A Senior’s Guide to Investing and Protecting Your Assets For most seniors, two financial concerns stand above all others: the fear of outliving their money and the fear of being unprepared for a long-term care crisis. Navigating retirement requires a shift in financial strategy, focusing on protecting what you have built. Two areas that require special attention are annuities and the management of your qualified Read More
Titling your Property for Maximum Asset Protection
The Secret to Asset Protection: Why How You Title Your Property Matters You can have the most thoughtfully drafted will or trust, but if your assets are not titled correctly, your entire plan can fall apart. How you own your property—the legal title on your home, car, and bank accounts—is the foundation of your asset protection strategy. A lack of an overarching plan that aligns your titles with your documents can Read More
Top Five Asset Protection Myths & Mistakes
Top 5 Asset Protection Myths That Can Cost Your Family a Fortune When it comes to planning for long-term care, misinformation is rampant. Families often come to our office with a set of beliefs about Medicaid and other benefits that, if acted upon, can have disastrous consequences. Below, we debunk five of the most common and costly asset protection myths to help you make better choices for your family's Read More
Estate and Income Tax Preparation in the New Year
Tax-Smart Strategies for Your Estate and Retirement in the New Year As the new year approaches, it’s the perfect time to get your financial affairs in order. For seniors, this means looking beyond simple budgeting and focusing on proactive tax planning. A smart strategy can save your family tens of thousands of dollars, particularly when it comes to outdated legal documents and the management of your retirement Read More
Second Chances at Successful Planning
It's Never Too Late: Getting Your Long-Term Care Plan Right Many families procrastinate when it comes to long-term care planning, often waiting until a crisis hits to take action. Others may have tried to plan ahead using online forms or a general practice attorney, only to find that their documents are insufficient when they are needed most. The good news is that it’s almost never too late to get a second chance Read More
A New Year’s Resolution You Can Keep
A Proactive Resolution for Your Family's Future Each new year often begins with resolutions for self-improvement. While goals for health and fitness are important, one of the most impactful resolutions you can make is to take a proactive approach to your asset protection. Taking a few simple steps now can make things significantly easier for your spouse, your family, and yourself in the future. Here is a simple, Read More
Planning for Retirement with Increasing Longevity
The Longevity Challenge: Rethinking Retirement for a Longer Life Thanks to advances in medicine and technology, people are living longer than ever before. While a long life is a wonderful gift, it presents a significant financial challenge that is changing the very nature of retirement and asset protection planning. The justifiable fear for many seniors is running out of money, a risk that grows with each passing Read More
Building a Strong Foundation
Building a Strong Foundation for Your Family's Future Asset protection and estate planning are like building a house: you must start with a strong foundation for it to withstand the test of time. A plan built on a weak or fragmented foundation will eventually collapse. The biggest trap families fall into is creating a plan in pieces over many years—getting advice from different bankers, insurance agents, and Read More
Legal Do-It-Yourself
The True Cost of "Lawyer in a Box": Why DIY Estate Planning is So Risky In a world filled with DIY solutions, legal websites and software products promising a quick and inexpensive will or trust can seem like a smart choice. While these services may be better than having no plan at all, they often create a false sense of security and can lead to devastating problems for your family down the road. The Read More
What’s a Trust?
What is a Trust? A Plain-English Explanation In the world of elder law and asset protection, a trust is one of the most powerful and flexible tools available. While the concept can seem intimidating, a trust is simply a private legal contract that allows you to control your property, both during your lifetime and after you are gone. The Three Key Roles in Every Trust At its core, a trust is an agreement between Read More
