Surfers know how to get above a wave and ride it to the shore. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) created a gnarly wave for wealth preservation; estate tax exemptions have crested at double the previous limit – for a limited time only. People can give or inherit more than ever – without… Read more »
Most Estate Plans include some form of life insurance; likely a permanent life insurance policy that helps them ensure their legacy after they die. However, there is sometimes a still a home for term life insurance within an estate plan. Term life insurance provides coverage for only a period of time (as agreed between the… Read more »
Picture This: Your daughter Lupita and her husband Armando love your $5 million home and cherish the memories they have had there. After you have passed away, and they inherit the home, they decide not to sell. You have arranged for them to own the house outright, and they don’t have to pay any estate… Read more »
What you Don’t Know Can Hurt You Many people don’t realize that the terms of a life insurance policy may be subject to change. Unbeknownst to them, some of the key elements of the policy may shift, making the policy barely recognizable, and in some cases, no longer beneficial. According to a recent survey, 60% of… Read more »
According to the Social Security Administration, about one fourth of the 65-year-olds today will live past the age of 90, and one in ten will live past the ripe age of 95. The latest research shows that this current generation of men is expected to live 7 years longer than the previous generation; women are… Read more »
In the game of Monopoly (™), the person with the most properties in the end usually wins. In real life, having the most properties in the end could also mean paying the most in taxes. Let’s take a look at how to maximize your investments in real estate while minimizing your taxes. Catch 22 Investment… Read more »
Some of the effects of the recent tax reform remain to be seen. However, one thing is for sure. It has generated a lot of volatility in the municipal bond market (munis). Consider this – December 2017 saw the greatest issuance of municipal bonds in history, while January 2018 was the worst January since 1981… Read more »
If you have high insurance premiums, carrying life insurance can feel like a burden. So the recent increase in the estate tax exemption limit to $22 million (for couples) seems like a ‘get out of jail free’ card. Certainly, if life insurance was purchased simply to cover estate taxes, and there will not be any… Read more »
Let’s walk through how someone could amass millions more through Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) than through most other investment vehicles. For a definition, benefits and other considerations for PPLI, read our blog, “Why You’ll Never View Life Insurance The Same Way Again”. Let’s say John reads an article, and realizes that for PPLI, funds… Read more »
In 2016, the University of Michigan and Jim Harbaugh came to an agreement in which Michigan would loan Harbaugh $14 million over the course of several years to pay his insurance premiums. He doesn’t need to repay the loan until he dies, at which point the death benefit will cover the loan, and remaining funds will… Read more »
