In celebration of National Elder Law Month in May, Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner welcomes legendary broadcast journalist Martie Salt to discuss a variety of legal issues for seniors, including the importance of planning for incapacity, residency considerations and paying for long-term care costs, with a spotlight on Medicare, Veterans Benefits and Medicaid. Please note that the Florida Medicaid planning techniques discussed in this episode are by no means exhaustive, and due to time constraints, certain techniques, including spousal refusal, personal service contracts and the transition program, were not addressed. These techniques will be discussed in future episodes so stay tuned.

Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner welcomes family law attorney, Lori Caldwell Carr, to discuss the various ways estate planning intersects with family law, including the role of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, receiving an inheritance outright or in a trust, and special planning considerations with a second marriage.

If you are like most Americans, you have worked hard for many years and scrimped and saved to accumulate a certain level of wealth. Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner explains why asset protection planning is an integral part of any estate planning discussion and outlines different techniques that can be considered to protect your nest egg from attack by future potential creditors.

In this episode of The Power of Planning podcast, Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner discusses in detail federal legislation passed in recent years that significantly impacts how you plan for retirement. She also addresses the unique estate planning considerations with retirement accounts.

Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner focuses on this powerful estate planning tool and explains why it has become so popular over the years by spotlighting its benefits, including avoiding probate and controlling the distribution of your assets from the grave. She also explains how this type of trust is established, administered and funded.

During this season of giving, Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner welcomes Nicole Donelson, the Vice President of Philanthropic Strategies and Partnerships at the Central Florida Foundation, to discuss what motivates people to give and the variety of ways that you can carry out your charitable giving goals both during your lifetime and at your death.

In this episode of the Power of Planning podcast, Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner focuses on the second critical purpose of estate planning – planning for lifetime incapacity – and the particular documents that are designed to serve this purpose, including a Designation of Health Care Surrogate, Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney. She will also discuss the complications that can arise if these documents are not in place.

In celebration of national Special Needs Planning Awareness Month in October, Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner welcomes a special guest, Charlotte Smith-Wilkes, who has a daughter with autism, in this episode of the Power of Planning Podcast to discuss the various considerations when planning for someone who has special needs, including special needs trusts, government benefits, guardianship and the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account.

In this episode of the Power of Planning podcast, Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner focuses on the Will and explains why it is an integral part of any estate plan. She addresses the common misconception that a Will avoids a probate and outlines the unintended consequences that can arise when you die without a Will. She also explains the different types of Wills that are available.

In this inaugural episode of the Power of Planning podcast, Attorney Vanessa J. Skinner asks the fundamental question – What is an estate plan and why do I need one? She discusses why a majority of people do not have an estate plan in place, the pitfalls that can result from a lack of planning, and why an estate plan is important for everyone, regardless of their level of wealth, by spotlighting the multiple purposes it serves.