Normally, you must itemize your deductions in order to benefit from them. In 2020, the standard deduction amount is $12,400 for individuals and $24,800 for married couples filing jointly. But this year, you can get a charitable deduction even if you don’t itemize. by Steve Hartnett Ordinarily, charitable deductions are only available as an itemized deduction. When you file your federal taxes, you have an option to take itemized deductions or the standard deduction. The standard … [Read more...] about It’s Better to Give, Especially This Year
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New Year’s Resolution: Schedule an Estate Plan Review
When a new year rolls around, people often resolve to take care of certain responsibilities that they have been putting on the back burner. With this in mind, we urge you to schedule an estate plan review in 2021 if you have not looked at your plan in years. There are a number of different reasons why revisions can be necessary, and we will look at some of them in this post. Changes to Relevant Laws Your original estate plan is based on a snapshot of the circumstances that existed at the … [Read more...] about New Year’s Resolution: Schedule an Estate Plan Review
2021 Estate Tax Exclusion Update
The federal estate tax applies to asset transfers when someone passes away and leaves assets to beneficiaries. The tax rate starts at an attention-getting 40 percent. That’s the bad news. The good news is that an exclusion allows you to transfer an amount tax-free. The portion of an estate that exceeds the exclusion is what would be subject to taxation. There are annual estate tax adjustments to account for inflation, and we are going to share the 2021 number in this post. But before we … [Read more...] about 2021 Estate Tax Exclusion Update
Preparing for the Unexpected…and the Eventual
The world is an unusual place. Things you’d never expect to happen sometimes actually do happen. There are natural disasters and unusual phenomenon. It’s important to prepare, not just for the unexpected but the eventual. by Steve Hartnett All of us face difficulties and tragedies in our lives. Some of these difficulties are expected and some are unexpected. 2020 has been a year of many unexpected difficulties. While all of us get sick from time to time, nobody anticipated the … [Read more...] about Preparing for the Unexpected…and the Eventual
Medicaid Healthy Spouse Allowances Updated for 2021
Before we focus on the subject that serves as the title of this post, we will share some background information to provide context. Most senior citizens will require living assistance eventually, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services tells us that 35 percent of elders will live in nursing homes. The state of Oklahoma has determined that the average cost for a year in a nursing home statewide is about $65,000-$80,000. Here in Oklahoma City, the median charge for a … [Read more...] about Medicaid Healthy Spouse Allowances Updated for 2021
Wartime Veterans Pension Will Rise in 2021
People who have served in the military can take advantage of a retirement pension earned after 20 years of service. This benefit can provide a comfortable retirement, and there are two different approaches that can be taken. Since most people join the military when quite young, a service member could retire after 20 years of service and embark on a second career in the private sector, receiving his or her military pension during that time. A retired veteran could save the pension for the … [Read more...] about Wartime Veterans Pension Will Rise in 2021
Tax Planning for 2021
Planning is important for your income taxation during life as well as for any estate tax at death. Even though 2021 is just starting, it’s not too early to think about planning for whatever it may bring your way. by Steve Hartnett As 2020 draws to a close and a new year dawns, we need to think of…tax planning! Some years Congress tweaks the laws more than other years. While 2020 held plenty of surprises with coronavirus and an election, it was a relatively quiet year for legislative … [Read more...] about Tax Planning for 2021
Some Out-Of-Pocket Medicare Costs Will Go Up in 2021
As elder law attorneys, we keep a finger on the pulse of government benefits for seniors, and Medicare is one of them. In this post, we are going to share some recently released information about the relatively modest out-of-pocket cost increases seniors will face in 2021. Four Distinct Parts Medicare is broken up into four distinct parts. Part A is the hospitalization component. There is not a monthly premium if you have earned eligibility through your payroll tax contributions. To … [Read more...] about Some Out-Of-Pocket Medicare Costs Will Go Up in 2021
What Are Advance Directives for Health Care?
When planning your estate, you want to express your wishes regarding how you want your assets distributed after your passing. Many people think this is the long and short of it. But a well-constructed estate plan will address another possibility Health Care Decision Making You don't know if you may become unable to communicate sound health care decisions at some point. This is not a pleasant subject and many people refuse to think about it, but this is a mistake. If you take the right steps … [Read more...] about What Are Advance Directives for Health Care?
Getting Together with Family for the Holidays
The holidays are a special time with family and friends. You can take the opportunity to check on elderly loved ones. It’s also a great time to discuss planning. Read on to learn more. by Steve Hartnett The holidays are a special time for friends and family. We gather around the tree recalling past joyful times and we remember loved ones who are no longer with us. While we are gathered is a great time to pull loved ones aside and speak with them about your estate planning. If you’ve … [Read more...] about Getting Together with Family for the Holidays
