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Help for Caregivers, Our Thankless Heroes
Caring for an aging loved one is an incredibly difficult job that is often thankless. Virtually everyone will need some help as they age, and most of us will resist that help as long as possible. Combine this with the love and concern that most children feel towards...
5 Estate Issues You and Your Family Should Plan For
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." When it comes to estate planning, this quote from Benjamin Franklin could not be more true. Oftentimes, people don't think of estate planning, or the issues related to it, until it is too late. As a firm who deals...
*NEW* GriefShare Group starting at Edwards Group
It hurts to lose someone. GriefShare brings help and encouragement after the death of a spouse, child, family member, or friend. Edwards Group Chaplain, Carla Green, along with her husband Rick will be leading this support group for those who have lost loved ones....
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Your “Special Stuff” List: Lesson #2 from Robin Williams
One of the best ways to minimize fighting amongst your family after you're gone is by creating a "special stuff" list before you go. Creating a "Special Stuff" List Can Minimize Fighting Amongst Your Family After You're Gone Last week, we talked about having "The...
A Lesson from Robin Williams: Having “The Conversation”
One way in which you can minimize fighting amongst your family after you're gone is by having "The Conversation" before you go... Does Your Family Have Trust Issues Like Robin Williams? After his death in 2014, it appeared that Robin Williams did everything right when...
3 Myths About Choosing a Helper for Your Plan
We've talked previously about what a "helper" is and why it's so important to not only choose one, but choose a good one. Whether it's as a trustee, executor, power of attorney or guardian, it's very important that you choose someone who is up to the task. Here are 3...
Estate Planning is Like… Birthday Cake
Much like your favorite birthday cake flavor, everyone likes different things when it comes to estate planning. Well, as of March 5, I'm another year older! And to celebrate I got to have the best birthday cake in the world -- spice cake with chocolate icing! What...
6 IRA Planning Tips
Here are 6 IRA planning tips you should consider for your family: 1. Help your grandkids with their own IRA Anyone who starts an IRA early, in their teens or 20's, will see it grow to huge amounts by retirement. But young people often don't have the funds to put into...
7 IRA Planning Traps to Consider
When it comes to your IRA, there are some planning traps you need to look out for... Here are 7 IRA planning problems to consider: 1. Incorrect beneficiaries - This is very basic, but often overlooked. Confirm that the beneficiaries are set up correctly. If you lack a...
The Lifecycle of an IRA: 4 Stages
There are 4 stages in the lifecycle of your IRA, and each one gets progressively more complicated. The last stage is "What happens when I'm gone?" Here is what you need to know about each stage leading up to the last: Before age 59 1/2, you are usually paying into the...
IRAs: The Best Time to Pay Your Taxes
"When is the second best time to pay your taxes?" Many of our clients have retirement accounts, such as an IRA, 401(k) or a 403(b). These accounts take careful planning. Why? Because the accounts typically have never been taxed, and how you plan for them will...
7 Questions to Ask In Order to Do Effective IRA Planning
IRA planning can be tricky. In order to make sure you plan as best as you can, you should discuss the following questions with your attorney and other advisors: 1. Will you need the IRA funds during your life? If not, you may want to convert to a Roth or use the RMD's...
Estate Planning is Like… Dave’s Favorite Sweatshirt
I have a piece of clothing we simply call "my favorite sweatshirt." I think it's about 20 years old. I may have had it when I graduated from law school in 1995. If not, I got it shortly after that. (The picture to the left is from 1998.) We have a family friend who...