Recent Blog Posts
Financially Protecting a Disabled Family Member
When a family member with a disability renders him/her unable to work and/or perform the daily needs of life, measures need to be taken to protect this person in case the caretakers are no longer available or die. This effort involves careful advance estate planning to ensure the disabled individual is left with sufficient… Read More »
Avoiding the Stress of Probate
When someone dies, typically, they will have some amount of property that needs to be distributed to new owners, hopefully through an established estate plan. Depending on the type of property involved and the overall value, the law may require the family to go through the probate process before a transfer of assets is… Read More »
Nursing Home Planning When a Crisis Hits
No one has the goal of entering a nursing home when a major health crisis hits, but such events can occur at any time. Prudent planning in advance of this need, i.e., before a person meets the medical qualifications, can make it possible to qualify for Medicaid immediately upon learning that long-term care is… Read More »
Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples
Wanting a companion to share life with is a common desire held by everyone, as well as the wish to provide for his/her financial security after death. Estate plans are a mechanism created by the law to transfer property after death, but for unmarried couples, putting together a plan that fully and adequately addresses… Read More »
Estate Planning for Non-U.S. Citizens
Moving to the United States to build a new life and leave a legacy for one’s children is the dream of many immigrants to this country. America is known for giving people greater opportunities to advance their situation in life than most other countries, and the acquisition of property is the principal way most… Read More »
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 »
