As we grow older, many questions arise that we never had to think about before. Issues such as where to live if we can no longer maintain our own homes, how to write a will, and even if and when to make advance funeral arrangements can be tricky issues toContinue Reading
Utah Intestacy Law will govern the distribution of property of the majority of those people who die in Utah. Intestacy is a fancy word for dying without a will or a trust. The Utah State Legislature decided over 60 years ago what would happen to a person’s property if theyContinue Reading
Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending sessions of our state legislature. I am a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association and also the facilitator of my local support group and I am devoted to all causes that will help those who have this horrendous disease and those who are caregiversContinue Reading
Now that you have decided which estate planning instrument (a will or a trust) you will be using and you have selected your trustee or personal representative, who do you want to leave your property to? What property do you want to leave to each beneficiary? When should each beneficiaryContinue Reading
If you are like most people, you probably don’t give a lot of thought as to end-of-life or what I will call “special circumstances” documents. Most of us are busy enough worrying over work, getting kids to little-league practice, and unfortunately for many, figuring out how to pay this month’sContinue Reading
Congress rang in the New Year by enacting legislation to save us all from the “fiscal cliff” the country was precariously dangling from – the “American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012”. The most important impact the legislation has on estate and gift taxes is that it makes the system thatContinue Reading
We who work in Elder Law and Estate Planning confront grief on a regular basis. Often it is after a loss, as the family is trying to cope with their loss while, unfortunately, pressing business or financial matters have to be dealt with. Alternatively, it is at the juncture whereContinue Reading
Americans are living longer than ever before. At the turn of the 20th century, the average life expectancy was about 47 years. As we enter the 21st century, life expectancy has increased significantly. As a result, we face more challenges and transitions in our lives than those who came beforeContinue Reading
A Will is a document in which a person, called the “Testator” (1), states to whom property is to pass after the Testator’s death and appoints someone, called the “Executor”(2), to carry out those wishes. As explained below, a Will can do a few other things too. There are, however,Continue Reading