If you haven’t done any estate planning, but you know you need to, you may feel like you’re falling behind. Don’t most people at least have a will? The truth is twofold. First off, no, most people do not have an estate plan. In fact, reports have found that 68% of...
It can be hard for older adults to let their children know they need support and even harder for them to give up their legal and medical autonomy. Guardianship is an important protection for aging adults struggling to handle their finances independently, but it can be...
If you've watched how the conservatorships of some high-profile individuals have worked out in recent years, you might think that once they're in place, there's no way to terminate them. That's not the case, though. A conservatee and their prospective conservator must...
Many Americans spend their entire working lives paying off the principal balance of their mortgage and accruing equity in their homes. When people die, they frequently leave the home where they lived to their children or other heirs. If no one intends to live in the...
Medicare has a lot of coverage gaps that people often don't realize until they need care. For example, Medicare will not cover extensive rehabilitation services or stays in nursing homes. Those kinds of care can cost thousands of dollars a month, which Medicare...
Adding a trust to your estate plan can protect your loved ones and give you more control over your legacy. Unfortunately, a trust is often only as good as the trustee you name. If you choose someone who turns out to be unethical and who has no qualms about stealing...
If you are planning to put together your first will, you probably have a lot of questions. You may wonder what kind of information you need to put into it and if it’s worth working with an attorney when you don’t have much to leave behind. For most people, working...
A person who has assets to pass down to their heirs and beneficiaries can sometimes do that in a will. However, many people opt to use trusts because they can bypass the probate system. The individual who creates the trust can set certain terms for the disbursement by...
The idea of a guardianship makes many people feel uneasy. Plenty of concerned and loving adult children of aging parents delay seeking a likely necessary guardianship because they don't want to limit their parents' independence or damage their relationship. It is easy...
You have always been a responsible person. You and your spouse did all your estate-planning when your children were small and updated matters accordingly over the years when necessary. But something completely unexpected occurred that set your carefully laid estate...
