Avoiding Guardianship
Avoiding Guardianship Avoiding guardianship is what most people hope to achieve in their lifetimes. A guardianship is someone who has been court appointed to care for the financial and health care interests of another person. Many people find themselves needing to file for guardianship to help care for an aging parent. Why does this happen and how can you avoid it? Read on to find out. The Mistake The key mistake that most people make [...]
Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes-Part 4
Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes Celebrity estate planning mistakes are entertaining, but they can also teach us valuable lessons. In the fourth installment of our celebrity estate planning mistakes series, we will examine the estates of Howard Hughes, Doris Duke, Aretha Franklin, Barry White, and Michael Crichton. Howard Hughes Died: April 5, 1976 Estimated Worth: $11 Billion Howard Hughes passed without valid estate planning documents. He had verbally expressed that he wished to give his [...]
Testate vs. Intestate Estates
Testate vs. Intestate Estate A testate vs. intestate estate have very different procedural requirements. The exact steps you will need to take will depend on what type of estate you are dealing with. In this article, we will go over what is involved in probating testate vs. intestate estates. Defining Terms To summarize, a testate estate is the estate of a person who dies with a Last Will and Testament. On the other hand, [...]
Miller Trust
Miller Trust A Miller Trust, or an Income Only Trust, is a type of Irrevocable Trust. You can use this trust to help you qualify for Medicaid. In this article, we will go over the basics of how a Miller Trust works in the State of Arizona. Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS) ALTCS is the Medicaid system in Arizona that provides in-home or long-term care for individuals who meet certain financial requirements. This [...]
Spousal Lifetime Asset Trust
Spousal Lifetime Asset Trust A spousal lifetime asset trust, or SLAT, is a type of irrevocable trust that is set up to reduce estate taxes. In this article, we will go over how a spousal lifetime asset trust works, the benefits one provides, and information you should consider before you create one. Purpose A spousal lifetime asset trust serves a very specific purpose. It allows married couples to take advantage of the currently high [...]
Testamentary Trusts
Testamentary Trusts Testamentary trusts are a type of trust that is created through your Will after you pass away. In this article, we will go over what a testamentary trust is and how it works. The Basics Testamentary trusts are trusts set up by your Last Will and Testament. Your Will instructs your executor to set up the trust upon your death. To do this the validity of the Will must be proven by [...]