We were closer to the nuclear war in the 1960’s than we ever imagined. My Dad was a very good business man, well traveled, a great story teller and one who got others to share their stories. One of the stories my Father had told to him was received from a group of gentlemen after... [Read More]
Category: Mental Disability
North Korea, Kidnapping and Estate Planning
As North Korea declares a state of war on the United States and South Korea, and a leading news story shows by security camera a couple being kidnapped in broad daylight in Manhattan Sunday, we think about the “Worse Case Scenario”. We want to make sure that we have planned in advance in case we... [Read More]
Estate Planning is not really about taxes.
Estate Planning is really about the family and not about taxes. When I have asked my clients what their primary concerns are, their first answer is they want to protect themselves in the event of physical and mental disability and protect the surviving spouse in the event of physical or mental disability and in the... [Read More]
Special Needs Class Well Received
Steve’s continuing education class for professionals on special needs planning was well received by the CPAs, Insurance and Financial Professionals in attendance. Some of the information received that was most meaningful to the attendees included: “The ability to keep the challenged child on SSI and Medicaid if properly done.” “Special Needs Trusts clarification.” “The relationship... [Read More]
You Have to Prepare for Storms
In the same way that you have to prepare for physical storms of life, such as hurricanes, high winds, and snow storms, you have to be prepared for the other storms in life. Those storms can include stroke, dementia, heart attack, mental disability, your children’s divorce, car wreck law suits, and law suits by tenants... [Read More]
Plan for Mental Disability
You are six times more likely to become mentally disabled in a year than to pass on. Estate Planning is about planning for as many contingencies as possible. Mental decline, dementia, Alzheimer’s, or some other version of mental decline seems to be growing as we age. In a Revocable Living Trust a/k/a Living Trust, you... [Read More]
You Have to Know the Truth
If you do not know and understand the truth about how different estate planning vehicles work and are administered, you cannot make good, informed decisions on what you want. If you do not understand that certain estate planning vehicles push your assets through Probate Court, the result will not be what you or your loved... [Read More]
Access to Aged Parents
Sometimes there will be friction between adult children or step parents and an aged child which will preclude access to an adult child’s parent, especially if that adult parent is in a weakened condition mentally or physically. I had a friend call me recently where the octogenarian “wicked step mother” was limiting this middle aged... [Read More]
Ready or Not, Here It Comes
Studies show that 75% of us do not even have a current Will, let alone the needed legal planning in the event we become sick and our loved ones are unable to authorize medical treatment for us. Nor do we have the proper legal planning in place for loved ones and friends to ask medical... [Read More]
Adult Guardianship Is a Custody Case
Adult incompetency proceedings, also know as guardianship cases, consist of two parts. Both parts are court proceedings in Probate Court or before the Clerk of Superior Court in North Carolina. The Clerk of Superior Court is also the Probate Judge in North Carolina. There are two major parts of the guardianship case. The first is... [Read More]