The short answer is probably not. I know people get really concerned about doing everything the right way, and I fully understand how people want to do things the right way, especially when it comes to legal matters, but jail usually isn’t the punishment if you happen to make some missteps in handling your Mom or Dad’s estate plan. There are a … [Read more...]
Why Coloradans Need To Start Early to Protect Your Assets from Medicaid
I frequently get calls from people who tell me that they want to put their assets into a trust to protect the assets from Medicaid. The people who call often tell me that they read somewhere on the Internet that they could put their assets into a trust and qualify for Medicaid assistance. I become the one that needs to tell them that while the … [Read more...]
Creating Certainty in a Time of Uncertainty
A couple of weeks ago I was participating in a seminar with a financial planner friend. Our presentation discussed how to best approach financial concerns in retirement, and how to make money last through retirement. My part was to talk a bit about the legal planning necessary for retirement, including the basics of estate planning, like a will, … [Read more...]
Don’t Lose Your Messaging: How To Be As Clear As You Can With Your Estate Plan
2020 has been a crazy year. A pandemic, an election year, social unrest, fires, ash raining down from the sky, and a snowstorm on September 8th, protests concerning racial inequaliites, protests of government action, or inaction, and protests that have devovled into vandalism, rioting, looting, assault, and murder. There has been a lot to take … [Read more...]
Don’t Forget Someone! What Happens if All Children are Not Named in an Estate Plan?
In January, I heard the news that NBA legend Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash. I was shocked at the news, as was most everyone else that I knew. My cousin’s husband, who played in the NBA for a while, spoke about playing against Kobe Bryant with reverence, as Kobe Bryant was certainly an excellent basketball player. Something like … [Read more...]
[ANSWERED] How Often Should You Update Your Will?
Almost every person I meet asks me how often they should review, update, or revisit their will. I am happy to answer this question, explaining as follows: “You should update your will every few years, or whenever you have a major life change.” Please read the following sentences in as sarcastic of a voice as you can: I know this is quite … [Read more...]
VA RULE CHANGES!
Aid and Attendance Asset Limits Change in October, 2018 The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently changed the rules (with only one month’s notice to implement the change!) that make it more difficult to qualify for the VA’s Aid and Attendance long-term care benefits. The rules establish an asset limit, a look-back period, and asset transfer … [Read more...]