To avoid the possibility that a disabled loved one will lose government benefits because they have too much money, you may want to consider setting up a standby supplemental needs trust as part of your estate plan.
This year has been unprecedented from a political perspective in many ways. President Joe Biden stepped into office facing huge obstacles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, an economy battered by the pandemic, a crumbling national infrastructure in dire need of repair, an ongoing immigration crisis at our southern border, and deep political and social divisions…
An often misunderstood but common estate planning tool that can appear in estate planning documents is the power of appointment. Not to be confused with a power of attorney (the document that allows you to delegate certain powers to an agent to act on your behalf while you are still living), a power of appointment…
Most of us would like to think that our children and grandchildren could handle a sizeable inheritance. The statistics say otherwise. Some studies have shown that most inheritances are totally gone within 18-24 months of receipt – regardless of the age of the recipient – and regardless of the size of the estate! The truth…
So, you’ve created a will, designating your heirs and setting forth their inheritance. You think everything has been well planned ahead of time. For all that, how sure are you that the inheritance you worked your lifetime to accumulate will be used and enjoyed by the people you want and by them alone? Have you…
Did you ever consider that you might want to do “special needs” planning even if you don’t have any special needs children or grandchildren? Can you imagine how one of your children could come to have special needs after you’re gone? One of our colleagues relates this story. Sid and Elaine had three children, and…
A colleague of ours recently assembled a list of the top 10 estate planning issues. This list is a great tool to assure that key items are not overlooked. All of these issues deserve thoughtful consideration. They can also create major problems if not dealt with in advance. Probate: Court supervised administration of your estate…
Mary and Paul had been married for over 50 years. Lately, Paul’s health had begun to fail and he needed Mary’s assistance more and more. Their adult children all lived in different parts of the country, and were unable to help out on a regular basis. Mary was happy to do it. She loved her…
Betty had been a client for over 15 years. Her only daughter and her husband were deceased. Betty had two grandchildren whom she cared for deeply. Betty is a very smart woman and over the years she had come to rely heavily on her estate planning attorney for guidance. So much so, that she would…
For parents, it is difficult to watch children or grandchildren go through a failed marriage. But even worse might be the knowledge that money you left for their inheritance ends up in the hands of an ex-son or daughter-in-law. The good news is that you can take steps today to protect the assets passing to…