Does Conservatorship End Joint Accounts?
Some folk think “estate planning” is putting their children on their bank accounts. However, this may not be enough if the client later becomes incapacitated. If the client does not…
Two Breaks for Disabled in New Tax Bill
The recent Tax Cuts and Jobs Act threatened to remove some important provisions for persons with disabilities from the law. However, two important provisions were kept after the tough negotiations…
Power of Attorney, Gifts and Self-Dealing
A recent Mississippi court case examined the legality of an attempted transfer of jointly-owned bank CDs by use of a power of attorney and how transactions done through the use…
Joint Custody by Grandparents Upheld by Court
More and more these days, grandparents have been called on to provide care for grandchildren due to problems experienced by their children. A recent Mississippi case expanded the interpretation of…
The New Reality of Old Age in America
People are living longer, more expensive lives, often without much of a safety net. As a result, record numbers of Americans older than 65 years of age are working —…
Why Do-it-Yourself Wills Don’t Work
From time to time, clients have come into our office with wills or powers of attorney they had prepared or printed from an online source. In most cases we have…
Love-Hate on Four Legs
Furry little puppies – don’t you just love them? You have to love them. Videos of a tumbly mess of awkward little furballs trying to play can make you want…
Two Different Types of Special Needs Trusts
This article is reprinted with permission of the Special Needs Alliance - www.specialneedsalliance.org. There are two types of Special Needs Trusts (SNTs), commonly designated as first-party and third-party SNTs. It is…
FALL (ING)
Last Friday at 3:02 PM Central Time, summer here was over. Fall began. Fall. I have had a few thoughts about that word. For the next three months, it will…
Sicker Seniors More Likely to Drop Medicare Advantage Plans
When Sol Shipotow enrolled in a new Medicare Advantage health plan earlier this year, he expected to keep the doctor who treats his serious eye condition. “That turned out not…