Category: Estate Planning

Avoiding Common Mistakes in Estate Planning

Estate planning is designed to fulfill the wishes of a person after his or her death. Problems can easily arise, however, if the estate plan contains unanswered questions that can no longer be resolved after the person's...

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether or not to implement Medicaid planning.  If you’re in good health, now would be the prime time to do this planning. The main reason is that any Medicaid planning may entail using an...

Healthcare directives can be vitally important, as recent cases, like that of Terry Schiavo, clearly brought to light. These important documents can mean the difference between your health care wishes being carried out or family members fighting over whether...

A tax basis is essentially the purchase price of a piece of property. Whenever that property is sold, the seller must pay taxes on the difference between the sale price and the original purchase price. This concept applies to all property, including...

So often, attorneys use words and phrases that to us we know exactly what the meaning is; yet we sometimes forget to explain to the client the exact meaning. Here is a glossary of some of the words used in estate planning.

Will - a written...

Yes, it is true. Louisiana is the only state in the union that has forced heirship as a law. In estate planning, the concept of forced heirship is the one thing that most clients do not understand. So, I decided to write this article in an attempt to explain it...

I am seeing this terrible situation more and more, and if this blog can help one person correct this situation for their loved one’s, then I feel I have provided a great service. There is one thing about law practice – you do see some horrible situations that easily could have been...

 

8 Reasons Young People Should Write a Last Will and Testament

Graduation from college is a good milestone to use as a reminder to create an estate plan.  If you haven’t created a will by the time you marry – or are living with...

There are certain considerations that should be kept in mind for those with chronic illnesses.   Before addressing this issue, there should be some clarification as to the definition of "chronically ill." There are at least two definitions of chronically ill. The...

This question presents a fairly common issue posed to estate planning attorneys. The solution is also pretty easy to address in your will, trust and other estate planning documents, including any guardianship appointment for your minor children.

First, its important to note that...