Recent Blog Posts
Three Common Misconceptions About Medicaid Planning
For most middle-class people, Medicaid planning is an essential part of any estate plan. Although people might think they can draft their own will with the help of online software, the truth is that Medicaid planning requires a trip to the lawyer’s office. However, many people hesitate to contact us about Medicaid planning, perhaps… Read More »
Considerations When Naming A Beneficiary To Your Retirement Account
To have a proper estate plan, you will need either a will or a trust (or both). However, some property will pass outside of probate by other means. One such asset will be your retirement account. Once you identify who you want to receive your benefits after you die, you will designate them by… Read More »
Medicare Part A Coverage
Medicare Part A covers up to 100 days of patient care in skilled nursing facilities and hospitals, and is a great benefit to have as a senior. If you are 65 or older and entitled to Social Security benefits, you are eligible for Part A. Even better, there is no charge for premiums, unlike… Read More »
How To Talk To An Elderly Parent About Assisted Living
Many of our parents will retain their independence into their 70s and even into their 80s. But there usually comes a time when Mom or Dad (or both) can no longer take care of themselves. At some point, you will need to discuss whether your elderly parent should move into an assisted living facility—and… Read More »
The Importance Of Estate Planning For Unmarried Couples
Many couples never marry. They might even be together for years or decades but have never gotten around to saying “I do” or don’t feel that marriage is that important to begin with. However, as we age, we soon find out that marriage carries many important legal benefits. If you choose not to marry,… Read More »
Keeping Good Records For Your Survivors
After death, a personal representative will need to collect the assets of your estate and work to pay off any creditors you owe money to. Even in the best situations, this can be a lot of work, and few people have the time to act as a personal representative in a full-time capacity. As… Read More »
Choosing A Successor Trustee
A revocable living trust can be an important part of any estate plan. When creating the trust, you appoint yourself as trustee to oversee the management of the trust assets. But what happens when you die, or if you become incapacitated and can no longer make decisions? In these situations, someone else needs to… Read More »
Use A Spendthrift Provision To Protect Heirs From Creditors
One concern many parents have when creating an estate plan is whether the assets they leave their children will be wasted. It is a sad reality that some children are not as responsible as we would like. They either get deep into debt, or they have civil judgments against them after being sued. Wouldn’t… Read More »
How Long Does Probate Take?
Probate is the process of winding up a deceased person’s estate under the supervision of the probate court. As part of the process, the judge will need to find that a person has died and pass on the validity of any will that the person created. The probate judge also names a personal representative… Read More »
The Surprising Benefits Of Probate
Probate gets a bad rap here at the Millhorn Elder Law Planning Group blog. Many of our articles state that probate is a lengthy, tedious process that people can avoid by creating the right estate plan. And this is still true. Often, you can minimize the number of assets that must go through the… Read More »
