An inheritance can add to your finances, but taxes may reduce the amount that reaches you. Some states tax beneficiaries directly, while separate estate taxes may apply before assets are distributed.
I have a very modest sum in my CD, checking, and savings accounts (approximately $150,000). I have set up a payable on death (POD) designation on all of these accounts. I have named my daughter as the ...
A version of this article appeared in the October 2006 issue of Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business Publishing: Copyright ©2026 Harvard Business School ...