The release of Stormy Daniels’ memoir, Full Disclosure by St. Martin’s Press is a landmark case of a legal matter post the 2006 Lake Tahoe meeting with now President Donald Trump. The drama ensuing from the execution of a Non-Disclosure Agreement before the 2016 presidential election, has taught an inadvertent…
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New York Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
Estate Planning for Entrepreneurs and Founders, Part 3: Advanced Wealth and Estate Transfer
The final step in a three (3) part series, advanced wealth and estate transfer planning allows an estate owner to shelter assets from estate tax. Strategies to reduce taxation and other penalties that may otherwise be assigned to distributions after an estate holder’s death are a core element of any…
More Insurers Offering Medicare Advantage Plans to Help Seniors get Healthcare
When open enrollment begins for Medicare, many seniors across the country will notice an expanded range of health care plan options, including those offered by private insurance companies through Medicare Advantage. With more Americans than ever considering and signing up for these Medicare alternatives, more insurance companies than usual are…
QTIP Trust Protects the Interests of Inheriting Children from Preceding Marriages
The formation of a Qualified Terminable Interest Property (“QTIP”) trust is a tax-exempt estate planning option that allows for an owner to elect distribution of estate assets to named beneficiaries, including children of a preceding marriage. In most cases, estate property assets transfer automatically to a surviving spouse under federal…
Trusts and Estates Planning for Same-Sex Couples
QTIP Trust Planning for Same-Sex Couples When the United States Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) in a 2013 ruling, estate planning opportunities for same-sex couples were broadly enhanced to include tax-exempt and tax-deferred asset protections. The landmark decision overturning the DOMA redefined the entire framework…
What is the Best Trust for Special Needs Planning?
Caring for a child with a disability creates challenges beyond our lifetime and often takes resources beyond what federal safety net programs can offer in order for our loved one to live the most comfortable and dignified life possible. While rules governing these federal programs place certain income restrictions on…
The Reinvestment Benefits of Viatical Settlement
Viatical settlement has become a popular strategy for investors seeking immediate liquidity for end-of-life expenses. Distinct from other derivative products, viatical settlement also offers life insurance policy holders immediate cash for reinvestment without the extenuating contract obligations of other financial assets. Settlement transfers the title of a life insurance policy…
Why a Life-care Policy is a Value-added Investment
New York insurance laws allow for insurance providers to offer insured seniors life-care policy coverage. A specialized form of insurance coverage, a life-care policy indemnifies the holder for end-of-life care and treatment as part of an extended life services agreement. Distinct from a limited life insurance agreement, life-care coverage can…
Calculating your Break Even Point with Social Security Benefits
Figuring out the best time to claim Social Security benefits is an important part of retirement planning that can have long lasting impacts on the type of lifestyle individuals and their spouses can expect to enjoy in their Gold Years. Depending on when individuals decide to take their Social Security…
Federal Regulators Issue Warning About Risk of Cryptocurrencies Tied to Retirement Accounts
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued a warning to consumers about the risk associated with adding cryptocurrencies to so-called self-directed individual retirement accounts. These types of unregistered IRAs allow individuals to invest their nest eggs outside of the stock market and bond market and often incorporate holdings in…