Drain the Usual Suspects: Can Overfunded Life Protect HNW Clients from Coming Tax Rises?
We stand at the tree line, all silent for a moment, waiting to cross the fateful valley. I’m not talking about Faulkner’s fantasy...
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The Joys of Creating an ILIT – and the Fatal Mistake That Can Kill It
Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, or ILITs, are a wonderful way for clients with complex estates – or difficult heirs – to manage...
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Heads Up or Headache – Purchasing Life Insurance Inside a Qualified Plan
I like the way I earn my living, writing and editing, but some days I feel that remaining in bed, head firmly covered, seems the...
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Love, Look at the Three of Us: Having the Money Talk Before Marriage
I nearly married a millionaire once. It didn’t work out and I won’t tell you why, but I’m willing to share some of our pre-aisle...
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Book of Lamentations: Tony Hsieh Latest to Die Will-less
Mourn the poor rich man, who died in his prime and left a tremendous mess for his loved ones to clear up. Tony Hsieh, the 46-year...
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Don’t Stop the Presses: Democrats Propose Ultra-Rich Tax
I live on a quiet street. There’s a pothole in the road outside my gate. Our neighbor’s mutt likes to wander over and lie in it. We...
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Chance Favors Her Courters: Pandemic Spurs Interest in Life Insurance
There’s a steamy old movie I favor, where a tough cop ruefully notes that in a mad crisis, people can lose direction. “Everything...
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Ticket to Ride: Omnibus Bill Brings Relief to Insurers and Clients in 2021
Our topic is adaptability – so hard to practice, particularly in politics, especially when regulations are involved. It recalls...
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Never Too Late: Life Coverage Available Despite the Pandemic
Everyone hates a health exam, particularly one that probes them deeply. I wonder if this isn’t a reason why people are so reluctant...
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Wholly Appealing: The Planning Benefits of Whole Life Insurance for HNW Clients
My father was a straight arrow, as true flying as they come, but he wasn’t without his New England oddities. I’m not talking about...
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Surprises at Every Crossing: Permanent Life Insurance and the Allure of Its Cash Component
I just read a stimulating article in which the author said she uses a high deductible health plan (HDHP), specifically its attached...
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Fairness Is Our Business: Assuring Covid Survivors Aren’t Denied Life Insurance
Life insurance. It’s a curious old business. The customer buys a product and reduces their risk. The provider selling that policy...
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Waiting, Expectantly: Preparing for Eventual Higher Estate Taxes
I called one of my first colleagues in finance, a London-born specialist now in estate planning, who works out of Baltimore. What...
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You’re Coverable: Life Insurance for Cancer Survivors
Dan beat cancer. The best healthcare in Boston, the good vibes and prayers of his loved ones and his own iron determination took...
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Not If, But When – Preparing for the Biden-Tax-Boost Era
My old friend Jim called me after midnight from a parking lot in Houston. He sounded winded, distracted. Apart from the cellphone...
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Alive and Kicking: SECURE Act Provisions Still Tripping Up Clients
The Stretch IRA stratagem: in the old days, I wrote about it so often, I often wished it would vanish. I’ll take anything else, so...
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