Tag Archives for " Wills "

Should You Transfer the House to Your Kids to Qualify for Medicaid or VA Benefits?

House for children to qualify for Medicaid

One of the most common questions we get from clients is about transferring house ownership. They want to know whether they should transfer the ownership of their house to their children. The obvious reason for transferring their house is to move a significant asset out of their estate to their kids. This might lower their […]

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Reasons Why Receiving an Inheritance Might be Trickier Than You Think

Inherited IRA account

It has been estimated that more than $41 trillion will be transferred to heirs in the United States over the next 50 years. This is the largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history.  Are you entitled to some of this pot of money? If you are, there are some things you should be aware of […]

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Expect the Unexpected and Planning is the Cure for the Unexpected

Charlotte Fox mountaineer

Charlotte Fox was one of the most adventurous women I have heard about. She was a serious mountain climber…acclaimed for reaching the summit of many of the world’s tallest mountains. She was the first American woman to climb three peaks above 8,000 meters, including Mount Everest in 1996. That climb will forever live in infamy […]

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“Guardianships” Can Be Tragic If Established “After The Fact”

One of the most gut wrenching parts of being an estate planning attorney is when someone doesn’t have a plan in place for “guardianship” of their children. It is the one area that is heartbreaking when I see it happen. When it isn’t dealt with before the fact, the “after the fact” situation can be […]

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How does “effective” Estate Planning really work?

There seems to be a lot of confusion about not just how Estate Planning works but why it works so well…when created the right way. Let me try to clear up some of the confusion for you with a live story about a couple that might have some similar issues to your own situation. It […]

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It’s “WHY” and “HOW”…Not the “WHO” and “WHAT” that Matters

Someone asked me the other day when I was giving a speech to tell them exactly what “Estate Planning” really means. Seems like an easy answer for me, but not so much for everyone else. So I turned the question back on the audience and asked them what Estate Planning meant to them. Surprisingly, or […]

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There are “Legal” Ways to Eliminate Disputes and Keep Family Harmony

If you know that your family is likely to fight over your estate, you can limit the fight greatly, by using a trust instead of a will.

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The Rise of Popularity of “Green Burials” Shouldn’t be Surprising

Some people would prefer to forgo traditional funeral options, in favor of more environmentally friendly ones…and now there are several options.

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Wills and Estate Plans Need Regular Updating to Deliver Your Wishes

If you created a will over a decade ago, you should probably go to an estate planning attorney again and get it updated.

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When You’re Gone…Your Estate Should be Easy

One of the most important things that you can do for your family, is to create an estate plan that makes things as easy as possible for them to manage after you pass away.

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