You may be surprised to know that there are many non-tax reasons to plan your estate that have nothing to do with the economy or estate taxes. If your estate may be subject to estate taxes in the future, this year can be a perfect time for many people to plan, specifically because of historically low interest rates and changes that have been proposed by the IRS and Congress.

It may be time to update your estate plan or proceed with a more comprehensive estate plan. Without the proper planning, you just might end up like the host of celebrities who have made the headlines recently because they either had no estate planning or because the planning they did have was woefully out of date or otherwise inadequate.

The FDIC is an independent federal agency that ensures the availability of deposited funds after a bank failure. With the rash of bank failures, you may wonder whether - and to what extent - the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) will protect your bank accounts. Fortunately, new rules from the FDIC clarify how you can ensure maximum FDIC insurance coverage. You may need to modify your planning slightly to take advantage of these new rules.

The new Pension Protection Act of 2006 (signed into law last Fall) creates significant planning opportunities for those who understand it. This newsletter focuses on two key provisions: (1) non-spousal rollovers from a qualified plan to an inherited IRA and (2) charitable contributions of IRAs during lifetime.

There is no federal estate tax for the year 2010. This will affect people from all ranges of income and wealth. Check out this newsletter to learn more about how Congress has changed the taxation of estates for the year 2010 and beyond.

No one likes to think about the possibility of their own disability or the disability of a loved one. However, the statistics are clear that we should all plan for at least a temporary disability. This issue examines the eye-opening statistics surrounding disability and some of the common disability planning options.

There was a recent change in the tax law that you might not be familiar with - yet it may entitle you to significant tax savings. Beginning January 1, 2008 and continuing through December 31, 2010 (unless extended by Congress), a zero tax rate may apply to long-term capital gain and dividend income that would otherwise be subject to the lowest federal income tax rates, 10% and 15%.

For many pet owners, pets are members of the family. These individuals often say that if something happens to them, they are more concerned with what will happen to their pets than to their children or spouse.

These are difficult times. The "experts" now acknowledge that we are in a recession - and that we have been so for some time. Consumer confidence is low. As a result many of us are concerned, wondering what planning we should do now, if any.

With the political and economic climate as it is in the summer of 2008, we are not likely to see total repeal of the federal estate tax in the foreseeable future. On its face, exemption portability is a good thing. However, like many "good" things from Congress, this one may not be all that it is cracked up to be.

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the $787 Billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This new law, designed to stimulate the economy, contains numerous tax provisions that affect individuals and small businesses. This includes some provisions that may not apply to you personally, but may affect your parents, children, and/or grandchildren.

In the right circumstances, trusts can provide significant advantages to those who utilize them, particularly in protecting trust assets from the creditors of beneficiaries. Admittedly this can be a complex topic, but you see its implications in the headlines every day.

If you own a car, then you know it requires regular servicing in order to perform well and be reliable. More than likely, your car came with a recommended schedule for service, based on how many miles it has been driven. After a certain number of miles, you need to change the oil, replace the brake pads, rotate the tires, and so on.