A new development on the Estate and Gift Taxes

On New Year Eve and New Year day (2013), to avert the Fiscal Cliff temporarily, the Senate and the House had made this permanent: the estate and gift tax exemptions are set at the same $5 million level, indexed for inflation, and the estate tax rate above that exemption rose to 40 percent, up from 35 percent. With indexing, the exemption is already about $5.25 million per person — double for a couple. For more details, please check out the following links from New York Times and the Forbes: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/05/your-money/fiscal-deal-ends-decade-of-uncertainty-over-gift-and-estate-taxes.html?pagewanted=all http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2013/01/02/after-the-fiscal-cliff-deal-estate-and-gift-tax-explained/ Please consult a Probate and Estate Planning Attorney if you like to discuss your concerns on this. You’re welcome to email me for a recommendation of attorney with such expertise and practice.

Energy saving ideas for the New Year

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday season. I would like to start the new year by offering the energy saving ideas from National Association of Realtors(NAR): In short, the 9 Unexpected Energy (and Money) Savers are Putting lamps in the corners; Switching to a laptop; Choosing an LCD TV;Giving your water heater a blanket;Turning off the burner before you're done cooking; Adding motion sensors; Spinning laundry faster; Using an ice tray; Using the dishwasher. May we have peace, joy and health in the year 2013 and beyond!