the true intentions of Mr. Zeevering. In one aspect of the case, property had already been titled in the names of a son and a decedent as joint tenants. Mr. Zeevering stated that “the failure of this will to provide any distribution” to his daughters was done on purpose.

The case got sticky when the residuary and residuary estate totaled over $200,000 after debt payments were made. There was no provision within the DIY will for what should happen to those assets. In the end, the court determined that when a will doesn’t provide for the disposal of an entire estate and fails to include a residuary clause, the residuary estate must be divided under intestacy laws.

This case is but one example of where estate planning on your own can go wrong. Although it may not have been Mr. Zeevering’s intention to distribute the remainder of his estate under intestacy laws, that’s what happened. Despite his wishes, the law overrides an incomplete or improper will. While online and computer programs argue that wills and estate planning documents are easily done on your own, that minimizes the true complexity of document generation and estate laws.

Estate planning can be very complicated for an individual but it’s easily done under the guidance of an estate planning attorney. An added benefit of using a legal professional “in the know” is that he or she is clued into state and federal laws about estate planning, which always have the potential to change. An estate planning attorney is an excellent resource for all your questions as well as giving you the peace of mind that your estate will be carried out in the manner you wish. Cutting corners with a do it yourself tool is your choice, but do so at your own risk. If you want the assurance of totality and legality, contact an estate planning professional today.

April 8, 2014April 9, 2014

Guarding Against Risk, While Saving on Taxes: Biggest Advantages of Captive Insurance Companies

Captive insurance companies are private insurers that are owned by a parent company. Although a captive insurance company has some of the same benefits of a regular insurance company, captives collect the premiums that a company would have paid over to a regular insurer while taking the responsibility for any claims against the parent company. Captive insurance companies are uniquely situated for certain situations.

(Photo Credit: saveourpostoffice.com)

Manage Risk and Protect Assets

Many businesses have particular needs for risk management because the risk it outside the typical market. In that case, insurance either can’t be purchased or the price is so high that the company is forced to self-insure. In still other cases, the business might have insurance for some risks, but that comes at a cost of premiums and deductibles. This is just the type of risk that sits well with a captive insurance company. Typical general liability insurance seems like a “coverall”, but in reality there are so many exclusions that a business still stands exposed to high risk. That’s where insurance from a captive company can help by filling in the gaps from those exclusions.

Every dollar spent by the company and sent to the captive serves as a $1 reduction in operating business assets. In the event that the business collapses, the company is not at risk of losing those dollars that have been transferred out of company property and over to the captive insurance company. Captive insurance companies are known for accumulating high amounts of assets through reserves and surplus. In certain disaster situations, some of those funds may be available for a business owner. Although a business owner might face some tax consequences of doing so, you can think of those funds as an emergency fund that could be there if you need it. It’s an extra layer of protection that can give a business owner peace of mind.

Exert More Control

Captive insurance companies typically create customized policies for the needs of each specific business. Unlike many commercial policies, policies through captives have the added benefit of drafting the policy in a manner that makes it virtually impossible for third-party claims against the business from being approved. The individualized nature of policies means that protection is aligned directly with business needs rather than generally accepted amounts and terms.

Going through a commercial carrier has another downside: you give up the option to select your own attorney. Defense counsel connected with insurance companies often handle large volumes of cases, taking away that personalized attention for your case. The fact that these counsel handle upwards of 200 cases each year from referrals also calls into question whether that attorney is looking out for your best interests- or the hand that feeds them. Since insurance companies that hire counsel are budget-minded, you also don’t know the quality of attorney you’ll be receiving through the appointment process. With captive insurance carriers, business owners control the captive and therefore maintain control over selection of an attorney.

From a business owner perspective, these few advantages represent big benefits. Guard yourself against risks, protect existing and growing assets, and exercise more control over how things are handle by working with a captive.

April 2, 2014March 28, 2014

Discuss Finances Before Saying ‘I Do’

If you or someone you know is planning a wedding anytime soon, there are many things to consider. One of the most important of which is finances. You must discuss money with your future spouse, even if doesn’t sound romantic.

Talking about finances is at least as important as discussing the reception or honeymoon. Maybe more important.

Talking about finances — budgets, insurance, savings and so forth — could be critical to ensuring a happy marriage, says a story on cnbc.com.

Setting a specific time to sit down and talk about how you want to organize your finances after marriage is key. Will you have joint checking accounts or separate ones? Who is going to manage the money and pay the bills? These are just some of the questions that must be asked.

It is also critical to set a budget and put your expenses and financial goals down on paper. It is important that each partner be okay with the other’s spending habits.

If there are disagreements, the couple may want to obtain the advice of a marriage counselor or financial advisor.

Other areas to discuss are life insurance ( a “must” for most couples, according to the article); debt, if there is any; disability insurance; homeowners insurance; health insurance; and an estate plan, or at least a plan to designate beneficiaries in case of one’s death.

April 1, 2014March 27, 2014

3 Estate Planning Mistakes From Which To Learn

If you haven’t already done your estate plan, perhaps hearing a few horror stories about people who made common mistakes will prompt you to do it — and do it right.

Last Will And Testament (Photo credit: Ken_Mayer)

An article in the Green Bay Press Gazette, recounts a few cases that detail classic mistakes involving estate planning, or the lack of it.

A former Supreme Court justice wrote his own will, using just 176 words. It cost his family $450,000 in estate taxes and court fees because he didn’t take the time to do it right.

Lesson: Know what you know, know what you don’t know.

A young woman left her assets to her minor son. When she died, she had $1 million in her estate due to a wrongful death claim. Her son died soon afterwards and the money went to his only heir, his father, who was a drug addict.

Lesson: She could have put the assets into trust with a contingency plan were he to die, so the money could not go to the father.

A father had a stroke and had to go into a nursing home. His children closed his bank account but never went through his mail. After he died, they found a statement for a $1 million life insurance policy. But the premiums had not been paid since the bank account was closed. They didn’t get the money.

Lesson: Make sure somebody knows what assets you have, usually the person who has power of attorney, a trustee named in a trust you have set up or the personal representative named in your will.

These are common mistakes that can be avoided if you engage a qualified estate planning attorney to help you with your estate plan.

March 27, 2014March 27, 2014

Where Not To Die, Part II

As we told you a week ago, in addition to federal estate taxes, state estate taxes form a crazy quilt of different rules across the country. So much so that Forbes Magazine recently published an article on “Where Not To Die in 2014.”

Any guesses as to which state is the worst?

That’s right. New Jersey. Runner-up: Maryland. Both states impose not only an estate tax, but also an inheritance tax. As the Forbes article states:

“New Jersey, for example, imposes an estate tax between 4.2% and 16% on estates above $675,000, and an inheritance tax of between 11% and 16% on assets left to a sibling, nephew, niece or friend, but no inheritance tax on money left to parents, children or grandchildren. (Any estate tax owed is reduced by the inheritance tax paid.)”

See? We told you it’s a mess. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you can do something about it if you go see a competent estate planning attorney before it’s necessary.

March 26, 2014March 25, 2014

Some Strategies To Shield Your Money

If you wish to protect your money or assets or are about to receive a sudden windfall such as an inheritance, you may want to consider a number of strategies to protect yourself from lawsuits. Simple reason: “The Deep Pockets Theory”; the people with the money are the people who are sued.

judge hand with gavel — (Photo credit: SalFalko)

Here are a few strategies, according to an article in the Chicago Tribune:

1) Increase your liability insurance. If you are about to inherit $3 million, call your broker and increase your liability policy to protect that additional $3 million. Do it before you get the money. Rates are inexpensive.

2) Consider separating assets. You may not want your spouse to have access to your new windfall. If you put the money in a joint account, that is what will happen.

3) Protect yourself from renters. If you have rental property or are going to get rental property, put the property into a business entity such as an LLC to shield your assets from a disgruntled tenant. That way, they can sue the entity for what it has, but cannot go after you and what you have.

4) Create a trust and/or business entity to shield your assets. If you do part-time work you probably are operating as a sole proprietorship. But all of your assets are at risk if you are sued.

5) Be careful with partnerships. If you have an informal partnership, you are responsible for the actions of your partner. Form an LLC or other entity to provide legal protection.

March 25, 2014March 25, 2014

Now What?: Dealing With Remorse After Selling A Company

Most entrepreneurs have the same idea; build their company and then sell it for big bucks.

But most owners who do that usually end up staying with the firm for a few years after the sale is consummated. What they don’t necessarily expect are the mixed feelings they have, according to an article in the New York Times.

Family Business Awards 2011-68 — (Photo credit: Fuller Landau Montreal)

First, they may feel uncomfortable as a “soldier” rather than as a “general.”

Second, their strengths are often in starting up the company – making something from nothing.

Third, even if they are ready and willing to be a good soldier and carry on the work they started, they may feel uncomfortable in the new culture of the new bosses.

Fourth, they may not like the changes that are being made to their “baby.”

In many cases, the sellers find they cannot stay on as planned. Some are able to make the adjustment.

The article says owners who plan to sell their businesses but stay on should give some thought to whether that is likely to be a good idea. Basically, let the seller beware.

March 20, 2014March 19, 2014

How To Handle Leaving Unequal Amounts To Your Children

Many parents divide their assets equally among their children. That’s the easy way.

Family discussion — (Photo credit: Muffet)

But what if you want to give more to one child than to another? Is that fair? Is it a good idea?

Sometimes it may be the best plan. For example, maybe one of your children earns much more than the others. Does this child really need to share equally in your estate?

Maybe one of your children has several children of his own, while the others are childless or have only one child. That may be a good case for giving the child with the most children a larger share.

Another reason might be that one of your children spent a lot of time and energy caring for you in your old age. Shouldn’t that child get rewarded?

And what if one of your children went down the wrong path? Maybe he became addicted to drugs or alcohol. Should this behavior be reinforced?

These are difficult decisions posed in an article in the Wall Street Journal. And they can lead to hurt feelings, lawsuits and other problems.

If you end up giving different children differing amounts in your will or estate plan, your decision may end up being challenged in court by the child or children who got less. It could turn into a mess.

To make sure your wishes are carried out, make sure to prove that you are of “sound mind” when you drew up your plan. You might want to get a letter from your doctor or psychologist saying so.

At the same time, make sure to talk to each of your children and explain what you are doing and why. This could result in fewer bad feelings.

Perhaps you can establish a pattern by helping those who need the most help while you are alive, as well as helping those who help you by giving them financial support during that time.

You can also include clauses mandating that disputes be settled through mediation or arbitration, not litigation. You can even include a “no contest” clause that says if any of the beneficiaries tries to contest the will, that child’s share is forfeited.

These are tough decisions that your estate planning attorney can help you make when drafting your will or estate plan.

March 19, 2014March 18, 2014

Assisted Suicide Case Dismissed

A judge in Pennsylvania has thrown out a case of assisted suicide lodged against a nurse who was charged with murder last year for allegedly giving her father a bottle of morphine pills.

Pick Your Painkiller — (Photo credit: sfxeric)

The decision is the latest in a series of developments signaling that courts and states are not interested in criminalizing care that may hasten death, according to a report on NPR.org.

In this case, Barbara Mancini, 58, a nurse, was charged with assisting in the suicide of her 93-year-old father in Feb., 2013.

The father, Joseph Yourshaw, was in home hospice in failing health. A hospice nurse checked on him and found him unconscious. The hospice had him taken to the hospital by ambulance against the wishes of the family. He was revived, but died a few days later.

In a scathing 47-page opinion, the judge wrote that the state did not establish that Mancini had committed a crime — that she tried to help him commit suicide rather than ease his pain.

She said the charges were based on speculation. Mancini said she only wanted to help ease his pain but a hospice nurse and a police officer said she told them she wanted to help end his life. He had previously told hospice workers and family that he wanted to die.

The judge said there was no evidence Mancini fed him the pills and noted that the man was capable of opening the bottle and taking the pills on his own. It was ruled he died of a morphine overdose.

“This case demonstrates that the government has no business interfering in families’ end-of-life decisions,” Mickey MacIntyre of the advocacy group Compassion and Choices said in a statement. “This prosecution could have chilled end-of-life decisions and pain care for millions of future terminally ill patients who simply want to die at home, peacefully and with dignity.”

March 18, 2014March 18, 2014

Where Not To Die

Although the federal estate tax exemption has been raised to a generous $5.3 million, what about the states?

The truth is that, despite the large federal exemption, estate taxes still pose a worry in many states. In fact, 19 states as well as the District of Columbia impose estate taxes. The list includes New Jersey.

And every state’s rules are slightly different, making it confusing should one be considering moving for whatever reason, whether it be to save tax money or to be closer to grandchildren.

So some wealthy individuals are now consulting estate planning attorneys to help them with what has become known as “domicile planning,” to help them not escape income taxes but estate taxes, according to an article on Forbes.com.

The federal estate tax exemption of $5.3 million is now permanent, with a 40 percent tax applied to anything over that figure.

States typically have far lower exemptions and impose up to a 16 percent tax on anything over the exempt amount. New Jersey’s exemption, for example, is only $675,000. The tax on anything over that is from 4.2 percent to 16 percent.

But some states are making changes. Illinois reinstated its tax in 2011. Delaware made its “temporary” tax permanent.

That’s why estate planning attorneys are counseling some clients to move to Florida where there is no income tax and no estate tax. To benefit, you have to consider Florida to be your home at the time of your death even if you don’t live there all the time. It is a subjective evaluation.

In the meantime, there are moves afoot in some states to try and repeal the tax. Your estate planning attorney will know the latest changes that are being passed or considered.

March 13, 2014March 18, 2014

Keys To Selling Your Family Business

There are plenty of challenges to running a successful family business. But they can look like a hop, skip and a jump compared to the challenges associated with passing your family business along to your children or other relatives.

Only 33 percent of family owned businesses survive the transition from first generation ownership to the next, according to an article in the Vail Daily.

Why so hard?

In some cases, it is because no one in the family is interested in taking the business over.

But more often it is because there no good succession plan in place.

To come up with a workable succession plan, you must collect the thoughts and opinions of all family members as to who wants to be involved and how. You must know who wants to do what kind of work.

You must also discuss retirement goals for family members, cash flow needs and the goals and needs of the next generation of management.

Key decisions, of course, include who is going to be in control and who will eventually own it.

Your succession plan could be based on setting up a family limited partnership, where you, as the general partner, control day to day decisions, but over time sell off shares to family members. Eventually you give up control to who is ultimately going to run it.

Or you could set up a buy-sell agreement, which allows you to name the buyer — it could be one of your children — and establish a price. Then your child could buy a life insurance policy on you and eventually use the proceeds to buy the business.

But there are many strategies that can be considered. Best to consult an attorney with expertise on business succession and business buying and selling.

March 12, 2014March 12, 2014

Teenager Gets $25 Million Fortune – With One Catch

Actor Paul Walker of Fast & Furious fame, who died in a car accident in November, left his entire fortune of $25 million to his 15-year-old daughter, who had recently left her mother and childhood home in Hawaii to live with him in California.

Paul Walker at the Fast & Furious premiere at ... — Paul Walker at the Fast & Furious premiere at Leicester Square. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Walker did not leave a dime to any other family members or even his girlfriend.

But Walker’s will did have one catch. His daughter, Meadow, will not be able to touch the money until she becomes an adult. Nothing unusual there, except that Walker named his own mother to be Meadow’s guardian.

According to an article on cafemom.com, this is a bit unusual and could be tricky. One wonders why he named Meadow’s grandmother as her guardian rather than Meadow’s own mother, Rebecca Soteros.

However, the matter will be decided by a judge later this month. In the meantime, Meadow is back in Hawaii living with her mother.

Walker was a very private person and not much is known about the circumstances of his breakup or the decision to have Meadow come live with him in California.

March 11, 2014April 10, 2014

‘Gifting’ May Be Penalized By Medicaid

While people can “gift” up to $14,000 each to anyone they want to each year without tax penalty, that tactic is not going to fly if it is being done to “spend down” in order to get Medicaid to pay for nursing home care.

If a person is “gifting” money to family or friends in order to spend down to reach the resource limit for Medicaid nursing home coverage, it better be done five years ahead of time, according to an article in the New York Daily News.

Gifts made within five years of applying are likely to disqualify the gift giver from obtaining coverage for a period of time based on how much was given. The larger the gifts, the longer the wait.

Medicaid will presume the gifts were made to get around the criteria for coverage.

The penalty period is likely to be in place even if the gifts were put into a trust.

Because Medicaid planning and the use of trusts is complex, the article suggests consulting with a qualified estate planning or elder law attorney.

March 6, 2014March 11, 2014

Florida Court Ruling Provides Guidance For Those Using Trust For Asset Protection

A recent appellate court ruling in Florida gives former spouses the legal grounds to take funds from a type of trust that was thought to be unavailable to them.

Discretionary trusts are set up by the wealthy to give a trustee the authority to make or not make distributions from the trust. But the ruling late last year in Florida gives ex-spouses and the children of beneficiaries more leeway to gain access to those funds in certain circumstances.

However, estate planning experts are divided over whether this ruling establishes a precedent for other states, according to an article on fa-mag.com.

In this case, Bruce Berlinger challenged a lower court ruling that allowed his ex-wife, Roberta Casselberry, to obtain funds from a discretionary trust fund after he stopped paying her $16,000 a month alimony. The trust had been paying the money directly to her and not to him.

Usually, a creditor may not garnish funds in a discretionary trust if the trustee does not make the distributions to the beneficiary. In this case, the court ruling the ex-spouse was deemed to be an “exception creditor “and could seek distributions from the trust to satisfy her alimony requirements.

About 30 states have some form of “exception creditor” provision in their trust codes.

March 5, 2014March 5, 2014

Hoffman’s Will Raises Legal Issues

Actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who died of a drug overdose in February, had not updated his will in years. The mistake could prove troublesome for two of his daughters and their mother.

Philip Seymour Hoffman won a Academy Award for... — Philip Seymour Hoffman (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The will was signed in 2004 when the actor had just one child, Cooper, now 11. But he subsequently had two daughters, Tallulah and Willa, neither of whom are mentioned in the will.

This may or may not be a problem.

The award-winning actor, who was just 46 when he died, left everything to his longtime companion, Marianne O’Donnell, the mother of his three children. But that’s just the beginning of the story, according to an article on Forbes.com.

Since Hoffman and O’Donnell were not married, she does not get any of the estate tax breaks available to spouses. You can give an unlimited amount to your spouse during life or in an estate plan, with no federal or state tax applied.

Hoffman was worth an estimated $35 million at the time of his death. The federal estate tax exemption is $5.3 million, but the rest is taxed at up to 40 percent. New York has its own estate tax of up to 16 percent for non-spouses, with a $1 million exemption.

In all, Hoffman’s estate will be taxed at more than $15 million. And since they were not married, any assets that remain at O’Donnell’s death would be taxed again.

There may be a way out for O’Donnell, however, The will allows for her to turn down all or part of her inheritance and put it into a trust. Any assets that go into the trust bypass her estate and cannot be taxed when she dies.

But the fact that only Cooper was mentioned in the will, complicates the matter. The will provides that he get half the principal of such a trust when he turns 25 and the other half when he turns 30. However, the law of New York and most states protects children not named in a will that has not been updated from being disinherited.

The article suggests that O’Donnell, who is the executor of the will, should appoint a guardian to represent the two sisters.

Other matters that could complicate matters include if Hoffman had set up a retirement account or a life insurance policy.

But all the confusion could have been avoided if Hoffman had included a clause in the will stipulating that any reference to Cooper includes any other children born after him.

March 4, 2014

What To Do When Your Elderly Parents Move In With You

More and more, elderly parents are moving in with their grown children. With the increasing costs of nursing homes, this makes financial sense for many people. But what should you and your parents do to prepare for such a dramatic move?

Issues that must be considered range from the financial to the emotional, according to an article on elderlawanswers.com.

The first thing to consider is the financial details. If the adult children who are taking in their parents have siblings, they should work something out so that the other siblings (those not taking in the parents) contribute something towards the costs of rooming and boarding the parents.

Costs can mount up. Besides food, one may need to do renovations or hire a home care aide.

Consider having your parents sign a contract under which they pay their children for taking them in. Maybe the parents can contribute to the remodeling or gift their own house to their children. There may be tax consequences to these actions to consider.

To avoid or reduce resentment and guilt down, family members should discuss everything out in the open at the outset. An elder law attorney can help work these things out.

Once the decision has been made, one should consider making the home senior-friendly. This may involve putting on an addition to the home, installation of grab bars in the bathrooms, installation of ramps or conversion of a room on the first floor into a bedroom if necessary.

You may also be able to take a tax deduction by claiming your parents as dependants.

And make sure to seek out support from organizations such as local agencies that work on aging issues.

February 27, 2014February 27, 2014

The Right Way to Plan for Your Special Needs Child

Parents of special needs children have unique needs when it comes to estate planning. As a recent article explains, parents of special needs children who have not yet created an estate plan should put it on the top of their to-do list.

Cropped version of Image:Child piggyback.jpg. ... — (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Unlike the majority of non-special needs children, many special needs children will require constant care for the remainder of their lives. Additionally, many special needs children are not able to work or otherwise earn the income necessary to pay for their care. Therefore, planning for a special needs child includes not only leaving the proper amount of resources for procuring the proper care, but also helping to determine how that care will be provided.

However, planning for special needs children is not as simple as leaving ample resources and a plan for that child’s continuing care. This is because most special needs children already receive government benefits to assist in paying for their care. However, these benefits are need-based and will cease if the child no longer qualifies to receive them. Therefore, many parents of special needs children employ a special needs trust. This trust, rather than the child, owns the child’s inheritance. By using this trust, the money is not considered to be the child’s and he or she will continue to receive government benefits.

February 26, 2014February 19, 2014

The Fifteen Best Countries for Overseas Retirement in 2014

It is not uncommon for Americans to spend significant time away from their home state in order to take advantage of more favorable living conditions. Be it to live for less, for diversity investments, or to simply enjoy one last adventure, more and more Americans are choosing to retire abroad. A recent article discusses the 15 best countries for Americans to retire in 2014.

The Annual Global Retirement Index created the list based on a series of factors, including the price of necessary goods and services such as groceries and utilities, average temperature, and friendliness of the locals. As executive editor Jennifer Stevens explains, the list is “designed to be a real-world snapshot of the places we deem most worth a potential-retiree’s attention today.”

English: View of the Chagres River in Gamboa, ... — English: View of the Chagres River in Gamboa, Panama. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Topping the list for 2014 is Panama. As Stevens explains, Panama offers American retirees a “great combination of variety and value…No matter what it is you’re hoping to find, Panama is a good place to look for it.” The remaining rankings are as follows: (2) Ecuador, (3) Malaysia, (4) Costa Rica, (5) Spain, (6) Colombia, (7) Mexico, (8) Malta, (9) Uruguay, (10) Thailand, (11) Ireland, (12) New Zealand, (13) Nicaragua, (14) Italy and (15) Portugal.

Taking advantage of overseas options does not always mean changing your place of residence, but precautions should be taken to make sure that your estate plan is appropriately adjusted for your travel. To determine your unique considerations before booking your tickets, consult with a qualified estate-planning attorney.

February 25, 2014February 19, 2014

Are You a Sitting Duck? Four Asset Protection Strategies to Consider

Many investors are so focused on their return on investment that they fail to consider or implement asset protection strategies. As a recent article explains, an investor who has not protected his investments is a mere sitting duck. If you haven’t considered asset protection for your investments, below are four strategies you should consider:

1. Insurance: This is an important part of any asset protection plan because it shifts the risk of loss to somebody else. Insurance can be purchased for almost any asset or activity.

2. Wait for Social Security: Social security is an important safety net for an individual or couple as they age. By waiting as long as possible before withdrawing benefits, an individual or couple can increase their ultimate return.

3. Execute and Update an Estate Plan: An estate plan accomplishes many tasks. Not only does it provide for your loved ones after your death, but it can also utilize various tools to reduce the tax liability on your estate and your heirs.

4. Consider Business Ownership for a Favorable Tax Rate: Ownership of assets by a business entity rather than an individual often means a lower tax liability on the assets. If you have a home business or simply a large amount of assets, consider forming a corporate entity to lower your tax liability.

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Author: Neel Shah