You probably have bumped into the "Five Wishes" document before. It is widely promoted, and viewed favorably by most professionals and users. You can order a paper copy of the Five Wishes workbook and form for (as of this writing) $5.00. Or, for $15.00, you can get an electronic version that lets you complete the form, print it out and sign it -- and go back to make changes as your thinking evolves. The electronic version even tells you that

Yet another celeb estate is making headlines. This past week, news outlets shared painful news: Naomi Judd left her famous daughters Ashley and Wynonna out of her will. The problem is, nothing in the reporting suggests that’s the case. Famous singer Naomi, who died by suicide in April, apparently did have an estate plan that included a will, which one or more reporters viewed. Naomi's Executor: Her Spouse Reports that surfaced focused on just one portion of that will, the

A recent story we heard on the radio described a nursing home lawsuit against a family member of the resident. Several of our clients wondered: is this a real thing? Do I need to worry about a nursing home lawsuit, even if I'm not the one receiving care? Yes, it is a real thing. And yes, nursing homes often sue family members or others for unpaid bills after they've helped someone get into the nursing home. The NPR story The

Yes, that's August right around the corner. So here's our July review of developments in elder law: July Review of Planning & Taxes The IRS is now allowing surviving spouses five years to elect “portability” instead of just two. Survivors can claim their deceased spouse’s unused estate tax exemption without fancy planning up to five years after the date of death. They just need to file a simplified estate tax return. The deadline is usually 9 months after date of