An executor is chosen by a testator to carry out the intentions of the will after the testator has died. It’s fairly easy to replace an executor when the testator is still alive – all the testator has to do is simply name a new executor. However, this becomes far more complicated and difficult once...

Here in New Haven, living will attorneys know full well the ramifications of not planning ahead for an unexpected disability.  Even those clients who understand the importance of estate planning tend to overlook what would happen if they should become unable to care for themselves.  It’s not the happiest thought, but the reality of not...

As a Milford will lawyer, I advise that it’s always best for a person to write down one’s intentions for their property when they die. However, many people still die intestate (without a will), and their intentions aren’t known. Often, however, these people’s heirs may make a claim that the deceased orally stated what their...

When it comes to estate planning, most people think of streams of income that are typical, such as current employment, retirement plans, and bank accounts. These obviously need to be included. But, there are other, less obvious types of income that some people forget. When you work with an experienced Stratford estate planning attorney, they...

I’ve worked with many Milford grandparents interested in leaving a legacy behind for their grandchildren. A lot of people are surprised when I tell them they could be causing more harm than good if they aren’t careful. Imagine this for a moment; what would you have done if you were given a large sum of...

Adding your child to your bank  account seems like common sense so they can help with paying bills. This is convenient, but what people often don’t realize is that the child will have more authority than to just sign checks. Adding your child to your bank account means that they legally own half of the...

It’s a common story among blended families: an aging parent becomes ill and the parent’s biological children clash with the parent’s spouse. While some of these disagreements are generally small, there are times when the disagreements are not only great, but the child also fears for the parent’s health and safety. Even though spouses have...

One thing that surprises many of my clients is that Powers of Attorney are necessary even for married couples. People automatically assume that their spouse will be able to handle everything on their behalf if they become incapacitated. This is not usually the case. A Power of Attorney is a legal document that appoints an...

Milford estate planning attorneys know, a divorce changes everything. If you are in the process of divorce or just finishing up, you are most likely busy trying to readjust to your new life. Although it’s a hectic time, it is important that you do not forget that you need to update your estate plan. Here...

When most people think about estate planning, they picture money and property. But, as a Stratford will and trust lawyer, I see more and more people adding intangible assets to their estate plan. Intangible assets might be things that have no monetary value, but are nonetheless important to the family. They may include personal letters,...

Picture this – you get an opportunity to spend some alone time with your spouse. What do you do to prepare for date night? You carefully select a babysitter. Then, you write detailed instructions; when to feed the baby, how often to change diapers, what snacks are allowed…and you leave a myriad of contact information...

Unfortunately, many parents of children with special needs wait until their child turns 18 to consider creating a Special Needs Trust. Sometimes, they even wait until their child eventually needs government benefits like SSI or Medicaid. However, Special Needs Trusts do a lot more than just protect the beneficiary’s access to government benefits and should...

The number of adult children caring for their elderly parents is growing at a very fast pace. If you are a baby boomer and not already caring for an elderly parent, chances are high that you might be facing this situation soon.  It isn’t always easy to know when, or how, to step in to...

Elder care lawyers in New Haven work with families to prepare for any number of situations in the estate planning process. One circumstance that is especially relevant to elder care law is dementia. Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are almost exclusively conditions which appear late in life. Along with the emotional turmoil on...

Unless you were living under a rock, you most likely heard about the tax reform bill that was passed by Congress and signed by the President over the holidays. One big change that came out of it was the doubling of the exemption amount for federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. Beginning in 2018,...

The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, which was created by Congress in 2014, allows people with disabilities and their families to save up to $100,000 in accounts for the benefit of a disabled person. The funds can be saved without jeopardizing the individual’s eligibility for Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and other government...

Will and Trust lawyers in Trumbull have the important job of helping their clients create a legacy that is compliant with a number of different laws. For the most part, these laws will vary from state to state.  Some differences are minor, while others can impact an estate plan significantly.  Someone who already has established...

Longer lives are among the greatest achievements of our modern era. Advances in healthcare and other progress related to human safety have resulted in what the United Nations says is one of the most significant social transformations of the 21st century. However, with the success of longer lives come problems that catch most of us …

Millions of individuals are affected by dementia in their lifetime. Unfortunately, it is usually after a medical crisis like dementia hits that many families begin to think about estate planning. What people don’t realize, however, is that it may be “too late” under the law to make a plan after dementia strikes.  This is usually...

Blended families are becoming more and more common in modern society, and yet, estate laws remain largely unchanged and are still geared toward a “traditional” family structure.  This poses an issue when it comes to leaving an inheritance to step-children in an estate plan.  Step-children are often not legally adopted by the new spouse, which...

This tragic hurricane season and other disasters have taken a toll on many parts of the United States and the Caribbean. They have also taken a toll on the charitable organizations that step in when a crisis hits.  As a will and trust lawyer in Trumbull, it is gratifying to meet with clients who want...

Often, when we think of someone having property overseas, we think of George Clooney and his Italian villa or Richard Branson and his private island. However, plenty of everyday Americans own property or assets in other countries, and it may become part of their estates when they pass on. There are special considerations to keep...

It’s entirely possible for someone to have an estate and no one to inherit it when they die. It could be due to not having children of one’s own and no other family. It could also be due to outliving all of one’s relatives, or not having relatives who live in the United States. Whatever...

As a Stratford elder law attorney, I get this question quite a bit. Should I invest in long-term care insurance? The answer is….maybe.  Let me explain. First, you should consider the fact that the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that anyone reaching the age of 65 years has a 40% chance of entering...

Even with the best intentions, most senior citizens don’t plan for a future in which they may be incapacitated. Perhaps they didn’t want to face the prospect of losing autonomy, or perhaps they fell ill before they had a chance to plan. Either way, for those with elder relatives and loved ones who no longer...