Estate Planning

Many people believe that if they give away an amount equal to the annual gift tax exclusion -- which is currently $15,000 to any one individual -- this gift will be exempted from Medicaid's five-year look-back at transfers that could...

An elderly Pennsylvania husband and wife are being asked to pay their deceased adult son's medical bills under a law making family members responsible for a loved ones' unpaid bills. ...

Federal rules protect certain spouses of reverse mortgage holders from being forced out of their homes when the mortgage holder dies.

If something were to happen to you, does your family know where to find your important documents or know what your final preferences and wishes are?...

Reverse mortgages can be a big help to seniors needing extra cash, but they can become a nightmare for their heirs.

Many people, especially seniors, see joint ownership as an easy way to avoid probate and plan for incapacity, but there are major drawbacks to joint accounts.

When you die, your debts do not expire with you. Most debt still needs to be paid off, if possible, although who is responsible for paying the debt depends on the type of debt, and some assets are protected.

When a person declares bankruptcy, an individual retirement account (IRA) is one of the assets that is beyond the reach of creditors, but what about an IRA that has been inherited? ...

Many seniors consider transferring assets for estate and long-term care planning purposes, or just to help out children and grandchildren.