Basis for Inherited Property Explained
What is your basis for inherited property? Do you calculate basis differently for property you received as a gift? And what is “basis,” anyway? Let us try to explain. First, what is “basis”? The concept of basis is primarily a tax consideration. If you sell a piece of real estate for more than you paid […]
Time to sign?
One of the very last steps in the estate planning process is actually signing the documents. By the time you are ready to sign, you have already done the hardest parts of estate planning. You have met with an attorney, decided who should act in what role, determined who should get what stuff, and read […]
In Which We Debunk Some Common Myths About Wills
Whew. We made it to September, and got past National Make a Will Month. And you didn’t get your will written or updated. While you’re feeling guilty about that, we’re going to take a minute to debunk some common myths about wills. It won’t help you feel better, but it might help you better understand […]
August Wrap-Up: It’s Make a Will Month!
It’s the last Sunday of August, which means it’s time for the August Wrap-Up. This month we’re covering Make a Will Month, celebrity estate news, and Medicare changes. Make a Will Month Did you know that August is National Make A Will Month? If you already have a will, it’s probably ok if you didn’t […]
The Basics of Beneficiary Designations
If you have a retirement account, bank account or a life insurance policy, you may have been asked to designate a beneficiary. Beneficiary designations name one or more person to receive the assets in an account upon your death. The beneficiary has no interest in the asset until you die, and can be changed at […]
Terminate the Trust – Is That a Good Idea for a SNT?
Sometimes things don’t work out the way you expect. Maybe you’re the trustee of a special needs trust, and you’re wondering: can I terminate the trust? Our answer: a clear “maybe.” But we also want to ask our own question: even if you can terminate the trust, should you? Some qualifications about our suggestions Before we dive into […]
The Basics of Disclaimer Trusts
With the estate tax exemption expected to drop significantly in 2026, many clients are interested in estate planning to minimize those taxes. One of the tools an estate planning attorney might suggest to help avoid and minimize those taxes is the disclaimer trust. What is a disclaimer trust? A disclaimer trust is a type of […]
Thirty Years and Counting
Thirty years! Our newsletter (and the rest of our website, for that matter) is focused on providing information. We reason that if we give our readers information they’ll see that the legal questions we deal with are complicated, and that we know a thing or two. Maybe we can help with their elder-law related legal […]
Alphabet Soup: SSI, SSD, SSDI, DAC, SGA and More
Do you have a child with a disability? You may have tangled with the alphabet soup of public benefits programs. We’d like to introduce you to some of the acronymic programs and help you distinguish among them. Supplemental Security Income — SSI One of the key elements of the alphabet soup of benefits is SSI. […]
Civil Commitment, Guardianship and Vulnerable Adults
Clients (and family members) are often confused by the difference between civil commitment, guardianship and other similar-but-different legal proceedings. A recent Arizona appellate decision made us think about those differences. Let’s see if we can clarify. First, the case Actually, the case that made us think about this isn’t about guardianship or vulenrable adults at […]
When Our Clients Become Incapacitated
What happens when our clients become incapacitated? We worry a lot about the right message for family members — and our clients themselves. We’ve adopted some basic rules and approaches. What’s the problem? When we prepare estate planning documents for a client, they will typically have named agents in their powers of attorney. They may […]
Estate Planning Considerations
Often estate planning clients come in with specific goals for their estate plan. They may want to disinherit someone, or leave their estate to charity. They may want a specific types of estate plan after reading about it online. Their goal may even be just to get an estate plan, any estate plan, done before […]
