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November, 2019:

Information on Umbrellas

Most of us know that umbrella policies cover us in the case of exceeding the liability limits in our auto or home insurance policies. While this is true, there are other reasons to hold umbrella insurance. Umbrella insurance provides excess liability above and beyond the coverage amounts on underlying policies. That is, if we are liable for damages in excess of what our policies provide, the umbrella provides the excess. In addition to auto and home policies, umbrella insurance also provides coverage on motorcycles, boats, ATVs, as well as a second home, land, etc. Naturally the more items that are insured under the umbrella, the more the premium increases. What about coverage for things not covered by an underlying policy? Less thought about but still covered under umbrella policies are occurrences such as libel, slander, certain lawsuits, and personal liability. This could include dog bites or defending yourself from personal […]

Survivor Benefits Do Not Affect Your Own Benefits (and vice versa)

It pays to know the rules. You can coordinate Social Security survivor benefits with your own retirement benefit if you’re eligible for both.

529 Plan Beneficiaries

Owners (usually parents) of 529 plans set them up for the purpose of funding future college education expenses for beneficiaries (usually their children). However, 529 plans allow for beneficiaries other than the owner’s children. Beneficiaries may be changed on 529 plans at the owner’s discretion. Who qualifies as a beneficiary for a 529 plan? According to IRS Publication 970, the following may be beneficiaries of 529 plans: The account owner. Son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, adopted child, or a descendant of any of them. Brother, sister, stepbrother, or stepsister. Father or mother or ancestor of either. Stepfather or stepmother. Son or daughter of a brother or sister. Brother or sister of father or mother. Son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law. The spouse of any individual listed above. First cousin. 529 plans only allow one beneficiary per plan. Owners with multiple children or beneficiaries will need to determine their plan […]

Are Social Security Benefits Changing in 2021?

Much has been advertised about Social Security benefits changing in 2021 – but really, it’s all old news. The “changes” have been in place since 1983.

Financial Recordkeeping – How Long Do I Keep This??

How organized is your recordkeeping? Do you have any idea how long you should hold onto some of those documents? This article should help.

Three Reasons You May Not Want to Convert to a Roth IRA

In today’s historically-low tax rate environment, converting money from traditional IRAs to Roth can make sense, but not always. Keep your eyes open.