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Several years ago, there was a story about a Maltese named Trouble whose human, hotel heiress Leona Helmsley, generously left $12 million to care for the pup. The Value of an Animal Trust for Your Pet For those who care about the well-being of their animals or livestock, animal trusts can play an essential role…

By law, every testamentary named in a will must have a public record, usually posted in a local newspaper, of the date of the testamentary’s death. In part, this information serves as notice to creditors if the decedent has an outstanding debt with them. The personal representative must also make a reasonable effort to notify…

Polypharmacy, or the concurrent use of multiple prescription medications, is very common in older Americans. The more medications a person takes, the higher the risk of dangerous drug-drug interactions and increased possibility of inappropriate prescribing, adverse drug reactions, hospitalization, and even death. Patients who have Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other forms of dementia often take…

Americans are living longer, and most of them want to age in their own homes and communities. As a result, many homeowners are taking steps to modify their homes so they will be able to safely and comfortably remain in their homes for as long as possible. This is called “aging in place.” With the…

As we begin a new year, we assess our lives and make health care plans. Americans continue responding to the ever-present threat of COVID-19 in its many iterations, and we are identifying that which is most important in our lives to preserve our health and financial future best. For many, the mere mention of long-term…

Generally speaking, guardianship conjures up images of a minor child being cared for by an adult family member or friend. However, you can employ the process to obtain legal rights over elderly or aging adults, usually parents, who are losing their physical and mental health capacities. While the process is similar, there are some distinct…

For estate planning, special needs children present a unique challenge. Optimizing your estate to use, enhance, and enrich assets for your special needs child while maintaining their enrollment in public benefits programs requires careful planning. An estate planning attorney can prepare a special needs trust to accomplish these and other goals you have for your…

There may be disputes concerning guardianship as well as conservatorships, wills and trusts, family real estate, and intentions of gifts in probate litigation. The most successful approach to mitigating or avoiding probate litigation risk is carefully planning for the future. Comprehensive estate plans that are routinely updated, careful consideration and documentation of gifts, and protective…

Third-party special needs trusts sometimes referred to as supplemental needs trusts are ways for parents of children with mental and physical disabilities to plan for the future. This type of trust will receive assets from you or another benefactor expressly for that person with a disability. Goals include: Often parents will leave additional assets to…

A geriatric care manager’s role involves attending to a senior’s specific health care needs rather than catering to a specific age group. The truth is aging is a complex, highly individualized process, and a geriatric care manager (GCM) may be appropriate at age 65 or 105 and any age in between. A geriatric care manager…