Mississippi law addresses two methods to determine the validity of wills. A “holographic” will is written entirely in the willmaker’s handwriting and signed at the bottom, with authenticity of the…
The Court of Appeals of Tennessee holds that a woman failed to rebut the presumption of revocation when attempting to admit a copy of a missing will to probate. In…
An August 2024 court opinion pointed out the importance of understanding who will inherit assets that are handed down through families and of taking specific planning actions to assure those…
We have often been asked to advise the fiduciaries appointed by estate planning clients about their legal duties. An agent under a power of attorney has a legal duty to…
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has published a final rule simplifying and expanding its rental subsidy program for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Effective September 30, 2024, the new rule is…
More than 50 million Americans receive Social Security retirement benefits. Most of these recipients are retirees who worked and paid Social Security taxes. But millions of dependents and survivors of…
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court finds that an estranged, intentionally disinherited daughter inherits under the intestacy statute because the will’s sole beneficiary predeceased the testator. In Estate of Giguere (Me.…
Wills and trusts are foundational estate planning tools. While each is used to distribute assets to beneficiaries, they do so in different ways. Each also has its own distinct uses…
If you need a medical procedure, you may have to hold off on treatment until you have received approval from your health insurance plan. In many cases, Medicare Advantage and…
Deciding to end a marriage as an older adult is increasingly common. If your marriage ended later in life, you could be part of the “gray” divorce trend. AARP reports…
