Articles

Poorly written Wills (or revocable trusts) can create enormous headaches for the Executor (or successor Trustee) who has to track down Beneficiaries and interpret what the document requires. “Simple Wills” that don’t address the details can lead to expensive legal troubles later. Here are some issues to think about when you are designing your estate plan,  so that your lawyer...

I had a meeting recently with a client whose spouse had set up an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT).  The client is the beneficiary of the Trust. The Trust owned a substantial life insurance policy on the spouse. The spouse died 15 years ago, and the insurance policy was promptly paid to the Trust. The client is the Trustee, and established a brokerage account with the funds. The client...

The Medicaid program which pays for nursing home costs and for care in the community is called MLTSS – Medicaid Long Term Services and Supports. An applicant has to meet the specific financial requirements for income and assets (resources). These financial limits get updated every year. Some numbers go up in January, and others in July.  This post reviews the numbers that are changing...

The years flash by and one day the family starts talking with their aged parents about moving the parent(s) to live with a child. It’s a good idea to talk about this with an elder law attorney because we can identify many issues to be considered. Here are a few of those issues, with general suggestions. Each person’s situation is unique of course, and this article isn’t...

On this Veterans Day we want to express our appreciation for the selfless military service to our country that’s been provided by our  clients, their family members, their friends and acquaintances, as well as those veterans we don’t know personally. Every era in American history has had its unique and awful challenges. Our veterans took on burdens and responsibilities for the...