The rules for IRA distributions can be complicated. Unforeseen circumstances can make things even more complex. Understand the rules, so the money goes where you want it to. What happens if you designate each of your two adult children as 50/50 beneficiaries of your IRA, and then one of them…
Houston Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney Blog
Tom Benson Excludes Daughter and Grandchildren from his Will
Before he died, the owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans gave millions of dollars of property to his daughter and her children, but they were not included in his last will and testament. The last will of multi-millionaire Tom Benson, who owned several professional sports teams and other…
Guardianship Nightmares Surge in Unregulated Environment
With a growing population of elderly, the lack of regulations and oversight has led to a disastrous situation for adults who lose civil liberties via guardianship proceedings. A review by the Reading Eagle of court documents in three Pennsylvania counties show that when it is necessary for Adult Protective Services…
Does Your Estate Plan Match Your Life Right Now?
Remember to update your estate plan, especially if your life includes events like new kids, a new marriage or the death of a loved one. If you love your family, you’ll keep them in mind when considering whether to make an appointment to update your estate, as you go through…
Are You Saving Enough for the High Cost of Assisted Living?
If you haven’t been saving for retirement, maybe you’ll do better if you are focused on saving for assisted living. One well known survey, 2017 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, reports that you’ll need $1,517 a month for adult day health care. Those fees are only going in one direction—up!…
Lucky Enough to Have an Employer Match?
You’d think no one would want to turn down free money. Yet that’s exactly what many working Americans do! One out of five Americans—20%—don’t take advantage of a terrific benefit: employee sponsored retirement savings accounts that include an employer match of some and sometimes all the employee’s contributions. Most workers…
Gifting Your Own Funeral: Reasons to Pre-Plan
Planning your own funeral sounds morbid, but if you think of it as a gift that alleviates pressure and decision making for your loved ones during a very difficult time, it might make it easier to move forward. Usually the call comes to the estate planning attorney from a child…
Have the Discussion Now About Inheritance and Estate Plans
This is easier in some families than others, but discussing your parent’s estate plan and assets while they can still have that conversation is important for millennials. Think of it this way: you can have an awkward conversation with your parents now and everyone can get more comfortable with the…
What You Need to Know About Evictions from a Skilled Nursing Facility
With legal actions and media attention surrounding resident evictions, skilled nursing facilities (SNF) are learning more about what they can and cannot do. Seniors and families also need this information. It’s hard to imagine an 83 year old being booted out of a nursing facility, but as seen in the…
Top Three Tax Mistakes by Retirees
Many things change when you retire, including tax strategies. Steps that you took when you were working, may now work against you. Knowing what has changed and what you need to do can help avoid unnecessary tax liabilities. Tax planning is different after retirement. You might think that a lower…