I'm the executor of my mother's estate. She has an IRA where the beneficiary is her estate. When I withdraw this IRA into her estate account, how will this money be taxed?
After taking inventory of your possessions, including your home, vehicle, stocks, life insurance policies, etc., there are many steps you will need to take to protect these assets -- and yourself. There are many steps and documents that advisors will suggest you put into place immediately for your protection.
Advance directives come up frequently in conversations about health care decision-making, as people age. Their purpose is to provide written instructions for medical care, in instances where a patient is unable to communicate them herself.
Because baby boomers will leave trillions of dollars to their heirs, they and their beneficiaries should learn about the financial consequences of this magnitude of wealth transfer.
While most estate planning focuses on physical property, like your home, and liquid assets, such as investment accounts, retirement plans can actually make up a large portion of one’s estate. Due to the specific tax rules governing these assets at death, you must plan carefully to ensure these funds are integrated properly into your estate distribution plans and tax savings strategies.
No matter what line of work you are in, estate planning has facets that apply to everyone, and it comes down to documenting wishes and avoiding probate and unnecessary taxes. Too many people put it off, but, in general, the sooner you do it, the better.