There are many options available to seniors who would like access to liquid assets, and reverse mortgages are one of the most common – and the most misunderstood. Our New Haven elder law attorneys have outlined everything you need to know about reverse mortgages, so you have the information you need to make the best...

The power of attorney is one of the most important documents in your estate plan, but there are some common mistakes that could render it ineffective. Knowing how to spot these mistakes is key to make sure that you get the most out of your power of attorney and all the benefits it provides. Here...

When was the last time you took a look at your Last Will and Testament? If it was five years ago or more, then you should consider dusting it off and reading through to make sure it’s up to date. Remember, a lot can change in five years: the birth of new family members, marriages...

Now that vaccinations have started and "normal" life is within our grasp, many couples are starting to resume their wedding plans. Those who have had to postpone their big day or got engaged during the pandemic are once again starting to put deposits on venues, purchasing gowns, and even planning honeymoons. However, Milford estate planning...

Have you ever wondered what is the worst that can happen if you become incapacitated or pass away without an estate plan in place? If you have, you’re not alone. This is a common question our Trumbull estate lawyers receive, especially from those in close-knit families who believe that their kids (or other loved ones)...

Many veterans and their families are unaware of the availability of the Aid and Attendance pension benefit for veterans over the age of 65 through the Department of Veterans Affairs. These benefits can be used to help offset long-term care costs for older veterans who served during a period of war, whether they receive care...

Trusts are an excellent tool for estate planning and asset protection purposes. The most common type of trust is a Revocable Living Trust, which holds your assets and helps avoid the probate process when you pass away. However, Revocable Living Trusts do not help much when it comes to asset protection planning. What Can I...

It is well known that probate in Connecticut is not only costly but has the potential to be very time-consuming. Many look for loopholes in the system as an attempt to shorten or eliminate the probate process. Some believe that adding their child’s name to their bank accounts or even placing their child’s name on...

If you plan on leaving money to minor children in your Last Will and Testament, you’ll have an important issue to consider: Who will be in charge of managing the inheritance and keeping the child’s money safe from being lost or squandered if the parents pass away? Estate planning is often easier for married couples...

National Healthcare Decisions Day is on April 16th, and it’s an important reminder for every adult to begin having conversations with loved ones about their most private wishes for medical and end-of-life care. Far too many people assume that their families would make the choices they would want in an emergency. Yet every day we...

More than half of Americans now have at least one chronic health condition, mental disorder, or substance abuse issue. That is a staggering statistic that Trumbull estate planning lawyers who work with sick and disabled clients confront every day. There are varying definitions of what it means to be “chronically ill.” One definition is having...

The IRS recently announced the 2021 federal estate tax rate limits, which are $11.7 million for individuals and $23.4 million for married couples. This is increased from $11.58 million and $23.16 million respectively in 2020. Under this new guidance, wealthy Americans will be able to leave up to $23.4 million to their heirs without being …

Estate planning offers legal protection for families and individuals through all of life’s transitions. By using tools such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, estate planning helps individuals protect their wishes, safeguard their assets, and ensure provision and care for their loved ones following their death or incapacity. What Does My Estate...

In part one of this series, we provided a general overview of the ways that seniors are preyed upon by scammers and those who would seek to gain control of the elderly person’s finances for their own benefit. However, in order to stop fraud, it’s important to know the specifics. The following post will walk...

Elder fraud and financial exploitation have become an epidemic. As , we are seeing more than ever before, con artists and family members alike taking advantage of their elderly relatives, friends, or neighbors. The best defense against elder fraud is having caring friends or family with the senior's best interests at heart. But those friends...

A serious health diagnosis can force some tasks – especially ones you’ve been putting off – to the top of the priority list. Milford will lawyers know that estate planning is one of these tasks that’s often left for another day, as people don’t like to think about sickness or death when they are feeling...

Do you know what could happen to your assets if your spouse ever needs to go into a long-term care facility? There are a lot of misconceptions out there about Medicaid asset and income requirements, which is dangerous because getting any one of those requirements wrong can lead to a denial of Medicaid benefits. One...

Most Milford elder lawyers agree that Medicaid is one of the best programs provided by the government for senior citizens who need help paying for long-term care. Medicaid is a needs-based program with strict income and asset limits that must be followed; otherwise, seniors can face penalties if they do not meet those limits. There...

As we close out 2020 in hopes of a better 2021, Trumbull estate planning lawyers are encouraging their clients to reflect on legal changes that may have gone overlooked in the past year. Last January, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act was rolling out. There was a lot of discussion about...

Dying intestate, or without a will, is unfortunately very common. If you die without a will, your property will go through a court process called probate and will ultimately be distributed according to Connecticut’s intestacy law. Here are some common events that may happen if you die intestate: Your immediate next of kin, whoever they...

Family relationships can be complicated. Not every parent remains in his or her child’s life, which can complicate matters when the child has a disability or special needs. This can create financial issues too, especially if the other parent is absent but still living and the child’s eligibility for benefits is impacted as a result....

Sole proprietorships are a common type of ownership interest where the business owner and the business are the same legal entity. The business owner of a sole proprietorship is personally responsible for any debts the business incurs. However, unlike a corporation, the sole proprietorship belongs to one person and is legally a business indistinct from...

A power of attorney is a legal agreement that allows one adult, the agent, to make legal and financial decisions on behalf of another, the principal. People create power of attorney documents with a Milford estate lawyer so that someone of their choosing can speak for them if they should become incapacitated or otherwise unable...

A common question that Milford trust lawyers are asked when helping clients create their estate plans is, “How hard will it be to sell my house if I put it in a trust?” The simple answer is that it’s not hard at all. In most cases, the grantor (or trust maker) also serves as trustee...

As our New Haven County probate lawyers commonly say, “If you don’t create your own will while you’re alive, the state will give you one when you’re gone.” What that means is that if a person dies without a will (called “intestate”) their estate will be administered according to state law.  Likewise, the heirs who...

One of the most difficult decisions that parents of minor children have to make when creating their estate plans is choosing the person(s) they would want to raise their children if they were incapacitated or suddenly passed away. In our office, we often find that the conversation starts with, or eventually winds its way back...

While a power of attorney (POA) does not technically expire unless it’s revoked by the person who created it, you may run into a situation where a bank or a brokerage firm refuses to accept the document because it’s “too old.” You may also hear the phrase, “the document is stale.” So, what does this...

Most people have a basic understanding of what a Power of Attorney does. However, not all Power of Attorney documents are the same, and the rights you are afforded depend on how the document is created by a Trumbull estate planning lawyer. Let’s start first with the basics: a Power of Attorney is a document...

Stepping into the role of Successor Trustee after the incapacitation or death of a loved one is a big job that can feel scary and overwhelming for someone who has never served in such capacity. Milford Trust lawyers understand that it can be equally unnerving to learn that the Trustee can be held liable for...

Question:  My mom recently died, and I’m her Power of Attorney. Am I able to contact a realtor to start the process of selling her house? I don’t want the bills to start piling up. Answer: Believe it or not, this is a common question that New Haven Will lawyers receive after the loss of...

We’re often asked by parents of kids with special needs for our honest opinion on using Do-It-Yourself software to create a Special Needs Trust in Milford. Obviously, DIY programs cost less than working with an attorney, and the ability to create a document online offers an extra level of convenience and ease. But… buyer beware....

Senior citizens are often concerned about what’s covered by their insurance and what they may be responsible for out of pocket. Medicare Part B is a plan that many seniors have, but it does not cover all the services they typically need. That’s why many senior citizens get “gap insurance” to offset any additional costs...

Creating an estate plan in 2019 looked a little bit like this: you and your spouse or partner, perhaps along with your adult children, would make an appointment at the office of a Milford estate planning lawyer to go over your plans. A week or so later, you’d receive drafts of your documents in the...

Working with an experienced Trumbull will and trust lawyer to create a comprehensive estate plan can seem like a daunting process. Let’s face it: the decisions you have to make, the information you have to gather, and the sheer amount of paperwork involved are enough to make anyone pause. That’s why it’s so important not...

Caregivers for elderly loved ones can easily become burnt out and exhausted. Oftentimes, they’re responsible for their loved one and their own children, as well as maintaining a household and a job. As a New Haven County elder law attorney, I believe that respite care and adult day care are two great options to give...

“How much do you tell your kids? When do you tell them? Is it possible to tell your kids too much, too soon? What happens if you tell them too little, too late?”  These are common questions that come up when deciding whether to involve adult children in the Milford estate planning process. The answers...

A revocable living trust protects your privacy, avoids probate, and determines who will handle your affairs while you’re incapacitated and after you’ve passed away. It’s an essential element for estate plans as it provides an extra layer of protection to your estate and gives you the peace of mind that your wishes will be carried...

Here’s a common horror story: a father remarries late in life to a woman with her own kids. The father does not create a Last Will and Testament. When the father dies, his estate goes entirely to his new wife since she is his next of kin according to the laws of intestacy. When the...

As the coronavirus continues to impact life as we know it here in the United States, the most common question we’ve been asked during the course of the pandemic is whether an existing estate plan should be changed or updated. Of course, the answer to that question (like most things in life) is that it...

Most people are familiar with the term “life estate” as a way to give someone “life rights” to a property. While a life estate does accomplish this goal, choosing to set up a life estate is not a one-size-fits-all solution and may even cause serious consequences for everyone involved. What is a Life Estate? A...

A Special Needs Trust (SNT) is a complex legal tool set up on behalf of a person with special needs or disabilities. The SNT allows a beneficiary with special needs to safely utilize money or property in the trust without jeopardizing the ability to collect needs-based public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and...

Milford probate lawyers hear quite regularly from heirs who are shocked to learn that the property they inherited from a loved one comes with a mortgage. Now what? It’s important to know that a mortgage does not die when the owner does. How that mortgage is dealt with depends on a variety of factors, including...

As we continue on in this time of social distancing and, in some communities, shelter-in-place, more and more people are faced with a difficult situation: handling out-of-state probate proceedings after the death of a loved one. Many seniors today are “snowbirds” who spend their winters in warmer states like Florida while keeping their actual residency...

There are several strategies available that Trumbull estate planning lawyers use to help seniors and their families avoid lengthy and costly probate proceedings, including adding other people as joint owners on their accounts or making beneficiary designations on accounts and policies. However, these strategies should only be done under the supervision of an experienced estate...

A conservatorship is when a person is appointed by the court to look after another person’s financial and physical well-being. This is not always a great situation to be in since the court may appoint someone who would never be chosen by the individual or their family. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to...

Did you know that more than half of all adults in America do not have a Last Will and Testament? That number is even fewer when it comes to Revocable Living Trusts. You’d think more people would create an estate plan, especially since there are so many public figures who famously left a mess for...

Shelter in place and quarantine orders are the rule of the day with the coronavirus outbreak. Many of these executive orders came while snowbirds and retirees were staying here in their second homes, and now they are likely stuck there for a little longer than they originally planned. From a legal standpoint, many snowbirds are...

Estate planning is a responsibility we all have, young or old. Yet only about half of all Americans with children have a Last Will and Testament or Trust to direct how their children should be cared for and who should inherit any assets left behind after death. It’s also troubling to know that most estate...

On the heels of a very rough month for our country, scammers are now coming out of the woodwork in an attempt to defraud individuals and vulnerable senior citizens who are isolated and perhaps unclear about current policies related to coronavirus stimulus payouts or testing. We wanted to warn our clients and readers about some...

More than 10 percent of people who are acting as caregivers for an older family member are doing so from a distance. Living an hour or more away from an aging parent or other relative can present some additional challenges for caregivers. Among those challenges are the financial strains of hiring help and the difficulties...

Parents of children with special needs often find themselves overwhelmed with the daily responsibilities of managing their child's care and coordinating various services. There is often very little time or energy left to spend on long-term planning. However, consulting with a special needs attorney in Milford can get you started on the right path to...

When an elderly parent reaches the point where they need assistance with their daily living tasks, caregiver duties often fall on the shoulders of their adult children. In some families, the caregiving responsibilities are divided between siblings or other relatives. Ideally, everyone sharing in those duties will be on the same page when it comes...

With the number of COVID-19 cases in America increasing exponentially, people across the country are preparing themselves for every possible scenario. As a result, many estate planning attorneys are being inundated with calls and emails about how to plan for this type of pandemic. While the following five tools are essential for estate planning at...

Intellectual property – ideas or works of art that have value but don’t originate in material reality – are considered personal property and may be bequeathed to heirs. There is well-established law on intellectual property and estate law for those who want their heirs to benefit from the fruits of their labors. If you’re creating...

Self-made billionaire Warren Buffet once famously said, “Leave your children enough money so they can do anything, but not enough that they don't have to do anything.” Commodore Vanderbilt's grandson, an heir to some $60 million in 1885, also once declared that "inherited wealth is as certain death to ambition as cocaine is to morality.”...

When a loved one passes away, the grief is often overwhelming and exhausting. Your emotional state may make it nearly impossible to carry on basic functions like sleeping or eating. Trumbull probate lawyers understand that the last things you'll feel like tackling are the legal or financial tasks that must be handled after an individual...

Whether you've been asked to be the trustee of a loved one's trust or you're in the process of choosing someone to act as your own trustee, it helps to understand what is expected of a trustee. Being a trustee involves a lot of responsibility, often on both a short-term and long-term basis. Keep in...

Milford estate attorneys know that it’s not inherently bad if your son-in-law or daughter-in-law receives your child’s inheritance. After all, he or she is part of the family. Ideally, if an in-law ends up with the family’s money (say your adult child passes away first), it’s always the hope that the in-law will pass down...

If you’re in your twenties or thirties, you’ve probably heard about the importance of creating Wills and Trusts… but maybe you think you’re too young for estate planning or that you don’t have enough assets yet to justify putting a plan in place. But, Milford estate planning attorneys will tell you that it is a...

After you complete the process of creating an estate plan with your Trumbull estate lawyer, you’ll want to give serious thought about the place where you will store your original documents. Unfortunately, if your original documents can't be found after you pass away, it will be presumed that you died without leaving a will or...

New Haven special needs planning lawyers often help parents set up a supplemental or Special Needs Trust in Connecticut to protect their child’s resources and inheritance for the future. When crafting this important document, the attorney will also help their clients choose a trustee who will be charged with overseeing and managing the funds in...

As estate planning and elder law attorneys, our practice is dedicated to serving our most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, those who are ill, disabled, experiencing mental health challenges and children with special needs. We deeply understand the anxiety and hardships that the current coronavirus outbreak is causing to everyone in our community. We have also …

Creating and building a successful business is an incredibly difficult undertaking – and maintaining that success is usually even more challenging. Protecting that success, however, is a different story entirely. You must consider what will happen if you die or become incapacitated, if your business will be subjected to estate taxes once you pass away,...

When a home is passed on to adult children after the death of a parent, there are three typical paths that beneficiaries can choose: move into the house, sell the house, or rent it out. If you and/or your siblings recently inherited a house and are uncertain about the best way to deal with the...

Health care directives, which include the Living Will, Health Care Agent Designation, and HIPAA Medical Release, are necessary components of any estate plan. Health care issues occur more and more as we age, so it’s important to have the proper legal documentation in place to ensure we get the care we need. However, mental health...

The death of a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences a person must handle. The financial aspect that accompanies funeral and burial expenses compounds the grief, making the situation even worse. New Haven County probate lawyers know that this is especially true if the deceased was the main breadwinner and the remaining...

Everyone knows that caregivers of elderly family members face a difficult task – one that’s made even harder since many must also take care of their own children, as well. These caregivers often burn out and are left exhausted. An experienced Milford elder lawyer will often give their clients information about respite care and adult...

Between 2007 and 2016, the number of unmarried couples over the age of 50 who were living together increased by 75% according to the Census Bureau. There are several factors contributing to the rise in romantic roommates. A change in social attitudes towards cohabitation has lifted much of the pressure on older couples to remarry...

Irrevocable trusts are almost certain to come up when you talk about estate planning and asset protection planning strategies with a New Haven asset protection attorney. These special types of trusts are used by estate and elder law attorneys to protect property and assets from lawsuits, creditors, predators, and even nursing homes, which can end...

A revocable living trust is the perfect document to protect your privacy, avoid probate, and leave someone you trust in charge of managing your affairs if you become incapacitated or pass away. It’s an essential element for estate plans and gives the trust maker, also known as the Grantor, the peace of mind that their...

As a surprise to most financial professionals across the country, the SECURE Act (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) has been approved by Congress following its last-minute inclusion into a bipartisan appropriations bill that would avert a government shutdown before the end of the year. The law is set to take effect on January …

Attorneys in New Haven often see the results of what happens when someone does not realize the importance of planning for the possibility of an unexpected disability. Sure, clients come to their lawyers ready to plan for what to do with their retirements, or how they would like to see their estates managed after they...

As a Trumbull trust lawyer, I know that it’s an unfortunate reality that people are afforded very little privacy here in Connecticut when they pass away. Under the laws of our state, and in every other state across the country, sensitive details about one’s estate and how much their loved ones stand to inherit are...

Few things in this world are as devastating as losing a partner. If you have suffered the loss of your life partner, our hearts go out to you. As Milford estate planning lawyers, we understand how the grief can be debilitating, and the last thing you want to think about is your "to do" list....

Will and trust lawyers in Milford realize that there are many reasons why people put off estate planning. Some think that being young and healthy means they won't need to worry about drafting one up a will anytime soon. Others are just too uncomfortable thinking about what would happen to their spouse and children if...

Earlier this year, a story about a dog in Virginia made national news. The dog was euthanized at the owner's request. While stories of beloved pets being put to sleep aren't usually newsworthy, this one made headlines because the dog was healthy and friendly. So why was he euthanized? Because it was in the owner's...

The phrase "trust fund" often brings to mind a particular type of person, namely someone who comes from a wealthy family with an excessive amount of money available to spend on luxury and frivolity. Although there are families who have that kind of generational wealth that's passed down to them through a trust fund, it's...

Preparing for college can be exhausting for both the student and their parents. Between paying tuition, getting registered for classes, and setting up a dorm room or apartment, there's a lot of time and money involved. One of the most important aspects of planning for college that's often overlooked is setting up some basic estate...

Every estate planning attorney in Milford has, at some point in their career, heard a sad story about complications in handling a loved one's estate. Legal language can be tricky, and sometimes a minor mistake can cause major problems. One way to prevent potential conflict among family members or a lengthy and expensive probate process...

The national news has been filled with tragedy lately, including acts of senseless violence committed against random strangers. Families and communities across the nation are mourning the loss of their loved ones and doing what they can to help the survivors. While most people are wondering if such a tragic event could ever happen in...

Estate planning for a married couple is often very straightforward: you leave all of your property and money to your spouse, who also takes care of any minor children. But what happens if both parents pass away unexpectedly or if you’re a single parent creating an estate plan? Parents will usually say “then the children...

Modern technology has put research tools once only available to professionals in the hands of everyday people. With nothing more than access to the internet, we can trace our family trees back several centuries. We can now order DNA testing kits through the mail, allowing us to discover our genetic roots without leaving our home....

A senior’s ability to operate a vehicle may be affected by a loss of vision or hearing, by delays in their reaction time, or physical limitations caused by arthritis or other conditions. Fortunately, transportation options have changed greatly over the years, even in areas where public transportation isn't readily accessible. Specifically, ridesharing services are becoming...

Our New Haven trust lawyers are often asked by parents if it is possible to protect an inheritance for an adult child who battles Bipolar Disorder. Unfortunately, one of the hallmarks of the condition is excessive financial spending while in the mania phase of the disease. Parents often worry that if they leave an inheritance...

Modern American families come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and configurations. This creates unique circumstances when creating wills and trusts and putting long-term care plans in place. There is always the potential for conflict when it comes to estate planning in general, but the added element of a blended family can compound problems. That is...

If something were to happen to you and your spouse, what would happen if the authorities or medical personnel did not know that you have minor children at home waiting for you? Picture this; your children are at home and more frightened as each hour passes and you have not returned. The babysitter is scrambling...

Any type of co-parenting relationship can be complicated, especially when the relationship ends in divorce. Divorcing parents of a special needs child, even one that has reached adulthood, may have questions about their rights and obligations as guardians when it comes to decision-making for an adult child with special needs. While laws may vary from...

Granting someone power of attorney means that you are giving them the authority to make important financial decisions on your behalf should you be incapable of making them yourself. The scope, duration, and other specifics are up to you. While the laws vary in each state, it's usually as simple as drafting a document or...

Once an older loved one starts to show signs of dementia, you will likely need to start thinking about the type of care he or she will need in the future. When your loved one gets to the point where he or she is no longer able to remain in their home, a dementia care...

Excluding someone from your will, particularly if it's your spouse or your child, can be complicated. In some states, it's not even allowed. Leaving out people who wouldn't automatically receive any of your estate is usually as simple as just not including them. However, if you do want to be specific about excluding someone to...

One of the hardest things a senior must come to grips with is that he or she can no longer operate an automobile safely. However, this is not usually something they’ll admit to themselves, even if they know it’s the truth. Most of the time it is up to their adult children to determine when...

Stratford estate planning lawyers are often asked by their clients to explain what comprises a basic estate plan. Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to this question because an estate plan all depends on the situation and the needs of the individual. For instance, a basic estate plan for one person might include a Revocable Living...

By Trumbull Estate Planning Attorney Steven Rubin If you’ve heard of a 529 Plan, you probably think of it as a means of education funding for your children or your grandchildren. These plans are sponsored by state agencies or educational institutions, and they’re available to people of all income brackets. While a 529 Plan is...

If you’re not familiar with Marie Kondo, take some time this week to watch one of her videos on YouTube or check out her new Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. It’s incredible to watch the relief and joy that people experience just by implementing her simple strategies to get organized and take back...

One of the most common questions asked when it comes to settling an estate in New Haven County is, “How long is this going to take?” The answer to that question is, of course, going to vary depending upon several factors. In some situations, New Haven County probate may just take several weeks or a...

Losing a loved one is emotionally wrenching. And, unfortunately, being responsible for managing your loved one’s estate and final affairs can make an already terrible situation worse. Amidst all the stress and emotional turmoil, it can be difficult to remember all the important tasks you need to complete. To assist you in handling your job...

Did You Know… Now that your graduating senior is “legally” an adult upon reaching 18, you can no longer make important medical or financial decisions on his or her behalf Your graduating senior may still be your baby, but in the eyes of the law, he/she is now an ADULT!  No one at your young …

As people get into their senior years, it is natural to start thinking about the end of life. Those thoughts can bring about concern regarding the type of inheritance to leave to adult children and exactly how to carry out your wishes when passing down your assets to the people you love. But, thinking about...

One of the hardest things an adult child must handle is the responsibility of overseeing their elderly parent’s care. Trumbull elder law attorneys find that this situation is only made harder when the child and parent live in different states. While arranging for transportation, healthcare, and day-to-day activities is challenging, matters are made even worse...

Trusts are excellent legal tools that can be used to accomplish most estate planning and asset protection planning goals. The most common type of trust is a Revocable Living Trust which will hold your assets and help avoid the New Haven County probate process when you pass away. However, Milford estate planning attorneys warn that...