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Denice Gierach - EzineArticles.com Expert Author
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Denice Gierach Email Alerts
- Some Medicare Recipients Will See a Rise in Premiums in 2010
[Health-and-Fitness:Healthcare-Systems] The Medicare program has announced its 2010 premium and coinsurance rates. Due to an anticipated increase in medical costs, there will be an increase in Medicare-related premiums, although not all recipients will have to pay the new rates. Over the last few years, there have been changes in rate-setting by Medicare. Now, not every Medicare beneficiary can expect to pay the same portion of his or her medical, as in the past. Instead, there is a confusing system of co-payments, deductibles and premiums, which are even more confusing.
- Is Buying a Franchise Your Best Option?
[Business:Franchising] Many people looking to buy a business consider buying a franchise. After all, they think the franchisor has a cookie-cutter approach that can't miss and they can just walk into the new business, which will be flush with cash. In the numbers I have read, four out of five new franchise businesses will not be around in five years. The numbers of franchises that fail are staggering.
- Where to Turn When Business Partners Are in Conflict
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] Many times partners in a business start out at the beginning of the business excited to go into business with each other. Each has their own separate skill set that they bring to the table, whether it is in sales, production or operations.
- Is This a Good Time to Transfer Your Wealth to Your Children?
[Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] With the interest rates at a really low rate, and with the economic fallout from the present economy, even people with money do not feel flush now and may decide that they do not want to make gifts to the next generation. Even though the economy has been in recession many times before and has come out of it to prosperity, sometimes it is hard to look beyond the present time to see that prosperity.
- So You Have Entered Retirement - Now What?
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Now that you have made the decision to retire -or the decision was made for you by the company that you worked for- it is time to decide what to do with your life. While you may want to take some well-deserved time off, try to set out a time line for that vacation and a self-imposed deadline to make the decisions for your future. Remember that your prior job did not define you and may be just the stepping stone to something that you always wanted to do in your life, but were unable to do as a result of your obligations or other circumstances.
- Consider a Donor Advised Fund
[Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] Many people give small amounts to numerous charities, without considering whether and how to give more of their total charitable gifts to those organizations that assist in dealing with issues near and dear to their heart, which may range from scholarships to educational institutions, research on cancer, Alzheimer's disease, mentoring programs, helping children, humane societies, to name but a few. Those larger gifts allow them to either support an existing program or to create a program that creates a legacy for their family while supporting those causes that really mean something to them.
- Law Talk - Beware of Firms That Tout Tax Reductions
[Finance:Taxes] Most probably you have heard ads on the radio or seen spots on the television for businesses who claim to be able to help taxpayers who are behind on their tax liabilities. The ads claim that they are able to represent the taxpayers and can settle cases for pennies on the dollar. The ads chime-why pay more?
- Giving Something Back, A Wise Investment
[Business:Ethics] Business people generally get a bad rap in the general press and the movies trying to make the business of making money a bad thing. The reality is that many businesses that are successful have a genuine desire to give back to the community, which they do in many ways.
- Not Easy, But Being Green Is the Trendiest
[Real-Estate:Green-Real-Estate] It's not easy being green - or so the song goes. That being said, with the new administration in Washington, going green is not only "hip", but there may be some tax advantage or grants to entice you to go green. One application of the green concept is a green building.
- Your Attorney is Your Trusted Advisor
[Business:Entrepreneurialism] When you have given birth to that business idea, you want to take the idea and run with it. You may or may not have experience to know the legal items that you will need and you may or may not have the accounting background to do a proper financial plan.
- Be Aware of Changes in the Tax Law For 2009
[Finance:Taxes] Earlier this year, Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Included in this law were a number of provisions that affect income taxes for the year 2009, some of which might affect you or your family.
- Is Now the Right Time to Buy Rather Than Lease?
[Real-Estate:Leasing-Renting] It is true that in the short term, landlords are giving great deals to tenants to keep rent flowing. This is always the case in times of recession, where there are not as many new prospective tenants competing for the same space. However, even though this may be the case today, it will not be so in the future. When business conditions improve and there are many more tenants out there, count on the rental rates to rise.
- Warranties, Representations Protect Buyer
[Legal] Many business owners are retrenching in this current economic turmoil, but those who are able to project beyond the current crisis see business opportunities. There are many business owners (potential sellers) who are at or close to retirement or no longer "have the fire in their belly" to continue to operate in this business clime. It is true that the marketplace is challenging and it is not for the timid.
- Working Out Issues With Your Lender
[Real-Estate:Commercial-Property] It is a fair statement that no one could have predicted the direction of the economy and the havoc that the economy would play in the commercial real estate market. Investing in real estate seemed like the ideal investment at the time-several years ago. It seemed like there was no way to lose, offering better returns at the time than in the stock market.
- When to Review Estate Plans
[Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] Now that you, a Naperville resident, have completed your estate planning process with your lawyer, you are certainly pleased that you have made tough decisions for your estate planning, such as who should act as trustee, who should be the guardian of any minor children you may have, how you are protected in the event that you become disabled, to name just a few. Your attorney also has made the transfers of your property to your living trust, and you feel that you are finished. Are you?
- What Kind of FDIC Coverage Do You Have?
[Finance:Personal-Finance] The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) is an independent federal agency which protects owners of bank account against losses if the bank or savings and loan fails. The amount of "insurance" that the FDIC provides has recently increased to $250,000 for each owner of the account, designed to quiet the financial markets. This amount of coverage is temporary and scheduled to return to the lower amount on January 1, 2010.
- Tis the Season to Give Assets to Loved Ones And Dodge Estate Taxes
[Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] The economy is in a temporary mess with home prices diminishing and the stock and bond market falling. Yet, for anyone with a federal estate tax issue potentially at his or her death, this is a good time to give as many assets as one can. This is one of the best opportunities to transfer wealth to younger generations, without incurring the federal estate tax in the process.
- Keeping Vacation Homes in the Family
[Travel-and-Leisure:Vacation-Homes] Now that autumn has officially arrived, many people have spent fond memories of visits with their family in a vacation property. Perhaps you own a vacation property in Michigan along the water or at Eagle Ridge in Galena on the golf course. Wherever the property is located, one important question is how to keep the vacation home in the family after you have passed on.
- Wrongful Termination
[Legal:Employment-Law] So, you were just laid off or fired without any reason at all. You are really angry and feel that you were wrongfully terminated from your job. Do you have any legal recourse? That depends.
- Seniors - Planning Ahead is Key to Financial Stability
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] Today many family members live far away from each other, making it more difficult to monitor the condition and care of elderly relatives. Sometimes family members are not even aware of the needs of the elderly relatives or the current condition of their care. For all of these reasons, it is important to have seniors take proactive steps ahead of time to minimize the chances of guardianship proceedings or custody battles later.
- Plan Ahead When Selling Your Business to Get the Best Price
[Real-Estate:Commercial-Property] Small business owners generally fail to plan ahead when they think they might have an interest in selling their business and consequently fail to achieve the best price. When a person sells a house, they normally redo the kitchen or bathrooms, change the carpet, revamp the landscaping in order to achieve their top dollar for the eventual sale of the home. When selling a small business, the owner of the business rarely looks at the concerns that a buyer might have in determining the price.
- Pet Trusts Ensure Fluffy Gets Fed After You're Gone
[Pets] You personally may not be the type of person that would walk your dog in a dog stroller, but most people are very concerned about what happens to their pets in the event of their disability or their death. Who will care for their pets? How can they make sure that their pets are properly cared for and that the persons who will be responsible will have the funds to do that?
- Law in Limbo As Citizens Ride the Roller Coaster on Estate Tax
[Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] Back in 2001, Congress changed the law on estate taxes, creating estate tax exemptions that changed over the years. For instance, in 2008, the exemption from federal estate tax is set at $2 million. If you have one dollar more than that number, your excess will be taxed at 45 percent plus, depending on the amount of the excess.
- Parents' Medicaid Application May Be Affected by Gifts to Kids
[Finance:Personal-Finance] The gift that you received from mom and dad can be used by you in any manner that you wish. However, if your parents enter a nursing home, they could be left in a bind. This is due to the Deficit Reduction Act, which was enacted last February, which tightened the rules for qualifying for Medicaid help with their long-term care after making gifts to family members.
- Life Insurance is a Good Safety Net, But Not For Everyone
[Insurance:Life-Annuities] The old adage is true that life insurance is not so much about life as about death. The only time that you or your family benefit from life insurance is at your death. The trouble with life insurance is that it is often confusing to general consumers about both basic questions such as when to buy it and when to skip it or more complicated questions about how much coverage and which is the best policy for you.
- Think Twice Before Listing Junior As a Beneficiary on IRA
[Investing:IRA-401k] Many people like to leave the beneficiary designation on their IRA accounts with the specific names of family members. For instance, a husband might list his spouse as the primary beneficiary and if she does not survive him, the children are listed as the secondary beneficiary. If the children are minors, will this be an effective transfer?
- You Own the Business - Should You Own the Space?
[Real-Estate:Commercial-Property] Both individuals and businesses are faced with the choice of whether to lease or purchase property. Many of the same considerations apply whether the property is an automobile, a personal residence or an office condo or building. These considerations need to be weighed by the individual or company to determine which is the right decision for you.
- It is Easy to Protect Yourself From Scam Artists
[Finance:Personal-Finance] Using these techniques will allow a homeowner to lessen the risk of dealing with a contractor. Of course, a lower risk means you sleep better at night in that new room addition.
- Prenuptial Agreements - A Safety Net
[Legal] A prenuptial agreement is a binding legal document entered into by a couple prior to their marriage which states what will happen to their income and assets during a marriage and what happens to their income and assets in the event that the marriage ends in death, divorce or separation. The parties to the agreement make full disclosure to each other of their assets and liabilities and set forth in as much detail as they wish, what will happen during and after their marriage.
- Court Decisions Put New Wrinkles in Eminent Domain
[Real-Estate] Eminent domain is the law that allows the government to "condemn" your property and take it over for a public purpose. In the past, the public purpose was for a government center, a school, a road or something that would benefit the general public. Recently, there was a United States Supreme Court Case of a municipality in Connecticut that condemned a property so that it could economically revitalize an area.
- Parents of Special Needs Children Should Develop Plan For Later in Life
[Finance:Personal-Finance] If you have a child with special needs, you understandably worry about taking care of their needs while you are alive, but also after you have died. A disabled or special needs parent needs to find appropriate care and services, work with the child to obtain independent living skills to the extent possible and protect that child from any harm. This type of planning involves managing finances and making personal decisions in the event of the disability or death of both parents.
- Hiring a Lawyer Before Starting a Franchise Could Save You Down the Road
[Business:Franchising] Many people come out of a corporate environment with a severance payment and look for a business that they can invest in. If they were in middle management, they may feel that they know what they are doing in picking up a franchise opportunity. That being said, it is still a good idea to hire a franchise lawyer to assist you in reviewing the documents, which can include the offering circular, franchise agreement and lease or purchase of the property where the franchise may be located.
- Just in Case - Organize Your Life in a Simple Binder
[Finance:Estate-Plan-Trusts] If you become disabled suddenly through a car accident or health calamity, will your family or significant other know what your wishes are? If you die suddenly, will those closest to you know what to do? Will they know where your pertinent papers are kept or what assets may be available for your care?
- Tricky Business of 'Divorcing' a Business Partner
[Business:Small-Business] When a business is new and the prospect of potential success is in the air, life looks and feels good. Just as in a marriage, partners do not go into a partnership assuming that either the partnership will fail or they will need to "divorce" their partner. If the parties follow their attorney's advice, they may have a written partnership agreement to guide and control the termination of the departing partner's interest in the partnership.
- Like a Marriage, a New Business Partnership Needs a 'Pre-Nup'
[Business:Small-Business] When you begin a new business with a partner, no matter what the form of the business, you should have a "prenuptial agreement" for your business. In a marriage, you cannot predict how long the relationship will continue and how it will end. The same is true in a business context.
- Pay Special Attention to the Commercial Lease
[Real-Estate:Commercial-Property] In the excitement of forming a new business, whether a person is purchasing a franchise or forming a new business from scratch, one critical step in getting the business started usually gets little attention by the business owner - the commercial lease. With everything else new business owners have to decide, they tend to spend too little time understanding the commercial lease. Before business owners sign any commercial lease, they must read it and ...
- Know the Rules Before Listing Beneficiaries to IRA Account
[Investing:IRA-401k] As the baby boomers retire, they are the first generation that will retire with large IRA accounts. When the boomers do their estate planning, one of the considerations in such planning is who to name the beneficiary of the large IRA account. One consideration for such a choice is certainly to try to minimize the tax burden on their estates.
- Is a Reverse Mortgage a Good Option?
[Real-Estate:Mortgage-Refinance] Since we are all living longer than medical science may have predicted when we were young, many times the principal assets an older person may have will be their home. Since most elderly want to stay in their own homes for the rest of their lives, if their physical health allows, many elderly are faced with a tough choice: either sell the home and move to an apartment or assisted care facility or make use of a reverse mortgage.
- Geriatric Consultants Can Help Families As Parents Age
[Home-and-Family:Elder-Care] As the population ages and particularly our parents age, it is appropriate and helpful to use the services of a geriatric consultant. A number of companies offer a large variety of services depending on your family's needs. These firms are part patient advocate and part mediators with the family when required.
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