Category Archives: Estate Planning
In Praise of Old Folks’ Homes
If you are old enough to have a stable job, you are old enough to be cringe. Since both of these describe you, it stands to reason that you have read the latest research on happiness. A recent article in the New York Times says that what determines how happy we are is not… Read More »
Senior Medicaid Isn’t Just for Nursing Home Residents
In Maryland, as in many other places in the United States and the world, we have an aging population. Meanwhile, the generation that is currently approaching retirement age has never known the financial safeguards that their parents’ generation enjoyed. This means that we are likely to see an increase in demand for applications for… Read More »
Medicare: So Many Moving Parts
If you are looking for a way to boost your self-confidence, consider congratulating yourself on your longevity. You have been receiving correspondence from the AARP for such a long time that their magazines and oversized postcards, clearly designed for the generation that takes print media more seriously than online content, no longer make you… Read More »
What Is Trust Litigation?
Estate planning websites are full of encouragement for the prospective grantors of trusts. They tell you how much money you and your heirs can save on taxes if you transfer money to them through a trust, as opposed to just letting them inherit it from your estate through probate. If you are afraid of… Read More »
The Five Wishes and Your Estate Plan
The most important parts of your estate plan have nothing to do with money, at least not on the surface. Anyone who has ever gotten a medical bill knows that medical decisions are financial decisions. In general, the more money you have, the healthier you are, because you can work in jobs with a… Read More »
Are Non-Probate Assets Overrated?
Probate is an unpleasant reminder that there is no such thing as a free lunch. You know how, in order to get your income tax refund, you must complete the process of filing your income tax returns, and even when you do that, the refund you receive is a lot less than you were… Read More »
Bad News Beneficiaries for Non-Probate Assets
If your estate plan includes some non-probate assets, you are off to a good start, but complacency is the enemy of every estate plan, so don’t assume that you have all your ducks in a row just because you bought a life insurance policy years ago when your employer offered it to you as… Read More »
Estate Planning Goals for 2025
Even the scammiest for-profit colleges will teach you that the best goals you can set are attainable ones. Shooting for the moon is an exercise in frustration unless it is a front for a more modest goal, such as “outdo my previous record.” That is why, this year, you should not resolve to adopt… Read More »
The Solitary Personal Representative’s Probate Dilemma
If your main motivation for getting started on your estate plan is to reduce stress on your family members, then you feel a great sense of relief once you write your will, print it on paper, and sign it in the presence of two witnesses. By designating someone as personal representative of your estate,… Read More »
Asset Protection and Your Retirement Account
Asset protection is a factor in most people’s estate planning strategy. Some people establish trusts and transfer assets to their heirs while they are still alive in order to protect their heirs’ inheritance from being vulnerable to creditor claims during probate. A simpler asset protection tool is probably already doing its job silently in… Read More »
