by Christine | Nov 13, 2013 | Elder Law, Estate Law |
Millions of Americans are managing money or property for a loved one who is unable to pay bills or make financial decisions. This can be very overwhelming. But, it’s also a great opportunity to help someone you care about, and protect them from scams and fraud....
by Christine | Nov 12, 2013 | Estate Law, Estate Planning |
Give a copy of your wills, trusts and powers of attorney (financial and health care) to anyone named or authorized to act on your behalf, and store the originals at home; otherwise, your children could have trouble getting them at the critical time. The best laid...
by Christine | Nov 11, 2013 | 2014, Elder Law, Medicare, Social Security |
The nation's elderly and disabled Social Security recipients will receive a 1.5 percent increase in payments in 2014. The same COLA will apply to pensions for federal government retirees and most veterans. According to recent news from the Social Security...
by Christine | Nov 8, 2013 | Elder Law, Medicare |
Open enrollment for the Medicare Part D Drug plans started on October 15th. You have until December 7thto determine which is the best plan for you in 2014 and make the needed change. It could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. It is Medicare Open Enrollment...
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...
