The probate process includes filing a will and appointing an executor or administrator, collecting assets, paying bills, filing taxes, distributing property to heirs, and filing a final account. This can be a costly and time-consuming process, which is why some people try to avoid probate by having only non-probate assets.
It’s a useful exercise to make sure that you understand what is in your trust. Other issues, particularly those related to tax issues, will require consulting with Linda Strohschein. We are hosting a free lunch and learn about the different types of trusts and how to best reach your estate planning goals this Thursday, January 23rd. RSVP today!
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the 2014 federal guidelines for how much money the spouses of institutionalized Medicaid recipients may keep and the limit on how much a home can be worth for its owner to still qualify for Medicaid.
Admitting a loved one to a nursing home can be very stressful. In addition to dealing with a sick family member and managing all the details involved with the move, you must decide whether to sign all the papers the nursing home is giving you. Nursing home admission agreements can be complicated and confusing, so what do you do?
It is common knowledge that husbands and wives are entitled to collect Social Security benefits on their spouses’ work records. Less well known is that this benefit applies to divorced spouses as long as the spouse has not remarried. Divorced spouses are even entitled to survivor benefits in certain circumstances.
So on a given day, I may be asked to speak with a family member and schedule a time to visit a client in their home to help determine needs and more effectively offer resource information. I then communicate with the legal team to coordinate next steps, ensuring that the best plan for that particular individual is executed, with essential legal documents in place.
Strohschein Law Group strives to counsel their clients to manage their independence as long as possible. Meeting with Linda Strohschein to discuss options and design a plan that best suits your needs or the needs of a loved one will give everyone involved the peace of mind to enjoy life to its potential.
In point of fact, people age 65 and over who are on Medicare don’t need to do anything to continue getting their government benefits. Medicare coverage satisfies the new insurance requirement and a new “health care card” is not required. (And those under age 65 who already have health coverage don’t need to do anything, either.) Moreover, Medicare, like the IRS, will never contact beneficiaries about any personal issues by phone or e-mail, but rather through regular mail.
Once a loved one passes, several tasks come to hand for the family. The majority of these tasks involve expenses and they quickly add up. First and foremost is the task of laying your loved one to rest. The average cost of a funeral is between $8,000 – $12,000. Perhaps the loved one set up a pre-paid funeral arrangement or had a life insurance policy that could cover these expenses and outstanding debts. Probate is the process to collect assets, pay bills and issue distribution to the beneficiaries. Please enjoy this article provided to us from Elder Law Answers on paying debt from an Estate.
Probate occurs when…
Probate will be required when the Decedent leaves assets over $100,000 to be collected that does not name a beneficiary, a joint tenant or co-owner. Probate begins any time following death and will last for a minimum of six months. Probate can extend for many years based on the parties and the issues involved.