Recent Blog Posts
What To Do After A Death In The Family
Anyone who has lost a close friend or family member knows that what a difficult, painful, and overwhelming time it can be. We are often asked to help our clients through probate process when a loved one dies, but probate isn’t the only thing you’ll have to think about; in fact, it may not… Read More »
Are There Exceptions to the VA Aid and Attendance Eligibility Requirements?
One of the most basic rules when applying for the VA Aid and Attendance pension is that the veteran must have served in the military for at least 90 days, one day of which was during a time of war. This leads many people who served for less than 90 days to believe that… Read More »
How to Prevent Family Fighting Over Mom’s Will or Trust
Most people believe that creating an estate plan is a private and personal business; something you do alone or with your spouse, between you and your attorney, with your children, grandchildren, or other beneficiaries kept on a strictly need-to-know basis. In an ideal world this would be true: parents and their adult children would… Read More »
How Long Has It Been Since You’ve Updated Your Estate Plan?
Many people think that there’s no need to update your estate plan documents if none of your beneficiaries or fiduciaries have changed, but that’s exactly the kind of thinking that can lead to disaster. Estate planning documents are based not only on your own wishes, but also on federal and state tax laws. When… Read More »
How To Have Fun Planning Your Estate!
Creating a will or trust, healthcare documents, powers of attorney, etc., can sometimes seem overwhelmingly sad and serious. Well, the act of protecting your loved ones is very serious, but it doesn’t have to be sad. In fact, planning your estate can even be enjoyable! Here are 5 ways you can enjoy planning your… Read More »
How Do I Notify the VA That My Parent Passed Away?
Dealing with the death of a loved one is always hard, and putting off the settling of your parent’s affairs can make it even more difficult. If your parent received the VA Aid & Attendance pension, it is important that you notify the VA of their death as soon as possible so that you… Read More »
Benefit Your Loved Ones by Bringing Life to Your Estate Plan
We often tell our clients that there is far more to a legacy than money. A will and a trust are essential documents to have—but there’s more to protecting your loved ones than just those documents. With these important documents (plus the lesser-known but just as important ancillary documents) you’ve provided for your loved… Read More »
Dementia and Alzheimer’s: Is It Too Late For Mom Or Dad To Execute Legal Documents?
The question of competence has become a very big issue in the estate planning/elder law world over the past few years. As the population ages, and awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia diagnoses grow, more and more adult children are questioning the ability of their elderly parents to make legal and financial decisions. Some children… Read More »
Divorced Couples Can Still Benefit from Joint Estate Planning
Creating an estate plan to protect your minor children is one of the most difficult—and most important—things you will ever do; this is especially true if you and your child’s other parent are separated or divorced. Relationships don’t always end amicably, but if you do have children it is definitely worthwhile to put aside… Read More »
VA Aid and Attendance for Legally Separated Spouses
It is clear that divorced spouses of veterans cannot receive surviving spouse benefits from Aid and Attendance, but some people may be unsure about the rules regarding spouses who were only legally separated from the veteran at the time the veteran passed away. For legally separated spouses, the rules are identical to the rules… Read More »