Who Will Care When You Can’t?
Parents and grandparents often ask me the same deeply personal question: “Who will care for my child or grandchild when I no longer can?” The answer begins with a plan—one that protects the person, preserves financial assistance when possible, and gives future...
They Trust Us
There is something rather remarkable about the relationship we have with our pets. They don't understand wills, trusts, probate, bank accounts, or estate planning. They don't know what a Power of Attorney is, and they certainly don't know who is named as Executor of...
Arriving in America’s Mailboxes
Imagine opening your mailbox and finding an envelope addressed to you. It looks legitimate. It has proper postage and even a tracking number. You open it—and there's absolutely nothing inside. Or perhaps a small package arrives that you never ordered. Inside is either...
Transfer on Death vs. Payable on Death Accounts – A Simple Way to Avoid Probate
One of the most common questions I receive from clients is whether there is a simple way to pass assets to loved ones without going through probate. Fortunately, many assets can be transferred directly to beneficiaries through either a Transfer on Death...
A Meaningful Graduation Gift
This is the time of year for graduations, and gifting assets to your grandchildren can help them get a good start in life. The simplest approach to gifting is of course, to give the grandchild an outright gift. You may give each grandchild up to $19,000 a year without...
Passing Down Items With Sentimental Value
Unlike financial assets, which can generally be divided easily amongst heirs, tangible personal property is unique. The complexity of distributing a lifetime’s worth of possessions is something many people overlook. Families have been torn apart over everything from...
‘Tis The Season for Tax Scams
Filing taxes can be stressful, and to make it worse, there are unscrupulous people who are trying to take your money. Robocalls, texts, and phishing emails from scammers are up this tax season compared to previous years, with artificial intelligence likely increasing...
What To Do, And How To Do It
I am often asked what to do when a child, grandchild, or other loved one is struggling with substance abuse. In many cases, the problem extends beyond drugs or alcohol to behavioral addictions such as gambling. As a result, families may spend years in emotional...
A Patient Advocate Can Help
More than 70 percent of adults in the U.S. report being dissatisfied with the health care system, according to many of the surveys taken over many years. Navigating the medical services network can be stressful and overwhelming. In conversations with my clients, they...