Recent Blog Posts
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 »
Is It Always In Your Best Interest To Accept An Inheritance?
Most estate plans are created at least in part to protect heirs (generally spouses and children) from the sometimes devastating blow of estate taxes; but with all the recent changes to estate tax law, some plans that were drafted years ago and never updated by their creators won’t work as intended anymore—and heirs may… Read More »
5 Basic Tips for Trustees
Naming someone as trustee of your living trust is quite possibly one of the most difficult decisions you’ll ever make. The trustee is involved in just about every aspect of the administration of a trust; and although it is considered a great honor, it can also be a great responsibility. Most people choose someone… Read More »
Providing for Pets in Your Will or Trust
According to a recent article on BusinessInsider.com, there are some surprising new figures about American households and their pets. “In 2011, Americans spent a record $50.8 billion on pets, according to the American Pet Products Association. We share our homes with an estimated 86 million cats, 78 million dogs, 16 million birds and 160… Read More »
New Veterans’ Cemetery Opens in Virginia
According to local news reports, a new cemetery for veterans, the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery, has opened in Dublin, Virginia, in the southwestern part of the state. Because there are over 80,000 veterans living in southwest Virginia alone, retired Lieutenant Colonel Pat Green pushed for the completion of the $7.2 million cemetery. Veterans who… Read More »
Will Medicare Provide for You in Your Golden Years?
Many retirees (or soon-to-be-retirees) have been living and saving under the assumption that Medicare would pay for a bulk of their medical costs during retirement, but a recent article in the Wall Street Journal reveals that counting on Medicare may not be the safest bet anymore. According to the article, one of the most… Read More »
A Difficult Decision: Choosing a Nursing Home for Yourself or Your Loved One
If and when the time comes to choose a nursing home—either for yourself or for a loved one—how will you know how to choose the right one? A person’s living situation often has a lot to do with how happy they are, so it is important to choose carefully and wisely. When you do… Read More »
529 Plans Are Useful for College Tuition AND Estate Planning
As the cost of college tuition rises, so do parents’ stress levels. According to one website, the cost of tuition for one year at some schools can be enough to make a decent down-payment on a house. By the time you’ve paid for your child to spend 4 or 5 years at a university… Read More »
Making the Transition to a Long-Term Care Facility as Smooth as Possible
One question that we often get from our clients is how to know when to place a parent into an assisted living facility or nursing home. Making this decision can be difficult, and disagreements about the best options can cause tension and confusion within the family. However, if you plan ahead and know the… Read More »
You Can Help Your Child Become a Homeowner—But Do Your Research First
American culture is one that respects independence and self-reliance; but with the current tough economic situation, and the fact that more young adults are graduating from college without jobs, or living at home until well into their 20’s, many families are opting to do things the old-fashioned way—with parents giving kids the financial help… Read More »