by Christine | Nov 7, 2013 | Estate Law, Estate Planning, Trusts |
When most people think about trust funds, they envision spoiled rich kids and wealthy families trying to dodge taxes on their piles of money. But what they might not realize is that trust funds can be an incredibly useful—even vital—tool for middle class families, as...
by Christine | Nov 6, 2013 | Elder Law, Estate Law |
“I know adult stepchildren who step up in every sense of the word, but for most of these women, disagreements with stepchildren was the most stressful aspect of providing care for the husband.” Blended families are becoming more and more common these days, making the...
by Christine | Nov 5, 2013 | Elder Care, Elder Law, Medi-Cal Long Term Care, Medicaid, Nursing Homes |
My mother went from private pay to Medi-Cal pay in her nursing home January 1, 2013. She now has zero money and all of her Social Security goes to the nursing home … Should I sell [her] home and effectively turn all of the assets over for her care or wait until her...
by Christine | Nov 4, 2013 | Charitable Giving, Estate Planning |
Selecting a charity that will use your money wisely and effectively isn’t easy, particularly during this hectic time of year. Donor-advised funds are one solution. Sometimes you can have your cake and eat it too. Or in the case of a donor-advised fund, you can have...
by Christine | Nov 1, 2013 | Uncategorized |
If ABC’s Emmy-award winning TV show, Modern Family, can teach us anything about estate planning, it’s that the definition of a traditional nuclear family has been stretched considerably in the last quarter century. The show spoofs nonconventional family dynamics...
by Christine | Oct 31, 2013 | Estate Planning, Loans, Mortgage, Real Estate, Trustee, Trusts |
Borrowing from a trust can be an alternative to taking a jumbo mortgage, defined as above $417,000 in most markets and $625,500 in some high-price areas such as New York and San Francisco. In some cases, a trust can buy the home outright. A mortgage tends to...
by Christine | Oct 30, 2013 | Advanced Health Care Directive, Elder Law, Estate Law |
Most of the time, patients who have advance directives — somewhere — and don’t bring them to the hospital have simply left them at home. But lawyers’ offices and safe deposit boxes are also popular locations. All of which are useless if a person can’t direct his own...
by Christine | Oct 29, 2013 | Estate Planning |
Talking to your adult kids about your finances and how you plan to divvy up your money after your death may be one of the most important conversations you'll ever have. But … the majority of families aren't comfortable talking about money—at least with...
by Christine | Oct 28, 2013 | Debt, Estate Law, Estate Planning, Probate |
Can a bank collect a credit card debt owed by your deceased parent or spouse? The answer depends on a range of factors, from whether it was a joint account to where the deceased person lived. Although probate can put some undo stress on an already stressful...
by Christine | Oct 25, 2013 | Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Small Business |
Sudden wealth can be a life-changing experience that can improve your life and the lives of those around you, but only if you keep it. Those with more assets are bigger targets for lawsuits. Don’t let your sudden wealth suddenly get stripped from you. Protect your...
