As divorce and second marriages become increasingly common, more people find themselves raising children who are not biologically their own. Estate planning for blended families should address this unique situation.
No family is exactly like another, so here are some considerations to help you decide which distribution strategy best suits your situation, values and goals.
A type of education savings account called a 529 plan is just one of several tools families can use to prepare for the growing costs of higher education. While these plans can be beneficial for almost anyone since they let funds saved for education compound on a tax-free basis provided they're used for eligible education expenses, individuals who live in states with special tax breaks for contributions tend to fare the best.
The first SECURE Act extended the beginning date for taking required minimum distributions from the year after the account owner reaches age 70½ until they reach age 72. Just three years later, ‘SECURE Act 2.0’ has extended this age to 73, and offers a further provision for extending it again, to age 75, beginning in 2033.
