“If you’re helping an aging parent navigate Medicaid because they don’t have long-term care insurance or you think you’ll need it yourself someday, it’s important to understand how the program works.” Medicaid is a government program used by Americans to pay for nursing home and long-term care. The Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) is used […]

“By definition, a Will accounts for a person’s wishes of how their assets and estate should be distributed and handled once they die. It spells out who should get what and who should do what, after the benefactor’s demise.” A last will and testament is used to point out the beneficiaries and trustees and the […]

“Beneficiary designations, tying up loose ends, reporting last wishes—here’s what you can do now.” The COVID pandemic has become a painful lesson in how important it is to having estate plans in order, especially when a spouse becomes sick, incapacitated, or dies unexpectedly. With more than 400,000 Americans dead from the coronavirus, not every one […]

“When these types of situations arise, there are many steps you can take to avoid your will from being contested by individuals who believe they are entitled to receive your assets.” Disinheriting a child or any person trying to gain access to your assets after you have died requires skilled estate planning. The things that […]

“If the durable power of attorney can’t be transferred, what needs to be done to establish a new durable power of attorney for my aunt despite her mental incapacity?” The situation facing one family is all too common. An aunt is now incapacitated with severe Alzheimer’s disease. Her brother has been her agent with a […]

“Many timeshare contracts include a perpetuity clause, which means the contract and all its fees and obligations are yours for life. It may not end there.” Ask anyone who ever purchased a timeshare and changed their mind about it. Getting rid of a timeshare can be problematic. However, imagine if your parents purchased a timeshare […]

“Now that there is a Democratic majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives, estate and gift tax law changes are expected to occur in 2021 or 2022.” Changes in the White House and the Senate have many people wondering how federal estate and gift tax laws may change and when those changes will […]

“Gifting stock to family members may lack the pizzazz of leaving a luxury car adorned with a bow in the driveway, but it’s a gift that can add value to their lives long after most other gifts have been forgotten.” There are a number of ways to gift stock to family members, during your lifetime […]

“After the divorce, Mike logged onto the employer’s benefits system and tried, but failed, to delete Wendy as the beneficiary of his life insurance.” This estate battle shows how small details can become huge headaches. Four courts and several years after this estate battle began, a family won a case that could have been easily […]

Second marriages can present unique challenges when it comes to estate planning, particularly if you or your new spouse have children from previous marriages. Let’s take a look at some of the factors, tools, and strategies to consider when planning for a second marriage. Prenuptial Agreements You’ve been married before, so you’re a little bit […]