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Value of Life Insurance in Buy-Sell Agreements

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Insurance PlanningLesson 17: Business Uses of Life Insurance Student Question: Do buy sell agreements accounts for projected growth of the company?  Do the life insurance benefits increase over time to account for projected growth, or perhaps can they invest and grow conservatively to keep up with inflation (or COLA on the plan)?  Instructor Response:…

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Which Trust is it?

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Kathleen transferred her closely held stock to a trust for the benefit of her two daughters. Kathleen will receive a $50,000 distribution each year for the next 10 years from the trust. At the end of the trust term, Kathleen’s daughters will each receive 50% of the remaining trust assets. What type of trust did…

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Protect Concentrated Positions With No Out-of-Pocket Cost

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Good to Know Unmanaged concentrated position risk can be a ticking time bomb in your client’s portfolio. For example, one of the nation’s oldest (founded in 1879) and most respected banks was trading at $38/share in 2007. It had a long-term, loyal stockholder following, many of whom with holdings – accumulated over generations – valued…

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Deducting Gifts to Customers

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Income Tax PlanningLesson 10: Recognition of Expenses, Losses, and Deductions Student Question: Can you clarify the deductibility of gifts when we’re talking about employees of a business versus self-employed individuals?  It seems the rules have changed on these. Instructor Response: An employee (W2 employee or statutory employee) can no longer deduct unreimbursed gifts to…

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Appropriate Valuation Method

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Sam McBuck has an estate of $10 million and would like to leave it to his nephews. Sam assumes he will live for at least 5 more years. The property in Sam’s estate currently includes the following assets: –  An apartment building in downtown New York that Sam owns with three partners, each of whom…

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Financial Planning and Happy Marriages

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Good to Know Question: What can be a more common cause for divorce than infidelity? Answer: Unresolved money conflicts.1   While being on the same page over money may not guarantee the coveted fiftieth anniversary, fighting over money can undermine marriages well before the golden anniversary. The issues vary, but communication around marital finances can…

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Life Insurance in a Cross-Purchase Buy-Sell Agreement

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Course: Insurance PlanningLesson 17: Business Uses of Life and Disability Insurance Student Question: I have a quick question regarding buy/sell agreement. I’m not clear on who would pay the premiums on disability and or life insurance on the principals and the key employees? Instructor Response: Great question.  A buy-sell agreement relates to owners of the…

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Refinance Payment Calculation

By Dan Madden, CFP®

Dale refinanced his home mortgage to a 30 year fixed mortgage with biweekly payments. How much is each payment if he owed $350,000 at the time of the refinance and the interest rate is 3%? $680 $771 $1,136 $1,242 CLICK TO REVEAL ANSWER Expand A is the answer. Brandon pays his mortgage every two weeks…

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Get the Bear, or the Bear Gets You

By Bruce Starks, CPA, CFP®

Good to Know Loss aversion, taken to its extreme, can wreck long-term retirement planning and investment success. We’ll unpack what drives “irrational” loss aversion, identify a dangerous decision error, and illustrate a potential guardrail to remain on track with our long-term investing plans. “Irrational” Loss Aversion We’re a logical, evolved species, right? Before you answer,…

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