Waiting until every question has been resolved can leave you and your family without important protections. You can start estate planning with the information you have today and revise your plan as your life changes.
Money given to one child does not automatically reduce that child’s inheritance. The parent’s intent should be stated clearly in the estate plan.
Most people need more than a will. A complete plan may include a will, powers of attorney, an advance health care directive, beneficiary designations, and other documents.
DIY probate is not for everyone: It may work for small, simple estates, but it still involves legal duties and deadlines.
Do not rush into selling, renting, or moving into an inherited house before confirming ownership and financial obligations.
Making a will is easier when you prepare before meeting with an estate planning attorney.
This guide explains what a living trust is, what it does (and doesn’t do), and the practical steps to set one up — including the most important step many families miss: funding the trust.
If you’re receiving care through a skilled nursing facility, home health agency, or outpatient rehabilitation center, there may come a day when your provider hands you a form titled “Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage,” or NOMNC. Don’t panic, but don’t ignore it either.
Medicare must cover skilled care needed to maintain your condition or slow decline, even if you aren’t expected to improve. Denials based only on “lack of improvement” are illegal.
If your Medicare Advantage plan ends, you won’t be left without coverage; you’ll typically move back to Original Medicare (Parts A and B).
Although age is not a protected category under the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA), many older adults are protected from housing discrimination through the law’s disability protections.
Hsieh’s family has challenged the purported will, calling it a scam. Going beyond the extraordinary headlines, however, the case offers everyday estate planning lessons from a life—and death—that were anything but ordinary.
Most 401(k)-type plans generally don’t require spousal consent for withdrawals, which can leave a spouse exposed during the account owner’s lifetime.
Before your new adult child heads to off to college, have him or her sign three documents: a financial power of attorney, a medical power of attorney, and a HIPAA authorization form.
When you sit down to write your will, the most consequential decision you’ll make may not be who gets the house or heirlooms, but who will be in charge of carrying out your wishes after you’re gone. That person, or institution, is your executor.
Health care costs are forcing millions of Americans to make painful sacrifices. A recent survey found that one-third of U.S. adults — estimated to be over 82 million people — have cut back on daily expenses to pay for health care.
Senior Spaces is a new TV show that follows older adults making real housing and care decisions.
Hiring professional caregivers can reduce stress and burnout for family caregivers and may foster a greater sense of independence for the older adult.
Planning ahead can reduce the financial shock — by learning what programs do (and don’t) cover and exploring options like long-term care insurance and state-specific Medicaid planning.
Solo agers can use estate planning tools like a financial power of attorney, medical power of attorney, and a will or trust to formally name trusted individuals (friends, family, or professional fiduciaries) to manage their finances, make health care decisions, and handle assets if they become unable to do so.
Estate planning is essential for stepfamilies and blended families to prevent accidental disinheritance of children from prior relationships and reduce family conflict.
AI can be useful for general education, but it’s risky to use it for personal details, family conflict, or final document drafting.
At-home DNA tests are revealing previously unknown biological relatives, who are then using these results to make legal claims on estates, even years after death. To protect your estate plan, be sure to clearly define whom you intend to inherit and explicitly address whether biological relatives discovered later should be included or excluded.
A financial POA handles your money, property, and bills, while a medical POA (or health care proxy) manages your medical treatments and end-of-life care. They are separate documents and cover different areas of your life.
Current laws don’t fully protect your identity (your voice, image, and data) from being used to create an artificial intelligence (AI) replica after you die. Without explicit instructions in your estate plan, a family member could legally create an AI version of you from your emails and recordings.
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