Estate Planning -- Can I name an out-of-state fiduciary? By Attorney Jennifer D. Kahl, February 21, 2022. When discussing estate planning with my clients, they frequently ask me if they can name an out-of-state individual as their fiduciary. Since fiduciary selection...
By Attorney Jennifer Kahl September 24, 2019 What does it mean to “do your estate planning?” What does it mean to “do your estate planning?” Many people have this on their to-do list, but are unsure of what it actually means. In short, “estate planning” refers to the...
Estate Planning - How do Advanced Medical Directive Play Out in "Real Life"? BY ATTORNEY SUSAN I. JEAN August 16, 2019 When discussing medical decision-making, I often explain to clients that there are situations where the legal answer is not the way things actually...
Estate Planning - Why am I Left in the Waiting Room? BY ATTORNEY SUSAN I. JEAN July 19, 2019 It is common for family members to accompany their loved one to a legal consultation. Attorneys are scary (no, not really), the situation is concerning, you want to be sure...
Estate Planning - Selecting your Fiduciary By Attorney Robert T. Brooks July 3, 2019 Who should manage your funds? The answer is simple… it should be you or a responsible individual/entity of your choosing. I recently drafted a Trust and other estate planning...
BY ATTORNEY SUSAN I. JEAN, June 7, 2019 We love our fur-babies and they love us back … We spoil our fur-babies and they spoil us back … We protect our fur-babies … and sometimes they protect us back… Being a responsible pet parents includes the...
Estate Planning -- Are you Too Young to Have a Will? By Attorney Robert T. Brooks June 6, 2019 Many people ask me, “when should I create a Will?" My answer is, "As long as you are 18 years of age and of sound mind, you should have a Will." Many people procrastinate...
Estate Planning - Get it Done Now! BY ATTORNEY SUSAN I. JEAN, May 31, 2019 Son came to see me about his mother. She lives in the memory assist unit of a local assisted living facility. And no one had talked with her about doing Powers of Attorney. No one had talked...
Estate Planning - Are You Ready for Motorcycle Weather? By Attorney Robert T. Brooks May 29, 2019 The cold weather has diminished, and we are now left with perfect motorcycle riding weather. Typical motorcycle owners will make sure their bike is cleaned, properly...
Estate Planning - Why Can't I Just Write my Own Will? BY ATTORNEY SUSAN I. JEAN, May 17, 2019 I was sitting across the conference table from an older lady (“Clara” for purposes of this Article, not her real name) who has a very simple situation. She has three...
Estate Planning - Beneficiary Designation Changes When a Beneficiary Predeceased You By Attorney Robert T. Brooks March 13, 2019 We have all filled out the beneficiary forms for life insurance, bank accounts, etc. Once you list your beneficiaries you relax because if...
Estate Planning - What is a Beneficiary Designation? By Attorney Jennifer Kahl, February 25, 2019 To put it succinctly, a beneficiary designation is a contractual agreement between you and the custodian of your asset that dictates where your asset will go when you...
Virginia Medicaid -- How Does Medicaid Treat Life Insurance? By Attorney Susan I. Jean on Friday, January 25, 2019 One of the most common reasons for a long-term care Medicaid denial is life insurance with cash value. We don’t think of life insurance when we think...
Estate Planning - What is a Power of Attorney and Why Do I Need One? By Attorney Robert T. Brooks on Wednesday, January 16, 2019 We all like to think that we will remain healthy and capable of handling our own affairs. But what happens when the unexpected accident...
By Attorney Jennifer D. Kahl December 15, 2017 Choosing the person who will be your executor is an important decision. You want to make sure that you pick someone who is trustworthy, conscientious, and hardworking. What does an Executor do? After you die, your...
By Attorney Susan I. Jean November 11, 2017 My daughters will swear that our dog, Maggie, actually raised them. I still have pictures of them rolling Maggie around in a baby buggy; poor Maggie! For many of us, our pets are family. In fact, in the United...
By Attorney Jennifer D. Kahl June 16, 2017 Clients ask me this question all the time. Do I need a trust? Some people mistakenly believe that a trust is somehow "better" than a will, or that everybody with significant assets needs to have a trust. Often, people...
By Attorney Jennifer Kahl February 24, 2017 Ah, estate planning. My grandparents are getting pretty old, so they should probably get that done. And my parents? They are pretty wealthy, so they should probably look into it as well. But me? I’m young! I’m...