Recent Blog Posts
What if a Will is Not Recent Enough to Include a New Spouse or Child?
All adults in Connecticut and throughout the country should make a will. Even when a person does not have assets of significant monetary value, and even when there may be only one or two heirs to whom the person wants to leave those assets, a will can limit confusion and the application of Connecticut… Read More »
Estate Planning to Avoid Probate
Often, when adults begin thinking about estate planning, one of the goals is to employ estate planning tools in such a way that their heirs will not have to go through a lengthy and complex probate process. While it may be impossible to avoid probate (depending on your assets, for example), there are many… Read More »
What to Know About Increases in Long-Term Care Costs
Long-term care — including nursing home and assisted-living facility care, as well as at-home care — have always been expensive. As such, for decades, it has been important for aging adults in Connecticut and across the country to consider asset-protection strategies and to engage in Medicaid planning and long-term care planning in order to… Read More »
Is Estate Planning Necessary for Everyone?
Are you someone who should work with an estate planning lawyer on an estate plan and relevant documents? If you are an adult, the answer is yes. Throughout Connecticut, myths and misconceptions about estate planning circulate. Some people assume estate planning is only for older adults, while others assume it is only for wealthy… Read More »
Can Anyone Create Advance Directives?
Advance directives, sometimes known simply as “life’s events documents,” are an essential part of estate planning for all adults, regardless of a person’s age or financial circumstances. As you may know, whether you are thinking about estate planning for yourself or for your elderly parents, you may be wondering if there are certain requirements… Read More »
Important Legal Documents for People with Dementia
Many older adults in Connecticut will be diagnosed with a form of dementia. When that happens, it is essential to ensure that all estate planning documents are in place given that a diagnosis with dementia likely will mean that the elderly patient will lose legal capacity at a point in the future. It is… Read More »
How to Help Your Elderly Parents with Asset Protection
Many Connecticut residents have elderly parents who could need long-term care sooner rather than later. Although it can be difficult for older adults to discuss financial issues and the prospect of long-term care with their adult children, this is nonetheless an extremely important topic to address. Even if your elderly parents are reluctant to… Read More »
Trusts: Key Terms to Understand
All adults should be thinking about estate planning. While common myths suggest that estate planning is only for older adults or adults with chronic and serious illnesses, estate planning is crucial for many reasons. Trusts are one type of tool in the estate planning process. Although establishing a trust might not be appropriate for… Read More »
What is a QTIP Trust?
If you are married and have not yet worked with an estate planning lawyer to write a will, to create advance directives, and to consider the value of a trust, you might want to consider a qualified terminable interest property (QTIP) trust. This is one of many types of trusts that a person can… Read More »
How Does a Living Will Work?
For anyone considering estate planning for themselves, or hoping to help an elderly parent with elements of estate planning, advance directives are essential to consider. Advance directives are different types of documents that ultimately allow a person to have a say in their own medical decisions or health care proceedings even if they become… Read More »