Recent Blog Posts
Why Do-It-Yourself Estate Planning Is Not the Answer
As the deadline for filing income taxes fast approaches, people are forced to take stock of what they own, and perhaps start to ponder what to do with this property once they are gone. Proper estate planning takes careful consideration of one’s goals and legal options, which can only be fully understood under the… Read More »
The Method and Purpose of Freezing Trust Assets
Trusts are an increasingly popular way to protect and distribute assets to loved ones after death. Once a trust is established, the person charged with managing the trust property, the trustee, holds a high level of responsibility to treat these assets in a manner that best protects the interests of the beneficiaries. Given the… Read More »
State Considering Changes to Medicaid Eligibility
Figuring out how to pay for long-term and expensive medical care is a stress and concern for millions of Americans. Seniors, though, are at a much higher risk of needing this type of intensive care within a relatively short time frame due to the infirmities that come with aging. Medicaid is one answer to… Read More »
Florida’s Homestead Law and Estate Planning
People are drawn to Florida for a variety of reasons, and one reason related to the purchase of real estate is the state’s homestead law. Florida law allows generous tax exemptions (up to $50,000) to homeowners, and protection from creditor claims and forced sales in bankruptcy, often referred to as unlimited homestead protection. People… Read More »
Don’t Forget about Your Closest Companion – Your Pet
Animals can bring their owners years of joy and companionship that are hard to quantify or adequately describe. Given how much pets mean to owners, determining what will happen to them after one dies is important to the pet’s wellbeing and long-term care. Factoring pets into an estate plan may not be an obvious… Read More »
Why You Should Consider Creating a Revocable Trust
Deciding which type of estate plan will best address one’s concerns and goals, as well as the needs of his/her family, is the hardest aspect of planning for the future. Numerous options are available to address a wide variety of needs – so many, in fact, that it is very easy to become overwhelmed… Read More »
Special Considerations for Leaving Heirs Timeshares
Having a place to escape for a few weeks a year is the primary allure of timeshares. Most people cannot afford to buy a vacation home, but the relative cost of buying an interest in a timeshare is much lower, and thus, more accessible to the average person. This property interest must be factored… Read More »
Timing and Effective Asset Protection
Asset protection is not something most people generally think about until a problem arises. The problem with this approach, though, is that once claims are made against a company or individual, the options for limiting exposure are quite constrained, and the financial consequences dire. Irrevocable trusts are one method of protecting assets from lawsuits… Read More »
Will Your Estate Owe Money to Medicaid?
Receiving financial assistance for long-term care in a nursing home from the state and federal governments is the only way many seniors can afford to stay at these facilities. The cost of nursing home care rises on an annual basis at a pace that far outstrips the ability of most people to pay for… Read More »
Choosing How to Pass on Your Financial Accounts
In today’s world, it is not uncommon for an individual to own a number of different financial accounts – all with varying rules on when a secondary person may be added or how to pass on the funds contained within it after death. Quick access to cash for the numerous expenses associated with death… Read More »
