When most people think about making an “estate plan,” they jump straight to deciding who gets what when they die. But there’s a lot about an estate plan that comes into play when you are alive. The most important: your financial power of attorney. Why the Financial Power of Attorney? Every adult should have a…
Your estate plan usually includes a will, a health care power of attorney and a financial power of attorney. It might also include at least one trust — perhaps more if you have a child with special needs, or a complicated financial situation. Which is your most important document? You might also have partnership agreements,…
You’ve signed your will and powers of attorney. Maybe you’ve even signed a living trust. But now who should get copies of your will and trust? Is the answer different for your powers of attorney? What to do with the original documents First, let’s just say a word about what you should do with the…
Imagine that the adult care home where your uncle Bill resides has told you that you need to get a guardianship. What does that mean, and what do you have to do? Are there alternatives to guardianship? Guardianship means court involvement When you visit a lawyer to “get” guardianship, you should know that it…
We’ve written before about why you might want to avoid guardianship proceedings. They are expensive. More lawyers, judges and court-appointed officials are involved than most people would like to have in their lives. If you planned in advance, you probably would not choose a cumbersome, invasive and public legal proceeding. How can you avoid guardianship?…
AUGUST 1, 2016 VOLUME 23 NUMBER 29 At Fleming & Curti, PLC, we handle a lot of guardianship and conservatorship proceedings. We even act as guardian (of the person) and/or conservator (of the estate) in some cases — particularly when family members are unavailable or unable to agree on the best course of action. But…
JUNE 13, 2016 VOLUME 23 NUMBER 22 John Richardson was 86, living on his family farm in rural Nebraska, when he became ill enough that he could no longer take care of himself. His long-time companion Elaine had been living with him and providing care, but she could no longer handle his care, either. John’s…
DECEMBER 14, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 46 Imagine: you have just been named as guardian for your aging father. You are responsible for his medical care and decisions, his comfort and his placement. You were appointed, in part, because of your concern about his safety at home — you are thinking perhaps he needs to…
JUNE 15, 2015 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 22 “I don’t want anything complicated,” said our new client. “I just want a simple will.” For almost four decades, we’ve been waiting for the client who wants a complicated will. We’re still waiting. We hear the “I only want a simple will” request often. What clients really mean,…
SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 VOLUME 21 NUMBER 32 Here’s a question we get asked a lot: “which is better for me to get for my mother — a guardianship or a power of attorney?” Sometimes the questioner is checking on the difference between a conservatorship and a power of attorney or (less commonly) a guardianship and…