ABLE vs. SNT (Part 2)
Last week I was telling you about a call I received about the benefits of an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account vs. a special needs trust (SNT). Joan called about her sister Mary, who is receiving an inheritance from their uncle’s estate. Mary is in
Found Money (Part 2)
Last week I was explaining what happens to abandoned or unclaimed property. New Jersey has in its possession more than $1 billion of property that people have abandoned, usually because they have forgotten about the accounts. Nationwide, there is well over $50 billion in unclaimed funds. Financial
What Seniors Can Do to Protect Themselves From Identity Theft (Part 2)
Last week I told you about what you can do to monitor your credit report to keep an eye out for identity theft that may have occurred as a result of the recent Equifax data breach. This week we’ll talk about a more proactive approach, trying to stop theft
What to Do with Your Pet After You’re Gone (Part 2)
Last week I was talking about options when considering estate planning for pets. One is to leave your pet to someone or some organization along with a sum of money to provide for the pet’s care. I leave my dog Casey to my friend George, for example, with $15,000
A Word About Family Caregiver Contracts (Part 2)
Last week I was telling you about Mary’s question to me. Her mom is in a Florida nursing home but she wants to bring her up north closer to Mary. Mom had given Mary $100,000 under a personal services contract which was drafted by a Florida attorney. Her question
How Medicaid Treats Life Insurance (Part 2)
Last week I was talking about life insurance as it affects eligibility for Medicaid. While term insurance has no value while the insured is alive and only provides a payment at the death of the insured, other types of life insurance – namely whole life and universal life –
Origins of Memorial Day
At some point in time, Memorial Day has become a holiday that signifies the unofficial beginning of summer. Of course, it is a much more important day than that. It is a time to honor those who fought and died in the service of the United States of America.
Uneven Inheritance – To Tell or Not to Tell
“I want to leave more to one child than another”, the client will tell me. In some cases one child is more financially established than another. Or maybe one child has special needs, whether diagnosed or not. When I ask whether this has been disclosed to either child the answer often
Your Digital Assets – Are You Covered? Part 2
Last week I raised the legal issues faced by digital assets – specifically property rights. Who owns my Facebook account after I die? Who can access that account when I am alive but incapacitated? Courts are often wrestling with these issues for the first time. State legislatures have not,
Your Digital Assets – Are You Covered?
Technology has allowed us as a society to go places and do things never before imagined. But, it has created issues and problems that, likewise, we could never have imagined. Much has been written about the problem of texting while driving or “sexting” by minors. Our laws have been