John Burns
Blog
A Better Way to Diagnose Alzheimer’s
I have attached a link to Bill Gates’ recent blog post. In it, he highlights a new initiative that he and other philanthropists are funding called the “Diagnosis Accelerator.” The idea ... More
Taxing Social Security Benefits
The Government Giveth, and the IRS Taketh Away. I can practically set my watch by it. Every year about this time, I get the same basic call which goes something like this: “I’m down here at the ... More
Why Your Estate Plan is Worthless – Part IV and Final
In the prior installments in this series, I have addressed a number of issues which can render the best estate plans worthless. These include failing to complete the work needed to implement the estate plan, ... More
Why Estate Plans Are Worthless – Part III
In this third installment, I am addressing another way that estate plans can be rendered worthless. Simply stated, clients often fail to appoint the right people to serve as attorneys-in-fact, healthcare ... More
Why Estate Plans are Worthless – Part II
In yesterday’s installment, I noted that even the best estate plans can be impaired by the failure to follow through to ensure that the correct beneficiaries are named and that assets are where they need ... More
Why Estate Plans Are Worthless – Part I
I hate to tell you this, but your estate plan may be worthless. So many times, I have had clients sign their documents and declare “I’m so glad that is done” or “I can sleep now” ... More
Show Me the Money: 2018 Gift Tax Exclusion Increased
As a result of the recent tax act, Congress effectively doubled the gift and estate tax exemptions. In carrying out that law, the IRS recently increased the gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax ... More
Taking Advantage of the Tax Cuts
The new tax cuts were passed so quickly and with so little debate, that it is not yet clear to experts. However, there are a few things that are clear enough that people can plan to take advantage of them. The ... More
A New Focus on Transportation for Seniors
Once the elderly stop driving, they need a new mode of transportation and that may be ridesharing. New companies are working toward finding a solution to the problem of the elderly needing transportation, when ... More
