For those of us who didn’t extend our tax deadline, our 2018 taxes are done. Whew! By now, we have seen the impact the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) had on our 2018 tax liabilities. With the second quarter of 2019 already underway, it’s prime time to review your Estate Plan to address and resolve any tax liabilities you faced this last tax season and plan thoughtfully for the rest of 2019. Let’s review what you should be aware of and plan for in 2019.

Move over, Marie Kondo: There's a new decluttering phenomenon in town and it has a funny name. Döstӓdning, or “death cleaning” is a Swedish decluttering process that has been picking up steam after the release of Margareta Magnusson's book “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.” It's exactl...

Choosing the right beneficiary(ies) of your IRA is one of the most important and crucial decisions you can make in estate planning. Choose wisely and you can ensure your legacy is passed on and your heirs receive huge benefits through tax-deferred growth. Choose poorly (or not choose at all) and your assets could go to the wrong people, get paid out too quickly and/or could get hit with high estate taxes. The right choice for one is not necessarily the right choice for another. Sundvick Legacy Center is here to answer your questions and present your options.

What if you could control and protect your wealth while you were alive and well and have confidence that, in the event you become disabled, those you choose will have authority to take care of you and your family? And, what if you could intentionally transfer your values and assets after your death to whom you want, the way you want, when you want, while optimizing administrative costs and tax savings? You can do all of that and more with a Living Trust as the foundation of your Estate Plan. Have you wondered if a Living Trust is right for you? If you have a will, do you also need a Living Trust? Lizette B. Sundvick, Esq., founder of Sundvick Legacy Center, explains the benefits and differences so you can make educated decisions about your Estate Plan and ensure you leave your legacy by design, not by default.

Will you have enough money to last you through retirement? With the average life expectancy at 78.7 years old and data suggesting around half of Americans currently in their mid-50s are expected to live to be 90 years old, your retirement money will need to stretch farther than the generation before you. Have you started planning? It's never too early to start; the sooner you start, the better off you'll be come retirement. Every life stage has its own action steps you should take to meet your goals for retirement. If you're already a few life stages in and feel like you haven't done enough, don't worry; Sundvick Legacy Center is here to help guide you through the journey towards financial health and a retirement that you deserve.

Studies prove the theory that the older you get, the fewer friends you have. Scientists from Aalto University in Finland and the University of Oxford in England found that people start decreasing their friend pool around the age of 25 and the decline continues up to retirement. With data confirming that friends are essential to our medical, psychological and social well-being as we age, what can we do to keep a good circle of friends?

The IRS has released their tax rate schedules, tax tables and cost-of-living adjustments for 2019. This is the first year under the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, an overhaul that changes individual income tax rates, eliminated personal exemptions and doubled the standard deduction. This includes tax...

Too often, people consider their work done once their estate planning documents are complete. Estate planning should be much more than simply having a will or a trust; it should also focus on what you want to achieve in life and what you want to pass on beyond your assets. This is called a "Legacy Plan"; it defines your goals and allows your purpose to be carried forward to have a continuing impact on the world. Legacy planning is a proactive and intentional process, building your legacy over the course of your lifetime.

“Have you ever wondered if you are part of the sandwich generation?” The “sandwich generation” is a generation of people, who are usually in their 30s and 40s. They are caring for their aging parents, while supporting their own children. If this sounds like you, then this means you've got a lo...

“A trust was established for the celebrity chef's daughter, but his ex-wife could claim a third of the estate, if their divorce wasn't finalized.” New details from Anthony Bourdain's will show that the celebrity chef, television personality and author may not have been as wealthy as many thought...

“Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin is suing two of his children and a former business manager, accusing them of misusing his credit cards, transferring money from an account and slandering him by saying he has dementia.” Buzz Aldrin, the second man to step on the moon, filed a lawsuit in June i...

“Don't forget about your pets when making your estate plan.” Many folks forget about what would happen to their pets, if they were no longer there to provide a safe and happy home for them. The Milwaukee Community Journal's recent article, “What Happens to Your Pet When You Die–How to Plan fo...

“An executor has many duties, including paying off debt.” When a person passes away, the executor of the will is responsible for paying off the decedent's debts. Paying off debt is one of the most important tasks of an executor, says nj.com in a recent article that asks, “What happens if execu...

“Your error shall survive until you don't–and then things can hit the fan.” A bonehead is someone who's stubborn, thick-skulled, or stupid. You don't need to be a bonehead, when it comes to estate planning. Work with a qualified estate planning attorney and don't make these dumb errors. The H...

“Have you wondered when is the right time to update your estate plan?” If any of the following five items have happened in your life, you need to reevaluate your estate planning documents: birth, death, marriage, divorce or a big change in your financial status. The FDL Reporter recently publ...

“Getting remarried gives people a fresh start, an opportunity to learn from the past and to move forward. Unfortunately, for most couples, the next trip down the aisle can also come with a host of new financial challenges.” Nasdaq's recent article, “Getting Remarried? 5 Financial Steps to Take...

“Your legacy differs from your estate, in that it represents more than the things you own—it embodies your purpose. At the end of your life, your legacy will be the imprint you leave on this earth and the meaning your life leaves behind.” Forbes' recent article, “Why You Should Consider Using ...

“While most Americans haven't saved enough for retirement—GOBankingRates reports that 42 percent of us have less than $10,000 saved and expect to retire “broke”—the future for freelancers looks especially bleak.” More than one in three workers today are doing on-demand work, like driving for U...

“The last will and testament of Tom Benson excludes his daughter and her children by name from any role in running a reportedly multi-billion-dollar business empire that includes the Saints and Pelicans.  However, it doesn't affect many million dollars' worth of property that they received befo...

“The truth may never be known, but nearly four decades after the fact, the biggest consequences left on the table revolve around the money she left behind.” As the surviving witnesses to Natalie Wood's 1981 death come forward to change their stories, her 88-year-old husband Robert Wagner is on...

“After Glen Campbell passed in August 2017, news concerning his estate has been circulating.” Rumors have surfaced that Glen included only five of his eight children in his will and that his widow Kimberly has brought a claim for more than $500K from the estate to pay medical bills. Glen Camp...

“The Minnesota Supreme Court rejected two people claiming to be heirs to Prince's estate.” Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea recently issued an order denying the petitions of Darcell Gresham Johnston and Venita Jackson Leverette. Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported in its recen...

“A new generation of collectors is scouring the homes of deceased celebrities and business titans in search of relics from a bygone time.” A home with decades-old décor normally might struggle to find a buyer.  However, The Wall Street Journal explains in its recent report, "Estate Sales Are C...

“An heir to the Marriott hotel fortune claims his dad forced him out of the business and then cut him out of the family's nearly $3 billion trust — just because he got a divorce.” John Marriott III said that his father, Bill Marriott, forced him out of the hotel empire and then cut him out of th...

“It seems fair to say, 11 years after James Brown's death, that his estate planning has failed in its major mission: to distribute his wealth efficiently.” James Brown's estate was to donate millions of dollars to underprivileged children in Georgia and South Carolina. But as The New York Time...