A New York appeals court case illustrates why it is very important to have properly drafted and properly implemented care contract when an elder is paying a family member for services. The Court ruled that a Medicaid applicant who transferred money to his daughter and son-in-law under a personal service agreement made...
Forbes Article: Covid-19 Is Most Certainly A Retirement Story
The Covid-19 recession, like all recessions, threatens the wealth and retirement security of millions of workers. Job loss prompts people to stop saving, raid their nest eggs or go into debt by falling behind on their rent and mortgage payments. Most workers nearing retirement had
ElderLawAnswers Article: Using Estate Planning to Prepare for Medicaid
Long-term care involves not only a loss of personal autonomy; it also comes at a tremendous financial price. Proper planning can help your family prepare for the financial toll and protect assets for future generations.
Long-term care can be very expensive, especially around-the-clock nursing home care. Most people end...
AARP Article: Prepare a Digital Estate Plan for Future Caregivers
How to provide the information they’ll need to manage your online data
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by Amanda Singleton, AARP
My mother kept a little black book. Not the fun kind filled with suitors’ phone numbers; rather, a binder that contained her accounts, passwords and ongoing bills. When an out-of-the-blue...
Don’t Be Fearful of Probate — Avoid It
Many of our clients, particularly those with substantial estates, are fearful of probate. They have learned that this process, during which the will of a deceased person is legally validated, can be expensive and time-consuming. When they contact us and begin working with our knowledgeable, highly competent estate planning attorneys,...
Use Estate Planning to Protect Your Family if You Die Without Warning
At Surprenant & Beneski, P.C., we are well aware that working with estate planners is the way to protect your family from the logistical, legal, and financial problems that may beset them when you die, especially if you die suddenly and unexpectedly.
While nobody likes to think about...
Finding Ways To Pay for Your Child’s Education with Your Estate Planner
Even if there are two wage earners contributing to your family’s income, for most families the thought of how to fund their child’s higher education is daunting. If you have several children whose education you’re planning to finance, the prospect can be downright terrifying.
As with most worries about...
Excuses Why People Don’t Have an Estate Plan
Many clients fail to plan because they are under the assumption that estate planning is only for the wealthy. If you have any assets or any children, you have a need to plan. Estate planning is used to protect individuals and their loved ones of all ages and at all stages of life....
Where to Keep Your Legal Documents
So, you’ve planned ahead and have decided how you want your affairs to be handled upon your passing. You have signed all of your Basic Estate Planning documents: a Last Will and Testament, a Durable Power of Attorney, a living will, a Massachusetts Health Care Proxy, and a HIPAA Release. You may...
10 Ways to Deal With Siblings Who Don’t Help With Aging Parents
When the health of an elderly parent starts to decline, typically one sibling steps in to become the primary caregiver. The demands start out small. Care is easy at first. But as care demands more time and money, stress builds and so can resentment toward non-contributing family members. Old rivalries and jealousies...