When Walter Samaszko Jr. died in his modest Carson City home, weeks passed before authorities discovered his body, and found that the 69-year-old man who had lived so simply had a vast collection of thousands of gold coins worth millions of dollars. About half is being auctioned off to satisfy taxes and fees.
Though same-sex marriage and gay civil unions are legal in 13 U.S. states, the federal rights that traditional married couples enjoy still don%u2019t apply to such unions. That means that it's critical for same-sex couples to get their paperwork and plans in order.
With just five years left before you retire, you need to begin solidifying your plans. Make sure you're still on track, but also nail down where you'll live and how you'll meet your health care needs. Here's how:
With a tax bill tilted to benefit the wealthiest Americans poised to pass Congress this week, U.S. income inequality is poised to set new records. One key to that shift -- a change in the tax rules that lets the rich pass their wealth on to their heirs at the lowest tax rates in decades.
President Barack Obama has cut a deal with Republicans to extend Bush-era tax cuts for two years and unemployment benefits for 13 months. But the plan is already drawing fire from Obama's own liberal supporters.
