The unfortunate reality is that life could take a turn that makes it impossible for you to communicate your medical wishes to your family or healthcare professionals. You could suffer a stroke or get in a car accident, for instance. You still want the doctors to know...
Serving the Cleveland Area since 1994
Serving the Cleveland Area since 1994
Year: 2018
A pending divorce does not cut your ex out of your estate plan
I was working with a client recently who had just gotten divorced. He wanted to update his estate plan to make sure that all of his ex-wife's rights to his estate had actually been terminated. Naturally, if he passed away, he did not want to leave her his money and...
Why is in-home care so costly?
The draw of in-home care, for elderly people who need assistance, is fairly clear: Staying in the house gives them comfort and stability that they just do not get if they move into an assisted living center. People often have no desire to leave the house, especially...
Transfer-on-death designation and survivorship affidavits
When someone passes away, the way that their assets move on to their heirs and beneficiaries is very important. It is crucial to plan for this in advance, something that people often put off because they feel like they have plenty of time. It's never too early to...
A trust gives you more privacy than a will
I recently worked with a client who was very concerned about the lack of privacy with a will. After all, these documents are public record. After you pass away, anyone can technically look at a copy of that will. This client had more assets than many people realized....
Does a disinherited person get a copy of the will?
A person who is disinherited is typically either an heir who would naturally expect to inherit money but was left out of the will or another person -- even if not related to the individual who passed away -- who was named in a prior will and then removed from the most...
4 tips to help prevent estate disputes through conversation
If you want to prevent your children from fighting over your estate after you pass away, one of the best things you can do is to sit down and have a conversation with them. Tell them about your plans. Make sure everyone is on the same page. This can eliminate disputes...
Understanding your non-probate assets
You have been thinking a lot about the future. You love your family and have been planning ahead. For a few years now, you have diligently managed and saved your money. Now you want to create an estate plan so that you can transfer your savings and property on to your...
Do not put off estate planning
A man called me last year to find out more about estate planning. I told him about some of the options he had, and he said he would call me back. He jokingly assured me that he would not need the estate plan any time soon, so he would get to it later. When I never...
Elder law and putting the focus on life for Ohio elders
Many of the discussions we have in our legal practice revolve around helping families with elders foster health and happiness for everyone. During one such discussion, a member of our team talked about how much of the terminology associated with elder law probably...
