Estate Planning

14 Apr Ladybird Deed vs. Transfer on Death Deed

Posted at 09:28h in Estate Planning, Home Equity, Lady Bird Deed, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Mortgage, Nursing Home, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Transfer of Death

Many elder law attorneys have pondered whether to use the traditional enhanced life estate deed (also known as a Ladybird Deed) or the new statutory Transfer on Death Deed since both work to avoid estate recovery – the right of the government to make a...

17 Mar How to Stop a Parent from Driving

Posted at 08:35h in Elder Justice, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Long Term Care, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Power of Attorney, Special Needs

Although many older drivers actually have a better safety rating than younger drivers, it is a common concern that a parent might endanger himself or herself as well as others if the keys to the car are not taken. People are living longer – so...

03 Mar How to Protect Your Pet if you Die or Become Disabled

Posted at 09:29h in Disability Benefits, Estate Planning, Long Term Care, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Power of Attorney, Trusts

Although most think of outlandish cases when giving or caring for a pet such as when Leona Helmsley left $12 million (which the court subsequently reduced to $2 million) of her $4.8 billion estate in a pet care trust for her dog “Trouble”, there are...

07 Jan Congress Encourages gifts from IRAs to Charity

Posted at 22:34h in Charitable Giving, Estate Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Retirement

Over the past several years, Congress encouraged donors over 70 ½ years of age to give funds from their Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) to charities by not subjecting the donor to income taxation which is normally the case when an individual makes a withdrawal from...

02 Sep The Truth About 401(k)s

Posted at 06:00h in 401(k), Business, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Retirement, Taxes

By Rick Foster Putting money in a 401(k) is the right thing to do, isn't it? Yes! No! Maybe? Surprisingly, the answer to that question may not be as simple as it seems. What is a 401(k)? In the late 1960s due to market volatility and the realization...

19 Aug TEXAS TRANSFER ON DEATH DEED ACT SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

Posted at 06:00h in Beneficiary, Estate Planning, Lady Bird Deed, Probate Administration, Transfer of Death

On June 17, 2015, Governor Abbott approved the bill authorizing a revocable deed on the death of the transferor. The law becomes effective September 1, 2015. Similar to bank accounts that are “paid on death”, this law allows the transfer of real estate on the...

12 Aug ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: TEEN DEVELOPS DIAGNOSIS TEST

Posted at 06:00h in Alzheimer’s, Estate Planning, Long Term Care, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer

Although at the present time Alzheimer’s disease is determined by looking at the brain after death or through a series of tests, a 15 year old boy from England has developed a potential test of detection well before (as much as 10 years) symptoms appear. The...

29 Jul LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES: REQUIRED TO REQUEST COPY OF GUARDIANSHIP ORDERS

Posted at 06:00h in Assisted Living, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Long Term Care, Nursing Home

As of September 1, 2015, nursing homes and assisted living facilities must make a reasonable effort to request a copy of any court order appointing a guardianship of a resident or resident’s estate from the resident’s nearest relative or the person responsible for the resident’s...

22 Jul NEW LAW REQUIRES PROMPT RECORDING OF POWER OF ATTORNEY

Posted at 06:00h in Estate Planning, Power of Attorney

If you rely on your agent under your Power of Attorney to handle real estate transactions, you better record your Power of Attorney within 10 days after the instrument related to the real estate transaction (such as a deed, deed of trust, oil, gas or...

Estate Planning

14 Apr Ladybird Deed vs. Transfer on Death Deed

17 Mar How to Stop a Parent from Driving

03 Mar How to Protect Your Pet if you Die or Become Disabled

07 Jan Congress Encourages gifts from IRAs to Charity

02 Sep The Truth About 401(k)s

19 Aug TEXAS TRANSFER ON DEATH DEED ACT SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

12 Aug ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: TEEN DEVELOPS DIAGNOSIS TEST

29 Jul LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES: REQUIRED TO REQUEST COPY OF GUARDIANSHIP ORDERS

22 Jul NEW LAW REQUIRES PROMPT RECORDING OF POWER OF ATTORNEY

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Estate Planning

14 Apr Ladybird Deed vs. Transfer on Death Deed

17 Mar How to Stop a Parent from Driving

03 Mar How to Protect Your Pet if you Die or Become Disabled

07 Jan Congress Encourages gifts from IRAs to Charity

09 Sep Happy 80th Birthday Social Security!

02 Sep The Truth About 401(k)s

19 Aug TEXAS TRANSFER ON DEATH DEED ACT SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

12 Aug ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: TEEN DEVELOPS DIAGNOSIS TEST

29 Jul LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES: REQUIRED TO REQUEST COPY OF GUARDIANSHIP ORDERS

22 Jul NEW LAW REQUIRES PROMPT RECORDING OF POWER OF ATTORNEY