Dear Liz: In a recent column, you quoted an estate planning attorney who suggested ways to find a copy of a living trust after a parent’s death. I have no quarrel with her advice, but suggest a simpler option to consider: See if there is a bank safe deposit box in which such a trust might […]
Recent Blog Posts
Q&A: Can a bank help find a missing trust document?
Dear Liz: Concerning the missing trust document, they should also check with existing banks and brokerages that the trust has accounts with to see if they have a copy of the trust. Odds are very low, but it may be worth the effort. Answer: Banks and brokerages aren’t required to keep such copies, but it doesn’t hurt […]
Q&A: Who can help older adults pay bills and manage money?
Dear Liz: Who can I hire to do my bill-paying when (or if) I get into very old age? If I die first, no problem. My wife has sons to turn to. But if she goes first, I may need help managing my money. I’m sure many folks are in my situation, with no family to […]
Q&A: Can investment gains outweigh inherited IRA penalties?
Dear Liz: You recently answered a question from a person who inherited their father’s IRA in 2010 and learned they faced significant penalties for failing to withdraw the money over the subsequent 10 years. But given how well the market has done over the last 16 years, is it possible they will end up with even […]
Q&A: What to do when a living trust document is lost
Dear Liz: My parents created a living trust in 1999 and deeded their residence into the trust. Later, they sold that home, moved to another state and put their new residence into the same trust. In 2014, my father was diagnosed with dementia. He died in 2020. During his illness, he destroyed most of the critical […]
Is the Disney Inspire Visa worth it? What I saved at Disney World
Disclaimer: This post contains an affiliate/referral link to the Disney Inspire Visa. If you apply through my link and are approved, I may receive a reward from Chase at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog! In February, I pounced on a “buy four, get two free” deal at Walt Disney World. […]