The Walt Disney Company has come a long way since it was founded by brothers Walt and Roy O. Disney nearly a century ago. What began as a cartoon studio is now a media powerhouse, complete with amusement parks and properties.
There are some major financial benefits to tying the knot. From IRAs to Social Security and tax exemptions, there are many reasons (besides the obvious one: love) for older couples to say I do.
Nobody likes to think about their own mortality, and that’s why so many people go without basic estate planning documents. Often, an event like the coronavirus can be the kick in the pants you need to get your affairs in order.
Estate planning involves making a plan for the transfer of your property upon your death or incapacity. Your estate is all of the property you own, which can include cash, jewelry, cars, houses, clothes, land, retirement, investments and savings accounts. The goals of estate planning are to make sure most of your estate is transferred to your beneficiaries, you pay minimal taxes on the estate and children are assigned guardianship.
The list of wealthy black celebrities who have died without a will in place is a significant one. Names on the list include Prince, who died with a net worth of about $300 million without having a will. So did John Singleton, Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix and the great Bob Marley, to name but a few.
She recently enrolled in traditional (Parts A, B, and D) Medicare and was hit with huge Part B and Part D monthly premiums. She had no idea why it was so high. After many letters, calls, and meetings with Social Security, she still had no idea.
My father recently passed away and we discovered he had a large credit card debt on a card in his name. My mother wasn’t aware of it. All assets are in both of their names. Is my mother liable for the credit card debt?
Most financial experts would agree that it is rarely, if ever, a good idea to take an early withdrawal from a traditional IRA or Roth IRA. This is due in part to the high cost of penalties that can hit an account holder for an early withdrawal (not to mention losing out on years of potential earnings).
It’s never too early to start estate planning. If you already have a family, getting your personal affairs in order is a must. The sooner you start planning, the more prepared you will be for life’s unexpected twists and turns.
Around two-thirds of all Americans have not prepared a health care directive, according to a December 13, 2019 article written by a personal finance specialist at Forbes. The author noted the irony of this figure, pointing out that California was the first US state to enact a law regarding health care directives back in 1976.