“A power of attorney, or POA, is a document that enables an individual to appoint a person or organization to manage his or her affairs, should this individual become unable to do so.” Estate planning is important. Signing a power of attorney can be essential for those seeking to safeguard... Continue reading

“…even a small mistake can create huge problems during the settlement process, and in many cases, these errors are impossible for anyone to correct.” There are several critical errors you can make that will render an estate plan invalid. Many of these can be easily avoided, by examining your plan... Continue reading

“Here are a few financial planning tips/topics, if you are considering a new pet or looking to ensure that yours is cared for should you predecease it.” A recent survey of pet owners showed that nearly half (44%) of pet owners have prepared for the future care of their animals,... Continue reading

“A trust actually can prevent your descendants from following such an undesirable lifestyle.” Some people are hesitant to use trusts in their estate planning. Some have the notion that if you leave money in trust, it will make “trust fund babies” of your children or grandchildren. You may be afraid... Continue reading

“Depending on your age, you may or may not have considered a will an important document to have.” It’s not uncommon for people to put estate planning off, since it deals with something most of us don’t like to think about: our imminent death. However, the old saying is true:... Continue reading

“For those who remarry and want to make sure certain assets get passed on to kids from a previous marriage, experts say it's important to do some estate planning—that is, figuring out how to legally ensure that when you die, your assets end up where you want them to.” Roughly... Continue reading

“Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie, announced in a tweet Wednesday that they are divorcing. The news started an ongoing conversation about the usefulness of a prenuptial agreement, since, TMZ reports, the couple did not have one.” Do you need a prenup and how do... Continue reading

“Succession planning is a process. 10 years of time goes by very quickly, so the earlier you can start having these conversations, the better.” If you hear of someone heading off to her attorney to do their succession planning, it’s really just one of several meetings that are necessary to... Continue reading

“Relying on a decades-old inheritance law, the state’s highest court has ruled that spouses are entitled to one-third of their deceased spouse’s estate—when they are not mentioned in the spouse’s will.” The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently unanimously ruled for the second wife of a man who demanded her share... Continue reading

“How do you go about finding an estate planning attorney that is right for you?” When looking for an estate planning attorney, many people feel more comfortable with getting a personal referral, than by trying to find an attorney on their own. While a referral from friends can be a... Continue reading

“Many American workers plan to rely on Social Security benefits as a steady source of income in retirement. If you are not on top of things, you are at risk for not using the right claiming strategy. If that happens, you could leave thousands of dollars on the table over... Continue reading

“A 403(b) plan is a type of tax-sheltered retirement plan that has a lot in common with the more widely recognized 401(k) plan.” A 403(b) plan is for employees who work in organizations that serve certain religious, charitable, scientific, public safety testing, literary or educational purposes. If you’re eligible to... Continue reading

“An internal Pennsylvania state government watchdog agency is criticizing how county-level agencies investigate thousands of complaints they receive about elder abuse and how the state ensures that complaints are investigated adequately.” The Pennsylvania State Office of the Inspector General noted numerous failures by some county-level agencies to properly investigate complaints... Continue reading

“Surprisingly, the words "Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance" mean different things to different people.” Some people confuse Long-Term Care (LTC) with Long-Term Disability Insurance. The disability insurance coverage is designed to replace earned income in the event of a disability. Others think that LTC is a type of medical insurance. nj.com’s... Continue reading

“Despite the importance of having a will, a recent survey from AARP found that two out of five Americans over the age of 45 do not have one.” Drafting a will is an essential component of estate planning. Drafting a will with an experienced estate planning attorney helps avoid unnecessary... Continue reading

“The choices she made were out of greed, not because she didn’t understand the ethical obligations of being a guardian.” Several people described their personal grief, and they read letters from several others who lost thousands of dollars and expensive heirlooms that would never be replaced, because a guardian stole... Continue reading

“While roughly 90% of Americans agree that discussing end-of-life care with their loved ones is important, only 27% actually follow through with conversations focused on planning, according to research from public engagement initiative The Conversation Project.” Although many have ramped up community outreach efforts, the dread of thinking about death... Continue reading

“The Hawaii attorney general opposed a change that a 92-year-old Native Hawaiian princess has made to her trust, to ensure her wife receives $40 million and all her personal property.” Attorney General Russell Suzuki claimed in a court filing that 92-year-old Native Hawaiian princess Abigail Kawananakoa's amendment to her trust... Continue reading

“While most estate planning focuses on physical property, like your home, and liquid assets, such as investment accounts, retirement plans can actually make up a large portion of one’s estate. Due to the specific tax rules governing these assets at death, you must plan carefully to ensure these funds are... Continue reading

“Will your debt continue to haunt you from beyond the grave? Find out what exactly happens to debt when you die, while you still owe.” Did you know that we’re dying in this country with an average of $62,000 in debt? What happens to that debt? Fox Business recently published... Continue reading

“The elderly are often seen as easy targets for criminals and unscrupulous scammers alike.” The (Lorain OH) Morning Journal’s recent article, “How to protect elder loved ones from abuse,” reports that the National Center on Elder Abuse says the 2010 census showed the largest number and proportion of people are... Continue reading

“Medicaid will look back five years, to see if there should be a penalty period.” Say that an investment house in New Jersey worth $300,000 is passed from mother to daughter for sale of $1 today. Just two years later, the mother applies for Medicaid. There’s a look-back penalty period... Continue reading

“Welcoming a child is an incredibly exciting time in your life. As you prepare for your new addition, it can be challenging to know where to start financially. Prince William Living’s recent article, “Baby on the Way? Here’s How You Can Prepare Financially,” says that as you plan to welcome... Continue reading

“O’Hara used a steady stream of his mother’s income from Social Security and other investments ‘to pay for personal expenses, including cell phone plans, credit card payments, youth soccer fees and entertainment,’ the indictment said.” For nearly four years, John Jerome O’Hara took charge of his mother’s care at a... Continue reading

“You're never too young or too old, too rich or too poor to start estate planning.” Fox 5 NY says in the article “Why estate planning is important regardless of your age or wealth” that this is great time to begin talking to your loved ones about estate planning, especially... Continue reading