Several years ago, I had the pleasure of working with a wonderful and sweet lady in our office. Besides being a good attorney, she was always full of energy and smiling. After retirement, she and her husband moved to Pennsylviana to be close to family and enjoy grandkids. However, all that changed when she was …
When people think of estate planning, the first ideas that typically come to mind are of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and guardianship arrangements. Traditionally, those instruments have been closely associated with estate planning simply because they are legal tools exclusively dedicated to helping people pass on their assets or otherwise ensure that loved ones …
Have you thought about the possibility that you or your loved one may someday move into a nursing home? How are you planning to afford the high cost of elderly care? It’s unfortunate that many seniors are paying the full price for nursing home care out of pocket, thus draining their hard-earned life savings within …
We have seen a tremendous influx of people to Texas from other states in the past 5 years. Because estate planning is different for each state, new residents need to reconsider their existing estate plans in light of their recent move. Crossing borders can have profound and unforeseen implications for the future. Of course, Texas …
Continue reading “Welcome to Texas! Have you reviewed your Will?”
There is No Such Thing as a Free Lunch I have address this topic several times in the past, but it is a continuing problem and one of my personal pet peeves. While in the past, many trust salesmen used the offer of a free meal to discuss a LIVING TRUST SEMINAR, today the preferred …
Estate administration is the management and settlement of an estate by a personal representative approved by the court. Estate administration may not be necessary when the deceased person’s (decedent’s) estate is so small that no action is necessary to distribute the property to the beneficiaries or heirs. However, estate administration is required in most other …
I missed getting an article out in September on Alzheimer’s disease, September is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. However, this is a subject close to my heart because my father, Oliver James Moak, suffered from this condition. Over time, the disease can change a loved one into a seemingly different person. Caring for a loved one with …
Whether you like the “Big Beautiful Bill” or not, it has resolved an important estate tax issue. Before the Big Beautiful Bill (BBB), the Federal estate tax exemption set by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was set to sunset or end on December 31, 2025. However, the BBB has raised the Federal …
It comes to me as second nature, but when you are entering a real estate deal, you should hire an attorney. I am amazed at how many verbal land sales and homemade contracts I see. Homemade deeds with incorrect or insufficient legal descriptions are common as well. If you are going to invest your hard …
When most business owners think about estate planning, they’re usually focused on one thing: what happens to the business after they’re gone. And while planning for succession is essential, there’s another scenario that often gets overlooked—what happens if you’re still alive but unable to run your business? Incapacity isn’t just about catastrophic accidents or permanent …
