Sole proprietorships are a common type of ownership interest where the business owner and the business are the same legal entity. The business owner of a sole proprietorship is personally responsible for any debts the business incurs. However, unlike a corporation, the sole proprietorship belongs to one person and is legally a business indistinct from...

A power of attorney is a legal agreement that allows one adult, the agent, to make legal and financial decisions on behalf of another, the principal. People create power of attorney documents with a Milford estate lawyer so that someone of their choosing can speak for them if they should become incapacitated or otherwise unable...

A common question that Milford trust lawyers are asked when helping clients create their estate plans is, “How hard will it be to sell my house if I put it in a trust?” The simple answer is that it’s not hard at all. In most cases, the grantor (or trust maker) also serves as trustee...

As our New Haven County probate lawyers commonly say, “If you don’t create your own will while you’re alive, the state will give you one when you’re gone.” What that means is that if a person dies without a will (called “intestate”) their estate will be administered according to state law.  Likewise, the heirs who...

One of the most difficult decisions that parents of minor children have to make when creating their estate plans is choosing the person(s) they would want to raise their children if they were incapacitated or suddenly passed away. In our office, we often find that the conversation starts with, or eventually winds its way back...

While a power of attorney (POA) does not technically expire unless it’s revoked by the person who created it, you may run into a situation where a bank or a brokerage firm refuses to accept the document because it’s “too old.” You may also hear the phrase, “the document is stale.” So, what does this...

Most people have a basic understanding of what a Power of Attorney does. However, not all Power of Attorney documents are the same, and the rights you are afforded depend on how the document is created by a Trumbull estate planning lawyer. Let’s start first with the basics: a Power of Attorney is a document...

Stepping into the role of Successor Trustee after the incapacitation or death of a loved one is a big job that can feel scary and overwhelming for someone who has never served in such capacity. Milford Trust lawyers understand that it can be equally unnerving to learn that the Trustee can be held liable for...

Question:  My mom recently died, and I’m her Power of Attorney. Am I able to contact a realtor to start the process of selling her house? I don’t want the bills to start piling up. Answer: Believe it or not, this is a common question that New Haven Will lawyers receive after the loss of...

We’re often asked by parents of kids with special needs for our honest opinion on using Do-It-Yourself software to create a Special Needs Trust in Milford. Obviously, DIY programs cost less than working with an attorney, and the ability to create a document online offers an extra level of convenience and ease. But… buyer beware....

Senior citizens are often concerned about what’s covered by their insurance and what they may be responsible for out of pocket. Medicare Part B is a plan that many seniors have, but it does not cover all the services they typically need. That’s why many senior citizens get “gap insurance” to offset any additional costs...

Creating an estate plan in 2019 looked a little bit like this: you and your spouse or partner, perhaps along with your adult children, would make an appointment at the office of a Milford estate planning lawyer to go over your plans. A week or so later, you’d receive drafts of your documents in the...

Working with an experienced Trumbull will and trust lawyer to create a comprehensive estate plan can seem like a daunting process. Let’s face it: the decisions you have to make, the information you have to gather, and the sheer amount of paperwork involved are enough to make anyone pause. That’s why it’s so important not...

Caregivers for elderly loved ones can easily become burnt out and exhausted. Oftentimes, they’re responsible for their loved one and their own children, as well as maintaining a household and a job. As a New Haven County elder law attorney, I believe that respite care and adult day care are two great options to give...

“How much do you tell your kids? When do you tell them? Is it possible to tell your kids too much, too soon? What happens if you tell them too little, too late?”  These are common questions that come up when deciding whether to involve adult children in the Milford estate planning process. The answers...

A revocable living trust protects your privacy, avoids probate, and determines who will handle your affairs while you’re incapacitated and after you’ve passed away. It’s an essential element for estate plans as it provides an extra layer of protection to your estate and gives you the peace of mind that your wishes will be carried...

Here’s a common horror story: a father remarries late in life to a woman with her own kids. The father does not create a Last Will and Testament. When the father dies, his estate goes entirely to his new wife since she is his next of kin according to the laws of intestacy. When the...

As the coronavirus continues to impact life as we know it here in the United States, the most common question we’ve been asked during the course of the pandemic is whether an existing estate plan should be changed or updated. Of course, the answer to that question (like most things in life) is that it...

Most people are familiar with the term “life estate” as a way to give someone “life rights” to a property. While a life estate does accomplish this goal, choosing to set up a life estate is not a one-size-fits-all solution and may even cause serious consequences for everyone involved. What is a Life Estate? A...

A Special Needs Trust (SNT) is a complex legal tool set up on behalf of a person with special needs or disabilities. The SNT allows a beneficiary with special needs to safely utilize money or property in the trust without jeopardizing the ability to collect needs-based public benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and...

Milford probate lawyers hear quite regularly from heirs who are shocked to learn that the property they inherited from a loved one comes with a mortgage. Now what? It’s important to know that a mortgage does not die when the owner does. How that mortgage is dealt with depends on a variety of factors, including...

As we continue on in this time of social distancing and, in some communities, shelter-in-place, more and more people are faced with a difficult situation: handling out-of-state probate proceedings after the death of a loved one. Many seniors today are “snowbirds” who spend their winters in warmer states like Florida while keeping their actual residency...

There are several strategies available that Trumbull estate planning lawyers use to help seniors and their families avoid lengthy and costly probate proceedings, including adding other people as joint owners on their accounts or making beneficiary designations on accounts and policies. However, these strategies should only be done under the supervision of an experienced estate...

A conservatorship is when a person is appointed by the court to look after another person’s financial and physical well-being. This is not always a great situation to be in since the court may appoint someone who would never be chosen by the individual or their family. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to...

Did you know that more than half of all adults in America do not have a Last Will and Testament? That number is even fewer when it comes to Revocable Living Trusts. You’d think more people would create an estate plan, especially since there are so many public figures who famously left a mess for...