I started my investment career in the ‘90’s by selling 5% tax free municipal bonds over the phone to retirees. People with money, I learned quickly, want reliable income and low risk. To be confident in the bonds I recommended, I sold mostly AAA or insured bonds – not the higher-yielding, but riskier, housing, hospital, or airport bonds.
But like Mary Hopkin’s classic 1960’s hit says….
The single most common estate planning mistake in the United States happens when parents put a child’s name on the deed to their house. Parents do this because they want their children to inherit their property without probate costs and delays. Well-intentioned parents do not realize that there are safer, more efficient ways to make sure their kids get their home to help everyone avoid taxes and other complications. If you are about to add your child’s name to your home, keep reading to understand why that probably is not a wise decision and learn about some better estate planning strategies.
On March 11, 2020, news organizations ran a story about a notable passing. It served as the main business story for just about every financially oriented newspaper, news program, and news website in the United States. The bull market’s historic 11-year run, beginning in the wake of the housing crisis of 2008-2009, had come to a close.
