On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Thursday, June 6, 2013. There are certain basic responsibilities that you assume by simply becoming a self-supporting adult. This is something to keep in mind if you are one of the many who is procrastinating about putting an estate plan in place.In 2010 there was an article in Forbes magazine that highlighted the lack of preparedness among Americans in general when it comes to estate planning. As you might expect, younger adul...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Wednesday, June 5, 2013. There are people who get themselves into trouble because they don't have enough information about long-term care. One of the misconceptions that some people buy into is the notion that it is unlikely that they will ever need long-term care. This idea flies in the face of reality. In fact, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services approximately 7 out of every 10 Americans who...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Tuesday, June 4, 2013. It doesn't matter how much time you spend or how much your estate plan cost you, if your family can't find it when the time comes, it will cost them in the end. The first task for your family after you pass away is to locate your estate plan. For some families this is easy, but for others this is a daunting task. There are numerous places where you can keep your documents, so choosing one depends on its a...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Monday, June 3, 2013. If you are legally married your spouse is going to be recognized as your next of kin by the law. As a result there are some built-in protections available to you even if you did not execute estate planning documents recording your wishes.There are intestacy laws of succession that would hold sway and your spouse would be first in line. He or she would also be the individual that the medical community would...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Friday, May 31, 2013. When you arrange for the distribution of assets to your loved ones via the use of a last will everything is held up until the estate has been probated.Probate is the legal process of estate administration and it takes place under the auspices of the probate court. In addition to the fact that the heirs to the estate do not receive their inheritances until it has been probated and closed probate can be expe...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. It is always kind of difficult to part with your hard earned money and hand it over to the taxman. In spite of this, the vast majority of people can accept the fact that paying taxes is simply a part of life and that the revenue that is generated is necessary.However, people are generally going to take exception to being asked to pay taxes that others are not required to pay. There are also many who fee...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Tuesday, May 28, 2013. When you think about estate planning the financial aspect may be the first thing that comes to mind and of course it is important to prepare your assets for eventual distribution to your loved ones after your passing. However, this is not the only component to a well conceived, holistic estate plan. To be fully prepared it is important to consider the possibility of incapacitation as well.If you were to b...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Friday, May 24, 2013. When you are planning for retirement you may want to set a target date to shoot for so that you have a destination firmly in sight as you traverse your life's path. While it is not wise to be overly reliant on Social Security because of the limitations of the program, a lot of people will plan their retirement dates based on their age of Social Security eligibility. It is important to recognize the fact th...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Wednesday, May 22, 2013. A lot of people like to roll up their sleeves and engage in do-it-yourself projects and there are a number of reasons why it is easier than ever to take on DIY projects. For one thing, we have all sorts of home-improvement superstores on virtually every corner these days. And there are craft and art supply outlets and auto parts stores that provide you with anything you need to get the job done.In addit...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Monday, May 20, 2013. If you choose to use a last will as your primary vehicle of asset transfer your estate must pass through a process called probate. During this period of time the probate court will examine the will to determine its validity and otherwise supervise the administration of the estate. The actual "legwork" as it were is done by the personal representative or executor.Probate does provide some protections becaus...
