Power of Attorney

Estate planning focuses, necessarily, on how your assets should pass to your chosen beneficiaries at your death. However, proper estate planning should also address what can be done to help you out during your lifetime, in the event you are incapacitated. If you are unconscious or otherwise laid out and cannot make your own decisions, you need to be assured that the right people are making your decisions for...

A lot of people have some extra time on their hands these days. Being stuck in the house means there’s no excuse not to finally get around to some of those projects that you knew you needed to do, but just never could make yourself address.  If you’ve already done all the gardening, cleaning, and closet sorting in your house, maybe now you can take some time to get...

Do not take a vacation, leave for college, go through surgery or get on a small plane without having these documents in place and current.  A will.  This document can be simple or complex, but it should not be based on a form that you download from the internet.  Because a will is so important, you should be extremely careful on how it is drafted and executed. Helpful hint: you...

This may sound harsh, but you need to do more for your family than just sign a will. You should also leave them a map to follow. How do you go about it? Prepare your executor.  You should have a list of all of your beneficiaries and professional advisors with their contact information. Tell your executor where you keep your original will. Tell your successor trustees where you keep your original...

Once you’ve inked your name on your estate planning documents, you may be tempted to throw them in a drawer at home and move on to your next project. That is not the best plan. Instead, think about when and how the documents will be needed and then act accordingly. Let’s start with your will.  After you are dead someone – probably your executor or a beneficiary – will need to take...

Happy New Year and welcome to 2019! Enough merriment already.  It’s time to get off your arse and get some things done. First up, put away the holiday decorations. If your stripped-down home leaves you depressed, then buy some Valentine’s Day stuff and scatter it about.  Target, Amazon, and Hallmark are anxious to be of help. Second, start the exercise and diet routines.  Try a change-up from last year and...

According to the National Institute on Aging,  dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning (thinking, remembering, and reasoning) and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia is more common as people grow older. Up to half of all people age 85 or older may have some form of dementia. As Elder Lawyers, we deal with dementia from a legal perspective. Estate planning...