My Comments: For many advisors, estate planning will take a back seat as the combined exemption (husband and wife) now exceeds $10.5M. That eliminates a lot of folks who nevertheless have substantial wealth. But there are still questions that should not be ignored. Here’s a quick summary that will put all this in perspective for …
Continue reading 10 Estate Planning Tax Facts You Need to Know
My Thoughts: If this were my original work, the ttle would more likely be “My Best Guess for the Markets in 2014.” The emphasis is on guess and it only exists because as a so called expert, I’m supposed to know. Only I don’t. I think I know what I’m having for supper tonight because …
Continue reading Forecasting the Year Ahead, and Preparing to Be Wrong
My Comments: You already know my opinions about the PPACA and how it will morph over the next ten years. Here’s another element that will focus people’s attention as contrasts start to appear between states that are willing to participate and those that do not. Since Florida has chosen to NOT participate in the Medicaid …
Continue reading The Affordable Care Act’s Most Important Date: Not What You Think
My Comments: I hope everyone had a safe and happy celebration to start 2014. With it coming during the middle of the week, my internal calendar is kinda messed up; it seems today has to be Monday. But back to the real world. My first inclination when asked to understand something not readily understood, is …
Continue reading Don’t Fret About Soaring Asset Prices – This Time Is Different
My Comments: How many of you actually made a list of New Year’s Resolutions? I used to make them, but it became pointless. Very little conformed to reality and few were accomplished. So no list of resolutions for me this year. But it is helpful to be somewhat organized, and if you live a middle-class …
My Comments: Years ago, it was simply a matter of waiting to reach 65, showing up at the Social Security office and then waiting for a check to appear in the mail. Today, that idea is quaint and naive. As the baby boomers reach age 62 and beyond, it’s become a chore to figure out …
Continue reading Restricted Application for Social Security Benefits
By John Gapper | The Financial Times The New York minicab service I used to favour communicated in code. When you rang and gave your address, the radio dispatcher would reply “five minutes” and hang up. This meant a cab would arrive at any time from one to 10 minutes later. “Seven minutes” meant 20, …
Continue reading Why Taxi Cab Drivers Cannot Put Down Their Smartphones
Right now, it's about 9:30 in the morning of Christmas Eve. But in parts of Australia and New Zealand, Santa has already come down the chimney and is on his way back to the North Pole. (Does he have a distribution center at the South Pole?) So, just as an early glass of Scotch causes …
My Comments: Who knew? If I'd known this before, would I have planned any differently? Maybe. By Dan Kadlec Dec. 12, 2013 With a savings crisis so deep that more than half of American adults are unsure they could scrape together $2,000 within a month for an emergency, it may seem tone deaf to worry …
My Comments: In part this is a follow up to the posts about the US-Iran deal recently completed. What is often not seen or talked about is our increasing lack of dependance on Middle East oil. That dependency has been the reason for our friendship with Saudi Arabia. This despite where most of the 9/11 …
Helping Define Your Financial Future 