• Credit Shelter Trusts or C trusts, or A/B credit shelter trusts these are irrevocable positions you assign for one of your unfied federal exemption amounts. This year is 3.5 million, 2010 there is no estate tax (don't be confused about "gift" tax). In 2011 the sunset provision kicks in and everything at this point goes back to the old exemptions. What you need to understand is the exemption is "each", if you do not place one of them in trust=only one exemption.
• $13,000 is now the annual gifting to anyone
• 401K contribution limits raised to $16,500
• www.amex.com to learn more about options 
• 2009 RMD (required minimum IRA distributions are suspended-check your individual requirements.
• Before you gift out of your estate to avoid Medicaid-trusts and wills are 5 year look-back for claims. If you are going to use Medicaid make sure you apply and get approved before you make any gift transfers, otherwise Medicaid has a claim!
• Medicaid rules, allows spousal to spousal transfers of property or money to avoid look back provisions, check your state to see what is allowed.
• IRA and 401K beneficiary designation overrides your will, make sure they are both what you want.
• Load or No load? Don't be confused, a load fund is an upfront sales charge, it has nothing to do with fund expenses and fees, a no load is simply no upfront sales commission, all other fees still apply.
• If you buy term insurance, you may want to look at (ROP) return of premium policies
• The average college cost for a 4 year public school for 2006-2007 averaged $12,796: private school averaged $30,367
• Current return on invested capital= Annual dividend divided by current stock price
• If you own an annuity, make sure you check your death benefit vs. your account value before changing to another product. Once you make the transfer that is your new death benefit
• Rule 72 is a rule of thumb to calculate how long it will take to double your money. If your money is earning 6%, divide 6 into 72 = 12 years. Substitute any percentage into 72 to see how long it will take for your return.
• Adjustable rate mortgages, credit lines, home equity lines follow the prime rate
• Certificates of deposit(CD's) follow the federal fund discount rate you can check out more at www.bankrate.com
• Credit card interest follows the prime rate
• 100 basis points equals 1 percentage point
• If you lost 10% in your portfolio in one year, you need around 25% the next year to break even
• If you do not have durable power of attorney's for you and your spouse for health and investments, and either of becomes incapacitated, the court will make your health and investment decisions, wills alone do not provide this, wills only become effective at death.
• 529 plans can affect government grants for education, so can high income levels.
• After purchase it takes 30 days before you can use mutual funds for margin (check with your broker to see what funds qualify).
• The purchase of an annuity by a Medicaid applicant or applicant's spouse will be treated as a transfer of assets unless it is irrevocable, and the state is named as first beneficiary.
• All assets now have a 5 year look back provision for transfers for Medicaid-keep in mind that has nothing to do with transfer values, IRS requires 70% fair market value-or you can file a gift tax return on Form 709 or a federal estate exemption on Form 706 to avoid gift tax violations
• The current annual gifting exclusion (you can give to anybody) is $12,000, you file form 709 under gift.
• In addition, you have an addtional 1 million gifting provision
• Wills and trusts should be reviewed every 3-5 years

Coming soon: The Bible for the 401K Marketplace, DOL, ERISA, and YOU: a guide for small to mid-size companies PLUS  a comprehensive guide on how to obtain SBA funding, including underwriting guidelines and 504 programs.