Veteran’s Affairs Implements New Regulations for Needs Based VA Benefits
Pension benefits can greatly assist U.S. veterans who demonstrate financial need. Recently, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced new regulations governing the net worth requirements for veterans, as well as income exclusions and asset transfers. It is expected that the...
What is ‘Swedish death cleaning’ and should you be doing it?
If you’ve ever dealt with an estate after the death of a family member or close friend, you may understand the overwhelming task of dealing with what was left behind. Unless your loved one was a staunch minimalist with a Type-A personality...
California Children Could Benefit from Tax Laws on Inherited Property
California currently boasts several tax laws that could greatly benefit children who inherit property from their parents. State laws are protecting children from tax increases on inherited homes, which is thought to be impacting the availability of housing in...
Three New Scams Aimed At Senior Citizens
Anyone can be the victim of a scam. Scam artists are very cunning and intelligent. They use technology to their advantage to gain information about seniors that help them to take advantage of seniors. California elder abuse lawyers can be instrumental in helping seniors avoid scams, or recover from them if they...
Will My Parents’ Trust Assets Be Taken if They File for Bankruptcy?
As a general rule, every asset that you own should be included as part of your bankruptcy estate. If your parents are filing bankruptcy, this rule will apply to them as well—unless they have a specific type of trust.
Children may be particularly interested in this issue because when parents file bankruptcy, it...
Handling Estate Planning With a Terminal Illness
More people are beginning to work with a California estate-planning lawyer to develop an estate plan earlier in life. Our clients have expressed the desire to have a plan that protects their family and their property in case of their death. However, what happens if a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness...
Important Messages to Convey to Your Loved Ones
At times, even people who have taken the critical step of making an estate plan fail to provide their loved ones with the information they will need to execute that plan. Whether it is through an oversight or intentional...
Cryptocurrency and Estate-Planning – What You Need to Know
One of the goals of effective estate planning is to ensure that all your assets are included in the plan. Assets may be distributed through your will, a trust agreement, jointly titled property, or a beneficiary designation. However, the key is to identify all assets and ensure those assets are accounted...
Five Things You Can Do Before Death to Make Life Easier for Your Loved Ones
Thinking about our own mortality is not a pleasant thought for many individuals. However, our deaths are inevitable. Therefore, instead of focusing on your death, you can focus on ways you can make your passing easier for your loved ones. Our California estate-planning attorneys work with clients to prepare estate plans that protect...
Seven Do’s and Don’ts of Medi Cal Planning
California administers federal Medicaid funds through its Medi-Cal program. The agency administers several different types of programs, including Medicaid Long-Term Care. For many individuals and families, the cost of long-term care can be overwhelming. With many nursing homes charging between $8,000 to $10,000 a month for skilled care, the only option...