Estate planning

Planners should help clients navigate complex transactions to ensure risk is mitigated as much as possible.

The federal exemption does not cancel out key planning matters affecting everyone at death.

The first step is to account for any obligations or costs, an expert says.

The next generation of clients cares less about the sanctity of marriage and more about its financial implications, an expert says.

For some clients, the amount of income that would fall into the zero tax bracket will increase by 3%, a far cry from the doubling that's been ballyhooed.

Details matter, explains an expert, like where their boat is docked.

Most Republicans support killing the estate tax as part of a tax overhaul, but doing so could have dire consequences.

Advisors must be prepared with tax and planning strategies to help when clients fall ill.

Not tapping tax-deferred retirement accounts until the age of 70 1/2 can be a wrong move, as required minimum distributions can be big enough to push retirees to a higher tax bracket.

Ensuring that a client's windfall today lasts longer than just tomorrow takes more than financial acumen, experts say.