Money Matters   

Learn how to legally avoid estate taxes and nursing home costs and keep family assets from ending up in unwanted hands, while maintaining control of your assets. You will be taught what needs to be done in order to pass assets to children free of estate tax, how you can protect your home and other assets from future nursing home costs and how you can avoid giving extended family members unwanted access to your assets.

Have you been named the executor of an estate? This course explains the legal authority and duties of an executor and describes filing for probate in the Surrogate's Court, locating beneficiaries, inventorying assets, paying debts, spousal rights, distributions under the will, and general administration, including for intestate (no will) estates. Learn about your responsibilities and commission, and avoiding pitfalls.

Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies and Living Wills: what are they and why are they important? What happens if you don't have a will? While not pleasant to think about, having a will and related documents can save your family from future difficulties. Understanding what to include, how to prepare and what the terms mean will make the process easier.

Whether you're one, five or more years from retirement...single, divorced, widowed or a couple...Social Security represents a key element of your financial plan. Understanding when and how to take your benefits will affect the maximum benefit you are entitled to and have a great impact on your overall retirement income strategy. To help baby boomers better understand the Social Security system, this course will cover:

• 5 factors to consider when deciding when to apply for benefits
• When it makes sense to delay benefits -- and when it does not
• Why you should always check your earnings record for accuracy How to estimate your benefits
• How to coordinate benefits with your spouse
• How to choose and maximize your survivor benefits
• How to minimize taxes on Social Security benefits
• How to coordinate Social Security with your other sources of retirement income
• Introduction to our proprietary Social Security Planning program which provides various claiming scenarios

Retirement planning is a complex process. With so many decisions to be made and factors to consider, you want to make the right decisions to reach your retirement goals. In this informative class, you will review the best options and strategies that make up a comprehensive retirement income plan and how Social Security benefits, pension benefits, taxes, and long-term care are coordinated.