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16 Nov WHERE THERE IS NO WILL, THERE IS A WAY (SOMETIMES) – SMALL ESTATES AFFIDAVITS

Posted at 10:00h in Asset Protection, Beneficiary, Estate Planning, Notarizations, Probate Administration, Public Benefits Protection, Transfer of Death, Trusts, Wills

Texans who die with modest means may be able to have their property transferred if they have no Will and if certain other requirements are met. One of the main reasons for having a Will or a Trust is to transfer property of the deceased...

10 Nov WILL OF KLONDIKE KING OF “SOURTOE COCKTAIL” LEAVES HIS TOES TO HOTEL BAR TO BE “TOEST OF TOWN”

Posted at 10:00h in Estate Planning, Wills

Dick Stevenson, who in 1973 created the Sourtoe Cocktail (a shot of whiskey garnished with an amputated, mummified human toe) died at age 89 in November with his Will specifying that all of his toes be donated to the Dawson City (Yukon Territory, Canada) Downtown...

31 Oct THREE WAYS ATATIANA JEFFERSON’S FAMILY FEUD OVER HER FUNERAL COULD HAVE BEEN BURIED

Posted at 09:00h in End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Notarizations, Probate Administration, Wills

The family feud over the funeral of Atatiana Jefferson, a black woman killed by a white Ft. Worth police officer in October, could have likely been prevented if she either had left written instructions in a (1) Will; (2) pre-need funeral contract; or (3) Disposition...

28 Oct HOUSE PASSES KEY PROVISIONS OF YOUNGER-ONSET ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE ACT AND PALLIATIVE CARE AND HOSPICE EDUCATION TRAINING ACT

Posted at 09:00h in Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Long Term Care, Quality of Life

The House of Representatives, with bipartisan support, passed two bills on October 28 that are important to those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) increases the availability and quality of care by creating hospice workforce and palliative...

22 Oct SUCCESS STORY OF THE MONTH – THE WORLD ISN’T ALWAYS PERFECT

Posted at 09:00h in Asset Protection, Beneficiary, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Home Equity, Lady Bird Deed, Long Term Care, Medicaid Planning, Mortgage, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Special Needs, Special Needs Trust, Success Story of the Month, Transfer of Death, Trusts

This story is an illustration of some of the many thoughts that should be considered even if one has a small estate. In this case, the client’s major asset is her home that was deeded to her by her six siblings as it was their...

20 Oct YOU GOT MAIL AND ELDER CARE – FRENCH POSTAL SERVICE GIVES OPTION FOR BOTH

Posted at 09:00h in Estate Planning

As a result of an aging population and declining use of “snail mail” (resulting in a loss of stamp revenue), the French postal service now has a program entitled “Watch Over My Parents” whereby the postal worker visits the senior citizen (if subscribed to the...

15 Oct RECENT MEDICAID RULING HINTS THAT IRA RMD TREATMENT TO SOON CHANGE

Posted at 09:00h in Estate Planning, Long Term Care, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Nursing Home, Retirement, Social Security, Special Needs, Special Needs Trust

The Texas Department of Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), which governs the rules regarding long-term care Medicaid eligibility (Medicaid helps pay for some or all nursing home and medication costs, etc. – the present average monthly cost in Texas for skilled nursing care is around...

09 Oct FIVE MISCONCEPTIONS ON ESTATE PLANNING

Posted at 09:00h in Asset Protection, Beneficiary, Disability Benefits, Divorce, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Long Term Care, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Retirement

Estate planning is not simply protecting your assets or having a Will and a power of attorney. It is a plan whereby you are in control of your assets during your lifetime when you are well and to protect you if you should become disabled...

07 Oct 2020 PROJECTED MAXIMUM RESOURCE LIMITS FOR SPOUSAL MEDICAID (HOW TO KEEP MORE FOR SPOUSE IF ILL SPOUSE NEEDS TO GO INTO NURSING HOME OR NEEDS CARE AT HOME)

Posted at 09:00h in Disability Benefits, Divorce, Estate Planning, Home Equity, Long Term Care, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Nursing Home, Social Security

As we live longer, there is a greater likelihood of disability and the need for long-term care. However, most Americans have inadequate resources or income for such care and also lack long-term care insurance or similar insurance products. As a result, some elderly and disabled...

02 Oct PRINCE’S ESTATE REQUESTS “PURPLE RAIN” DROUGHT FROM TRUMP CAMPAIGN – THE ESTATE OF PRINCE FAR FROM BEING SETTLED

Posted at 09:00h in Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Long Term Care, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Music, Taxes

The Estate of legendary musician, formerly known as Prince, has (for at least the second time) requested the Trump campaign to stop playing Prince’s most famous song, “Purple Rain,” or any of his songs at Trump’s campaign events. The Estate owns all copyrights to the...