A recent court decision from the Nebraska Supreme Court shows the perils of not planning for long term care before there is a problem. For example: a now divorced 94-year-old must pay so much alimony that it brings his income below the poverty level and the only purpose of the alimony is to pay his […]
Can an individual suffering from dementia legally divorce his or her spouse? Or to put it another way, can someone with dementia possess the legal right to divorce and initiate a lawsuit yet at the same time to lack the capacity to manage property or drive or be employed? To what extent should the present-day […]
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is garnering a lot of national attention in recent months following the United States Supreme Court decision to recognize same-sex marriage. Advocacy groups have been working for years to recognize the unique needs of a growing sample within the community—LGBT elders. The Richmond Times-Dispatch recently profiled Bonnie […]
Last time we gave a brief description of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Obergefell v. Hodges that recognized same-sex marriage as a constitutional right. Same sex marriage is now a right nationwide. Now that same-sex couples have the option of marrying in a manner similar to that of opposite-sex couples, it is worthwhile to […]
Do You Know How the New Connecticut Law Affects Your Power of Attorney?The legislature of the State of Connecticut, after years of debate, has adopted comprehensive new laws concerning powers of attorney for financial matters. Overall, the new laws offer additional needed guidance on what can be done under a power of attorney, help to […]
When two or more individuals own property — whether it’s a condo, a home, or a piece of land — the relationship between the owners is very important. The form of ownership of the property affects how property is transferred to someone else. It is important to make sure you have the right form of ownership […]
If you are in the hospital, the last thing you want is for a family member or a trusted friend to be denied information about your condition or prognosis. But this could happen if you haven’t already given authorization about who can receive details of your medical condition. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act […]
An executor is the person responsible for managing the administration of a deceased person’s estate. One of the executor’s main jobs is to pay people or institutions to whom the estate owes money — the estate’s creditors. This can be an overwhelming task, especially when dealing with the death of a loved one, but it is […]
One important reason to have a will is to be able to name your executor (also called a personal representative). An executor is the person responsible for managing the administration of your estate after you die. If you don’t choose an executor, the court will choose one for you. The first decision is whether to […]
When creating an estate plan, an important decision is who to name as your fiduciary. A fiduciary is a fancy legal term for the person who will take care of your property for you if you are unable to do it yourself, such as the executor of an estate, the trustee of a trust, or […]