Dallas Elder Law Attorney

An actual ongoing case of a multi-millionaire recluse who was originally thought to have died without a will is now embroiled in an estate battle with someone claiming to have a valid will 7 years after the recluse died.

If you trust your agent on your financial power of attorney, the document can include many extra powers beyond statutory language as illustrated by the following case.

6 ways to use transfer planning to reduce or eliminate estate tax.

Discussion over when an affidavit of heirship is used verses when a small estates affidavit is more appropriate.

Several options for income tax reduction are discussed.

Long term care Medicaid helps pay for nursing home care and medication if there is eligibility within the rules. This podcast discusses the rules and options to achieve eligibility within the rules for the government to help pay for care. This podcast also describes the income cap for long term Medicaid including when and how to use a Miller Trust.

Certain rights and obligations are retained by the one (the life tenant) who has a life estate interest in real estate and there are certain rights and obligations of the person who is the beneficiary/grantee of the property after the termination of the life estate interest. These duties, rights and obligations are discussed.

The cost of long-term care is great. Planning for benefits so that the government helps pay for such care can be complex. Common planning and application mistakes are discussed.

Widows and widowers are entitled to certain rights and benefits under state and federal laws. Although not an exclusive list, many of these rights and benefits are discussed.

Divorce impacts your estate planning documents (wills, power of attorney), life insurance policy, IRA, beneficiary designations, etc. However, even in cases of automatic revocation, changes should be considered even prior to divorce if divorce is inevitable.