FAQ: What Happens if I Die without a Will?

You’ve heard the statistic: 55% of Americans don’t have a will. And there are lots of reasons why – check out our Path of Most Resistance blog series. If you’re one of those no-will Americans, it might interest you to know: “What happens if I die without a will?” Leaving it Up to Your Congressmen If you choose not to … Read More

Are You on the Path of Most Resistance?

If you’re like me, there are little lies you tell yourself to make life “easier.” These points of resistance are the things that stand in the way of real, positive change. I could never run a half marathon. That’s too hard. My fingers are too short to play the guitar. I don’t know where to go for help with my … Read More

Your Goals. Your Care. Make it YOUR Plan

Every client is unique. You have different goals, different care needs, different family. You shouldn’t have the same long-term care plan as the next guy, right? So we start with a Family Care Meeting to identify what’s most important to you – “What do you want your plan to do?” If you’re facing a move to assisted living or an imminent … Read More

Watch Your Language: Gifting Power

QUOTE Effective long-term care planning can require gifting assets to a spouse or child. In Medicaid cases, assets must be transferred to the community spouse 90 days after approval. But it may be impossible to complete the required transfers if the power of attorney does not include the necessary language. That’s the importance of the gifting power. What is it? … Read More

Devils, Details, and Deadlines: SSI vs. SSDI – What’s the Difference?

Some of the most impactful work we do involves setting up financial protections for disabled individuals. Part of that process includes exploring federal income benefits, but many people don’t realize that there are two available programs: SSI and SSDI. If you have a disabled child, knowing whether they are or should be on SSI or SSDI can significantly impact the … Read More

In the News: Iowa’s Highest Court Rules Against Medicaid Applicant

Trusts can be a highly effective tool in nursing home planning. Certain types of trusts are effective even when a nursing home stay is imminent or even ongoing. But the list of viable trust options got smaller when the Iowa Supreme Court decided the Cox v. Iowa Department of Human Services case and ruled out pooled trusts in November 2018. … Read More

Confused about Trusts? Let’s Talk About Buckets Instead

Across the board, legal documents can be confusing. Just think about the paperwork needed to take out a mortgage – the legalese is overwhelming. And the same is true about trusts. Even the best document drafters can’t eliminate all the technical language in a trust document. Add to that all the different types of trusts – RLT, ILIT, IDGT, GRAT, … Read More

Most People Focus on Estate Plan Documents. Instead, Focus on Goals

So often, we meet with clients who want to “get a will” or “talk about trusts.” And we’re more than happy to talk about those things! But as we work our way through the nuances of wills and trusts together, our conversations always turn to one simple question: “What do you want your estate plan to do?” Why Start with … Read More