When a software creator such as Apple or Microsoft makes changes to their main platform or operating system, they either adjust the number before the decimal of the system or afterward. One might expect, when going from Windows 10.1 to 10.2, to have minor incremental changes, but going from 10 to 11 to have more…
Author: gstc
Opportunity Costs in Retirement
A recent working paper “HOW MUCH LIFETIME SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS ARE AMERICANS LEAVING ON THE TABLE?” from the National Bureau of Economic Research takes lots of data, including the spending and taxation of families, and suggests: “More than 90 percent should wait till age 70. Only 10.2 percent appear to do so. The median loss…
A Story for Veteran’s Day
Recently an associate recounted for us a family experience that we would like to share. My Dad was born in 1929, so he was too young to be drafted for World War II. His Uncle Ray, a farm boy, did serve. Ray was posted to Europe, but I don’t know how much fighting he did.…
Celebrity Estate Takeaways
If you are alive to read this, then it isn’t too late to plan ahead and create an estate plan. In fact, it doesn’t need to be delayed until you are close to death—especially if substantial assets are involved. Thinking about death is hard. When it’s your own death, it’s even harder. However, thoughtful planning…
Are You Ready For a Trust?
One of the best ways to incorporate all of this planning together would be the establishment of a revocable living trust or standby revocable trust. A funded living trust gets trustee services right away. Services such as investment management, or administrative tasks such as paying the bills each month. On the other hand, a standby…
Do You Need a Will If You Are a Solo Ager?
Yes, you do. When you die without a will or trust, the law defaults to a set of statutes that are collectively known as the laws of intestacy. In general, these laws direct how an estate will be divided among a decedent’s relatives. For the Solo Ager, those distributions may not be in accordance with…
Can You Defend Yourself Against Financial Scams and Undue Influence?
Although seniors may be considered by some to be the most vulnerable to financial scams, the recent increase in social media scams and text message scams proves that all generations are susceptible and, in some cases, younger generations are even more susceptible. For a solo ager, the family safety net concerning financial scams disappears. Vigilance…