Published Estate Planning
& Elder Law Articles


Palm Beach Post Ask the Legal Advocates

Surviving Spouse Thinks She’s Entitled to More of Deceased Husband’s Estate March 26, 2020

Help With Unreimbursed Medical Expenses Available for Certain Veterans March 19, 2020

Daughter Wonders How to Stop Dad From Sending Money to Online “Girlfriend” March 12, 2020

Questions About Florida Probate From Out-Of-State Personal Representative March 5, 2020

Too Late To Create Medicaid Asset Trust For Father, But Other Asset Protection Strategies May Exist February 27, 2020

Young Parents Question Need For A Will, Durable Power of Attorney February 20. 2020

Life Insurance Proceeds Will Go Through Probate If The Beneficiary Is The Estate  Feb 13, 2020 

Medicaid Benefits For Assisted Living Very Difficult to Obtain  January 30, 2020 

Wife Frustrated That Husband Won’t Do A Will, Won’t Discuss Planning  January 23, 2020

Estate Planning Options Under the New SECURE Act: Preliminary Thoughts  January 16, 2020

SECURE Act Makes Big Changes To Retirement Savings, Estate Planning Options  January 9, 2020

Trustee Need Not Go It Alone When Handling Money For Irresponsible Cousin  January 2, 2020 

Recent Florida Transplant Asks About Function of Health Care Surrogate, Health Care Proxy  December 26, 2019

Too Many Codicils Can Make A Will Confusing, Invite Estate Challenges  December 19, 2019

Care giving, Rent Expenses Father Paid Adult Child Might Affect Medicaid Benefits For Nursing Home Care  December 12, 2019 

Brothers Want To Sell Mother’s Home But Don’t Know Date-of-Death Value For Tax Purpose  December 5, 2019 

Parents Wondering How to Provide For Children of Different Ages with Different Needs  November 28, 2019 

Man Wants Soon-To-Be Ex Wife To Continue As Health Care Decision Maker  November 21, 2019

Siblings Arguing Over Paying For Elderly Father’s Care  November 14, 2019 

Veteran’s Widow May Qualify For Aid and Attendance Benefits  November 7, 2019

Changing Estate Tax Laws Make Planning Complicated for Couple  October 31, 2019

Successor Trustee Does Not Have Authority To Change Terms of Mother’s Trust  October 24, 2019

Personal Representative Must Take Special Steps After Discovering Late Friend’s Will Not Self-Proving  October 17, 2019

Adult Stepchild Wonders if Stepmother Left Her An Inheritance  October 10, 2019

Medicaid Planning Advice From Non-Lawyer Could Spell Trouble  October 3, 2019

Voluntary Guardianship May Be Solution For Still-Competent Father With Alzheimer’s  September 26, 2019Angry

Angry Granddaughter Denied Inheritance Because of Husband’s Religion September 19, 2019

Parents Worry About Protecting Special Needs Child And Leaving Inheritance For Other Children, Too  September 12, 2019

Mother’s Probate Avoidance Plan Could End Up Shortchanging Daughter  September 5, 2019

Qualified Income Trust Can Help Establish Medicaid Eligibility of Applicant’s Income Too High August 29, 2019

Writer Worries That He Is Responsible For Late Brother’s Medical Bills  August 22, 2019

Financial Institutions May Not Honor Older Durable Power of Attorney  August 15, 2019

Living Trust Requires No Special Tax Treatment August 8, 2019

Widow Retains Life Estate Even If Not Living In Deceased Spouse’s Home  August 1, 2019

Widowed Florida resident wants to move closer to family but worries about impact on estate taxes  July 25, 2019

Making One Son Trustee For The Other Could Create Sibling Conflict  July 18, 2019

Children Frustrated by Mom’s Long Term Care Insurance Company’s Denial of Benefits  July 11, 2019

Daughter Expected to Inherit Condo, Discovered Her Brother Is On Deed.  Can She Sell The Unit?  July 4, 2019

Handling Incapacitate Father’s Financial Affairs Does Not Require Living Nearby  June 27, 2019

18-year-old Child Needs Health Care Proxy, Durable Power of Attorney So Parents Can Assist In Emergency  June 20, 2019

Five Year Rule for Medicaid Is Often Misunderstood  June 13, 2019

Securing Home Equity Loan On Home in Trust May Require Temporarily Retitling  June 6, 2019

Recent DivorceeWho Had Joint Living Trust With Ex Seeks Advice on Next Steps May 30, 2019

Dad Is In A Nursing Home. Does His IRA Disqualify Him From Getting Medicaid Benefits To Help Cover Cost?  May 23,2019

You Don’t Have To Be Wealthy For You and Your Family to Reap the Benefits of a Living Trust  May 16, 2019

Contributions to Children’s UTMA May Affect Medicaid Eligibility  May 9, 2019

Transferring Free Airline Miles Might Require Doing a Bit of Legwork First  May 2, 2019

Daughter-in-Law’s Spending Habits Lead Mom To Remove Son As Attorney-In-Fact Under Her Durable Power of Attorney  April 25, 2019

Caregiver Daughter Must Document Compensation To Protect Mother’s Medicicaid Eligibility  April 18, 2019

Why Reviewing Your Estate Plan is Prudent, Even If Your Circumstances Appear Unchanged  April 11, 2019

Medicaid Considers Transfers Made During Look-Back, Even if Transfers Are Not Taxable  April 4, 2019

If Original Will is Lost, Many Steps Required For Photocopy To Be Accepted to Probate  March 28, 2019

Son Frustrated By Parents Who Won’t Discuss Their Estate Plan  March 21, 2019

Responsibility for Making Sister’s Health Care Decisions Causing Worry  March 14, 2019

New Hybrid Policies May Provide Protection From Nursing Home Expenses  March 7, 2019

Daughter Suspects Her Sister May Have Pressured Dad To Sign New Will  February 28, 2019

Ability To Do Medicaid Planning For Uncle Depends On Powers He Gives Agent In Durable Power of Attorney  February 21, 2019

Florida Law Says Ex-Wife Not Entitled To Annuity Unless Divorce Decree Required It  February 14, 2019

Leaving Capitally Appreciated Property To Children After Your Death Affords Them Step-Up in Basis  February 7, 2019

Deceased Parent’s Estate Responsible for Medical Bills As Long As Child Has Not Personally Guaranteed Them  January 31, 2019

Florida Medicaid Benefits Not Automatic For Dad Receiving Benefits In A Different State  January 24, 2019

Medicare Doesn’t Pay For Long-Term Nursing Home Care, Medicaid Might  January 17, 2019

Parents’ Estate Plan Need Not Include Adult Child  January 10, 2019

Under Last Will and Testament, Can Personal Representative Access Digital Assets?  January 3, 2019

Florida Resident Worries Will Her Brother Drafted For Her May Not Be Valid  December 27, 2018

As Probate Avoidance Measure, Mom Put Son on Deed – Now He Wants Mom to Pay Him For His Share  December 20, 2018

Caregiver Needs More Than Verbal Reassurance Of Compensation If Significant Other Predeceases Her  December 13, 2018

Are Medicaid Managed Care Program Changes Going to Jeopardize Mother’s Benefits?  December 6, 2018

Giving Daughter Gift Not Likely to Impact Estate Taxes, Has No Effect on Income Tax  November 29, 2018

Fear About Medicaid Recipient’s Treatment in Nursing Home Not Justified  November 22, 2018

Spouse Wants Husband to Live in Condo If He Survives Her,  But Wants Daughter to Inherit It  November 15, 2018

After Completing Paperwork, Take Other Steps to Relieve Personal Representative’s Burden   November 8, 2018

Estate Plan Must Include Plans for Life, Not Just Death  November 1, 2018

Daughter with Disability, Mom Worried Son-In-Law Could Get Inheritance  October 25, 2018

How is Medicaid Eligibility Impacted by Spouse’s 401K?  October 18, 2018

Can’t Contest Will Pre-Death  October 11, 2018

Putting IRA in Stretch-Out Trust Protects Spendthrift Daughter  September 20, 2018

Dad’s Medicaid Benefits Not Jeopardized if Testamentary Trust Set Up  September 13, 2018

Durable Power of Attorney Agent Has No Authority Over Trust Account  September 6, 2018

For Probate Avoidance, Trust Often Preferable to POD/TOD Accounts  August 30, 2018

Probate Avoidance Not Guaranteed by POD/TOD Designations   August 23, 2018

Estate Planning Can Ensure Care for Pet  August 16, 2018

HIPAA Restricts Parents’ Ability To Help College Student  August 9, 2018

Avoiding Probate By Making Child Co-Owner of Account Not Advisable  August 2, 2018

Medicaid Deems Home Deeded to Child to Be a Gift  July 26, 2018

Bank Does Not Need Full Revocable Trust To Retitle Assets  July 19, 2018

Trustee Has Duty, Despite Beneficiary Complaints  July 12, 2018

Home in Living Trust Can Still Get Homestead Exemption  July 5, 2018

Younger  Couples Needs Estate Planning, Too  June 27, 2018

Children’s Expected Inheritance From Dad Goes To Stepmother Instead  June 20, 2018

QIT Can Protect Medicaid Eligibility if Applicant’s Income Over Cap  June 14, 2018

Upcoming Marriage Has Couple Worried About Estate Plan  June 7, 2018

Is An Older Power of Attorney Still Valid? Part Two  May 31, 2018

Is An Older Power of Attorney Still Valid? Part One  May 24, 2017

Florida Medicaid Eligibility Potentially Impacted by Home Rental  May 17, 2018

Child With Disability Can Be Beneficiary of Pooled Special Needs Trust  May 10, 2018

Significant Other Can Take Steps to Ensure Girlfriend Can Live In Home  May 3, 2018

V.A. Pension With Aid and Attendance May Help Cover Care Costs  April 26, 2018

Uncle Refuses Health Care Planning, Worrying Niece  April 19, 2018

Life Insurance Proceeds Go to Estate If No Living Beneficaries  April 12, 2018

Home Refinance May Involve Temporarily Removing It From Living Trust  April 5, 2018

Trustee of Friend’s Estate Overwhelmed, But Need Not Resign  March 29, 2018

Children’s Health Decisions Can Be Temporarily Left To Grandparents  August 17, 2017

Boomer Times & Senior Life

No, Medicare Doesn’t Pay For Long-Term Care. So What Are Your Options?  March 2020

Congratulations on Getting Your Estate Plan Done…Now Let’s Double-Check the Details  December 2019

The Hidden Risks of Payable on Death Accounts  November 2019

I Didn’t Know That! Part 3  October 2019

I Didn’t Know That! Part 2  September 2019

I Didn’t Know That! Part 1  August 2019

To Discourage Challenges, How You Create Your Estate Plan Is As Important As What’s In It June 2019

There May Be Money Out There With Your Name On It (No Kidding!)  May 2019

A Plan You and Your Family Need – But Hopefully Won’t Use  April 2019

Spouse Going Into Nursing Home? Why Estate Plans of BOTH Spouses Need Review  March 2019

Don’t Confuse Federal Tax Law With Florida Medicaid Law  February 2019

Why Your Old Estate Plan Could Mean Trouble, And What To Do Now  January 2019

Will You Lose Your House If You Get Medicaid Benefits For Nursing Home Care?  December 2018

Understand What Your Legal Documents Mean  November 2018

Don’t Ignore Your Estate Planning: A Lesson From the Queen of Soul  September 2018

Who Should You Choose As Your Trustee?  August 2018

When Older Couples Do Not Want To Tie The Knot  July 2018

Discussing Your Estate Plan With Adult Children Can Avert Future Discord  June 2018

The Importance of Advance Directives  May 2018

Are You Neglecting Your Estate Planning? These Might Be The Reasons  April 2018

Life Insurance is An Excellent Protection and Important Asset  March 2018