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Death and Money:  Even in the most open families, conversation often quiets when two subjects arise: death and money. The uncomfortable talk:  For both parents and adult children, confronting the prospect of each other's deaths can be uncomfortable. Privacy around financial matters is often a key concern, even among...

When you have a child with special needs, estate planning requires particular preparation. Looking to the future as to how your child will be able to function in the world as they age is particularly tricky to assess. What is the child's long term prognosis and what type of care is anticipated...

Revocable trusts are an “inter vivos” trust, created during a grantor's lifetime. Revocable trusts allow for the management of property both during life and after death. Revocable trusts are one tool for estate planning, but they are not for every situation. Ultimately, the decision to adopt a will or a revocable trust...

It is hard to know who to trust with managing your financial well being when you are no longer able to do so? A power of attorney (POA), otherwise known as an agent to your principal, has the legal authority to represent and make decisions on your behalf. What characteristics should you...

Given the reality of living in today's world, mortality is something we need to think about and ensure we have plans in place to take care of our loved ones should we perish unexpectedly. Life insurance can be an affordable way to provide for our children, a spouse, a sibling, aging parents,...

Clients are often unaware of what is important in the estate planning discussion. They do not volunteer information that the attorney should know. The attorney should have a checklist or agenda for meetings with the client to ensure they are eliciting all information that is relevant to the planning process. This includes...

As aging relatives need care, family members have a natural tendency to step up and provide health care. The love and care many adult children receive growing up become reciprocal, particularly in the case of their aging parents. But with the advent of longer lives, it is not atypical that a senior...

Research suggests that approximately 60 percent of U.S. adults have no estate plan, and that having a plan is often influenced by age and socioeconomic status. A Gallup poll conducted in 2016 indicates that 68 percent of Americans aged 65 and older have a will, compared with 14 percent of those younger...

Many people have the misconception that executing and filing a Transfer on Death Deed (TODD) on their property or a homestead, protects the property from being included as an available asset for qualifying for public assistance like Medical Assistance and/or Long Term Care coverage by the state for a nursing home stay. ...

The simplest answer is finances and everything else. Conservatorship only deals with finances and does not grant any power to make medical, housing, personal, etc., decisions. Whereas guardianship does not give any authority to handle finances, with the possible exception of the power to contract and the power to apply for government benefits.