When you die, your family will have to settle all of your accounts and pay off your debts before they get to enjoy the assets you bequeath to them. The executor for your estate has a legal obligation to handle your debt before they distribute property to anyone else....
East Hanover New Jersey Elder Law Blog
If you draft a trust, remember that life is unpredictable
When you draft a trust as part of your estate plan, it allows you to retain more control over what happens to your assets. You get to decide how your money is spent, even after you pass away. What kinds of trusts are available? There are numerous different types of...
How certain trusts can help you preserve your eligibility for Medicaid
Individuals wishing to qualify for Medicaid must be low income and have limited assets. In most jurisdictions, you become ineligible for Medicaid if you own more than $2,000 in assets. Turning over what you have to loved ones to qualify for Medicaid may land you in...
How New Jersey’s Medicaid recovery system affects your estate
If you reach a point in your life where you need Medicaid benefits in order to obtain care for yourself, your financial circumstances will affect your ability to qualify. For most adults, it is necessary to diminish their personal assets almost completely before the...
The cost of aging with a disability
If you have an elderly loved one with a disability, it may be something that they have dealt with all their life, such as the result of an injury as a young adult. It may also be the direct result of aging, such as the ramifications of a stroke. Either way, you know...
Picking a guardian for your adult child with special needs? Here’s what to consider
Nobody lives forever, which is why the parents of special-needs children need to plan ahead. When you have an adult child with special needs, there will come a time when you’re no longer around to protect them and make sure that their needs are met -- and that means...
Transfer on Death (TOD) registration can help avoid probate in New Jersey
When you’re thinking ahead about how to transfer your assets to your heirs after you are gone, you may have already considered using “payable-on-death” designations on your bank accounts. Once you die, those funds will automatically become the property of whomever you...
What is the cost of an in-home caregiver?
When the elderly need extra assistance, they have numerous options. For instance, a child may simply start helping them and caring for them at first, leaving them largely independent. If their needs get to the point that the child cannot do enough, though, they may...
Will your loved ones be able to inherit your home?
One of the reasons that people try to preserve their wealth during their life is so that they have the opportunity to leave behind a legacy for the people they love. An estate plan helps people set aside assets for specific people or even charitable causes. Major...
Waiting to plan for Medicaid is a risky kind of procrastination
Medicare is the health plan that exists specifically to address the medical needs of those at or past the age of retirement. It is common for older adults to stop paying for private insurance and instead start supplementing a Medicare policy once they decide to retire...