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Deborah Jacobs recently authored an article in Forbes titled “Estate Planning for Women (And the Men who Love Them)”. Since [women] usually survive their spouses, women more often have the last word about how much wealth goes to family, charity or the taxman While important to both sexes, estate planning often affects women more profoundly. Women live longer on average and tend to marry older spouses, making them three times as likely as men to be widowed at 65. So for women, estate planning is a crucial part of retirement planning. ....

The late Amy Winehouse was many things to many folks -- fabulous talent, an inspiration to Lady Gaga, an addict who couldn't quite shed her demons all come to mind. Add to that list: wise estate planner....

One thing that caught my attention was a section dealing with the children of the sailors. In particular, it discussed how Eugene "Red" O'Brien, a wheelsman, encouraged his son to attend college and get an education by establishing a trust for his education....

Fundamentals of a “well-thought-out estate plan,” – whether prince or pauper....

If you are hiring a caregiver for yourself or another loved one, you may be tempted to try to make the process as simple as possible by treating the caregiver as a "private contractor." ...

Your “instruction manual” for your children or survivors should begin with the basics. First, do you have a Trust and Will? If so, have you written instructions for your kids (survivors) to follow at your death or disability? ...

Too often, estate plans fail. Here are the three most common reasons....

Here are a few parental tips to help set the tone for your children and their approach to handling the money you provide....

Almost one in seven Americans looks after a disabled person age 50 or older. Many compensated and many not compensated, but it is a rapidly growing number (the number has jumped 28% since 2004). It’s an emerging situation that needs the compensation element to be formalized for many....

With 1.6 million Americans expected to file for Bankruptcy this year, we know that at least these 1.6 million and very likely many more researching the bankruptcy option have been asking the same basic questions. “What can I protect?” “What will be left?”...

The New York Times recently ran an outstanding article, detailing the basics of Pooled Trusts a means of caring for aging family members, while intelligently keeping the wolf away from the door.....

Congress finally passed and on December 17, 2010 President Obama signed into law the "Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010"...

There really are dark clouds on the horizon even if the "deal" is passed by Congress before the end of the month. The increase in the exemption is going to add billions of dollars to the federal deficit. ...

The federal estate tax lapsed for 2010, and barring no action by Congress it was scheduled to return on Jan. 1 with an exemption of $1 million per person and a maximum rate of 55 percent. I have good news to share with you....

Yes I know, that's impossible. But the heirs of George Steinbrenner, who died recently at the age of 80, certainly came out ahead of the heirs of Joe Robbie, the former owner of the Miami Dolphins who died in 1990....

Benjamin Franklin was a very successful businessman. Starting with absolutely nothing, he built a substantial fortune. And he capped it off by demonstrating keen skills developing his estate plan....

It is no surprise to encounter articles like the one in Forbes magazine raising concerns for those who save now on a Do-It-Yourself Will only to leave an expensive nightmare for their heirs....

Forbes Magazine’s September 7 issue had a thought provoking article on “Do It Yourself Wills”....

"More than 50 million people in the United States have disabilities, a number that is growing rapidly as the population ages. Experts say disability will soon affect the lives of most Americans."...

Stieg Larsson, the author of the best selling novel "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo", died in 2004 without a will. His heirs are still fighting it out with Larsson's live-in girlfriend of 32 years....