Navigating the complexities of probate, estate planning, and inheritance.
How to choose a caregiver for your pet, cover the first few days, and pay for long-term care. Includes what a Texas will can do and how a pet trust works.
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A spouse can keep an inherited HSA. Other beneficiaries face an income tax bill, with a possible reduction for the owner's medical expenses. Here's what to check.
September 13, 2026
The names on a U.S. savings bond determine who can claim it after a death. Learn which paperwork applies and how to handle the tax on interest.
September 8, 2026
Federal student loans can be discharged after a borrower dies, and Parent PLUS loans may qualify when the student dies. Follow the servicer, documentation, refund, and tax steps.
August 25, 2026
After someone dies, a Social Security deposit may need to be returned. The family may also qualify for monthly survivor benefits or the $255 death payment.
August 4, 2026
The date of death tells an executor which federal income tax return may apply. Form 1040 covers the person's income through that date. Form 1041 covers income the estate receives later.
July 21, 2026
Refusing an inheritance can redirect property under a will, trust, beneficiary form, or state law. A federal qualified disclaimer has a strict nine-month deadline and can fail if you accept benefits first.
July 10, 2026
How inheritance and estate taxes work in 2026: the federal $15 million exemption, which states tax inheritances, and when your family might owe state taxes even with no federal bill.
July 4, 2026
When you inherit property, there's a little-known tax rule that can save you thousands. The 'step-up in basis' resets your cost to the property's value at the time of death—not what the original owner paid. Here's how it works, what it doesn't cover, and why getting your paperwork right matters more than you think.
July 3, 2026
A practical, human-centered guide to inheritance decisions: the six-month waiting rule, a sensible priority list for the money, and what's actually taxable in 2026.
July 3, 2026
How siblings can handle an inherited house: the step-up in basis, selling together, a buyout, or co-ownership, and what a partition action costs everyone.
July 3, 2026