Why Estate Planning is Important for New Parents
Post

Why Estate Planning is Important for New Parents

Expecting and new parents have a lot on their minds and estate planning should be among them. From the anticipation of the arrival of their baby to the sleepless nights with a newborn, becoming a new parent carries new responsibilities. A Last Will and Testament is the only legal way to designate a guardian for...

Experience Counts!
Post

Experience Counts!

All too often, we meet with clients who, with the best of intentions, have tried to effectuate Medicaid planning themselves or with an at- torney whose practice concentrates in other areas of the law and not elder law. Invariably, we are asked to fix the mistakes that were made. Regrettably, there are some mistakes that cannot...

Slowing Alzheimer’s: Things You Can Do
Post

Slowing Alzheimer’s: Things You Can Do

Memory loss; difficulty solving problems; becoming confused about place or date or time. Only a doctor can determine whether your or a loved one’s issues are the result of Alzheimer’s or something else, and that doctor should prescribe a course of action for treatment. There are, however, things that you might do to help slow...

Estate Planning for Business Owners
Post

Estate Planning for Business Owners

If you are the owner of a business or professional practice, it is important that your estate planning documents are complete and up-to-date. You should develop an ownership transition plan so that your family and your business will be protected in the event of your death or incapacity. It is also important to consider the...

Questions to Ask Before a Senior Goes Home from the Hospital
Post

Questions to Ask Before a Senior Goes Home from the Hospital

Seniors face unique perils when they are hospitalized. Apart from the ever-present threat of Covid infection, delirium, functional decline and medication toxicity are some of the problems that more frequently affect seniors than younger patients. Upon discharge, many patients are overwhelmed by the information they are expected to digest including discharge instructions and follow-up appointments....

Are You Contemplating the Sale of Property in a Trust?
Post

Are You Contemplating the Sale of Property in a Trust?

Every year we receive telephone calls from people who own property that is titled in a trust or are the trustees of trusts that own property. Often, they have either already sold the property or are contemplating its sale. The purpose of this article is to alert readers to the importance of understanding the trust...

This Story Has a Happy Ending
Post

This Story Has a Happy Ending

As you may recall, we discussed the proposed changes to the tax code in the second quarter edition of A Step Ahead. The focus of that article was the significant change that was anticipated in the way that capital gains will be taxed. Under the current rules, capital gains are taxed when there is a...

A Lesson Learned at David Bowie’s Expense
Post

A Lesson Learned at David Bowie’s Expense

David Bowie, a trend setting entertainer, died from cancer on January 10, 2016. By January 29 the media was already in possession of the details of Mr. Bowie’s estate plan. We learned that his estate was worth as much as $100 million, $2 million of which he left to his personal assistant and another $1...

Advance Funeral Planning Makes Financial Sense
Post

Advance Funeral Planning Makes Financial Sense

It’s easy to understand how advance funeral planning can reduce the stress on surviving family members and provide peace of mind. It also makes good financial sense. Many people think of funeral planning as part of estate planning.   The benefits of preplanning our own include: the ability to make personal and specific selections that...