In this video, Geriatric Care Manager Dedra Jize, OT., CSA discusses the different types of Senior Living Communities. Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law are members of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys. If you would like to learn more about the importance of estate planning, we invite you to attend one of our free estate planning seminars. … [Read more...] about Senior Living Communities (Video)
Planning for the Sandwich Generation
Blog Author: Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Director of Education, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. People are living longer and are having children later in life. Due to this combination of demographic factors, many more people are in the “Sandwich Generation.” Someone in the Sandwich Generation has elderly parents while they still have minor children. All too often, they are torn between their caregiving responsibilities for their children and for their parents. … [Read more...] about Planning for the Sandwich Generation
Beneficiary Designations and Other Non-Probate Transfers
Blog Author: Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Director of Education, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. Beneficiary designations and other non-probate transfers are an often-overlooked part of estate planning. They are overlooked by clients and sometimes even by professionals. When planning what would happen to your assets at death, most of us think, “oh, that’s simple, I need to do a Will to take care of that!” But, that’s just part of the process. You almost … [Read more...] about Beneficiary Designations and Other Non-Probate Transfers
Living Trusts Provide Multiple Benefits
People often assume that a last will is the right asset transfer vehicle if you are not a multimillionaire. In fact, this assertion is patently false. It is true that there are different types of trusts that are used by high net worth individuals that are concerned about the estate tax. This being stated, there are other trusts that can be used by people of relatively ordinary means. One of them that is the right choice for a wide range of individuals is the revocable living trust, and we … [Read more...] about Living Trusts Provide Multiple Benefits
Planning for the Unexpected
Blog Author: Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Director of Education, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. Often, people think they’ll have a warning before death and they’ll be able to plan once they get the warning. They think of life almost like a traffic signal. They think they are born with a green light. When they get old or get a serious illness it turns yellow. When death is imminent, the light turns red and they die. They think they’ll plan once the light turns … [Read more...] about Planning for the Unexpected
How Will You Age in Place and Be Able to Die at Home?
Blog Author: Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Director of Education, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. More and more Americans are dying at home rather than in hospitals. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, in 2017 29.8% of deaths by natural causes occurred in hospitals while 30.7% occurred at home. The percentage of people dying in hospitals has been declining for several decades. While in 1912 two-thirds of people died at home, this evened out in the … [Read more...] about How Will You Age in Place and Be Able to Die at Home?
The Importance of Funding (Video)
In this video, Attorney Maggie LaBranch-Gonzales defines what funding is, what assets you should fund into your living trust, and why you, more than anyone else, determine the effectiveness of your trust. Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law are members of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys. If you would like to learn more about the importance of estate planning, we invite you to attend one of our free estate planning seminars. … [Read more...] about The Importance of Funding (Video)
Preparing for Coronavirus
Blog Author: Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Director of Education, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. There’s a new virus that’s emerging, novel “coronavirus,” also called “COVID-19.” It first appeared in Wuhan, China in late 2019 and reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31, 2019. Here’s a link to the WHO’s site for the latest global information. At this point, the virus has infected near 100,000 people in 81 countries. There are hundreds of … [Read more...] about Preparing for Coronavirus
Estate Planning: Make Today the Day
Studies are conducted periodically to gain an understanding of the estate planning preparedness of adults in the United States. Unfortunately, the results are never encouraging. Most people that are over 65 have a will or some other estate planning document, but a significant percentage of people in this age group do not. The vast majority of Americans that are under the age of 40 are completely unprepared. If you are a young adult and you are single, you should have a will or a trust, but … [Read more...] about Estate Planning: Make Today the Day
COVID-19 aka the Coronavirus: A Reminder to be Prepared
by Attorney Maggie A. LaBranch-Gonzales Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law If you’ve heard me speak in our seminars or workshops, or you’ve had the pleasure of meeting with me at the office, I can imagine you hearing my voice right now (kindly) reminding you that we all die. (Way to be blunt, right, Maggie?) But, seriously, for me, the most important part of Estate Planning is not necessarily what happens when you’ve passed away, but whether you are adequately … [Read more...] about COVID-19 aka the Coronavirus: A Reminder to be Prepared
