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...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Thursday, May 16, 2013. One of the issues that is much discussed throughout the elder law community is that of the high and ever rising costs associated with long-term care. When you are healthy and active it can be hard to wrap your head around the possibility of a future stay in a long-term care facility of some sort. You may recognize the fact that there are those who do require long-term care but assume that you won't be am...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Monday, May 6, 2013. One of the first things that you are going to want to determine when you are engaged in estate planning is whether or not your estate is subject to the federal estate tax. This levy can have a significant impact on the future of your family and it is something to take very seriously when you are crafting your legacy.The dividing line between those who will be required to pay the tax and those who are exempt...
On behalf of The Elder and Disability Law Firm, APC on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. There are those who are under the impression that estate planning is something that is only relevant to people who have reached retirement age. It is obviously true that it becomes more likely that you will pass away as you reach an advanced age. However, estate planning is something that is important for people of all ages and it can be properly viewed as a core responsibility of adulthood.Most people ar...
