People often ask divorce lawyers how they do it. My stock answer is that it’s like any other financial transaction, except that the transaction is wrapped in layers and layers
Continue Reading FEAR, MONEY & MARKETS: As if Covid Isn’t EnoughRetirement
DIVORCE: THE NEW ESTATE PLANNING TOOL?
By Mark Ashton on
This morning (5/17) presented an article by Michael Waters in the on-line edition of The Atlantic noting that only about half of Americans die with a will (i.e., testamentary…
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SHOULD YOU CONVERT YOUR IRA/401K TO AN ANNUITY?
By Mark Ashton on
This is an odd topic for a family law blog until I started to think about. Today’s on line Marketwatch website featured an article by Chris Farrell about whether retirees…
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INTEREST RATE RISE MAY PROMPT A NEW APPROACH TO DEFINED BENEFIT PENSIONS
By Mark Ashton on
Lest we be perceived to be obsessed with how interest rates are affecting the market, here comes another post discussing interest rates; albeit in a different context.
Although they are…
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Wall Street Journal Takes on the College Cost Issue
By Mark Ashton on
The November 10 Wall Street Journal stuck a pin in an otherwise accepted “truth”; that post secondary education is always a good investment. In a front page article titled “A…
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Whaddaya Mean My Dead Ex is Getting A Cut of My Pension?
By Mark Ashton on
Defined benefit pensions, the ones that payout monthly, are strange animals. They are rare today except where unions and public agencies are found, and they can produce some odd results.
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Defining Net Income for 2020 is Going to Be “A Problem”
By Mark Ashton on
I attended a seminar offered by accountant, Mitchell E. Benson, CPA, MT, CFF (Savran Benson LLP), Brian C. Vertz, Esquire (Pollock Begg) and Aliah Molczan (Savran Benson LLP) on July…
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A Caution About Funding Current Expenses with IRAs/401(k)s
By Mark Ashton on
On March 27, 2020, we wrote about provisions in the 2020 CARES Act, which expanded 401(k) loan eligibility and permitted funds to be drawn from IRAs without tax consequence, so…
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401(K) Loans and IRA Distributions May Be a Lifeline
By Mark Ashton on
As this is written, the bill has not yet passed the House of Representatives, but the CARES Act probably will be law before the week’s end. The newest federal stimulus…
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Why Your Divorce Lawyer Should be Talking About Retirement & Why You Should be Listening
By Mark Ashton on
It is axiomatic that divorce is an emotional process. Samuel Johnson summed up domestic life best when he wrote, “To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all…
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