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A comprehensive Life & Legacy Plan is about creating a strategy that lets you enjoy your life to the fullest while protecting your loved ones’ future when you can no longer be there. It might seem like life insurance is an easy way to help secure your loved ones’ future – and it is – but your policy must be set up in the right way to have the best possible impact on your family.

The way you set up your beneficiary designations on your insurance policy can significantly impact its effectiveness, how it’s used, and who controls it after you die. In this blog, we’ll explore how not to name beneficiaries on your life insurance and how to name beneficiaries to ensure your loved ones have the funds they need to thrive when something happens to you.

DO NOT Name a Minor As The Beneficiary of Your Life Insurance Policy

Naming your child or grandchild as a direct (or even backup) beneficiary of your life insurance policy may seem like a natural choice, but if you do that you’re guaranteeing a bad outcome for the people you love.

First of all, if a minor child is the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, it guarantees a court process called “guardianship” or “conservatorship” must occur to name a legal guardian or conservator to manage the assets for your minor beneficiary until they turn 18. Then, at 18, your minor child who is just barely an adult receives everything left in the account, outright, unprotected, with no oversight or guidance. This is the worst possible outcome for everyone involved.

If you are buying life insurance, you are doing it to make the life of your loved one’s better. We often say “insurance says I love you.” But naming a minor child as a beneficiary doesn’t say I love you; it says that you didn’t take the time to set your life insurance up the right way. You might think the answer is to name a trusted family member or friend as the beneficiary of your life insurance, hoping they’ll use the funds for your kids, but don’t do that!

If you name another adult as the beneficiary for a life insurance policy intended for your kids, your kids will have no legal right to the money – which means the adult you named as beneficiary can use the money however they want and don’t have to use it for your kids at all!

So what’s the solution? Keep reading until the end to find out what to do instead.

DO NOT Name Adult Beneficiaries Directly or They Risk Losing The Money Entirely

Direct payouts to adult beneficiaries may seem straightforward, but can have unintended consequences. Life circumstances change, and the lump sum received from a life insurance policy might be at risk if not managed properly. By avoiding direct payouts, you can ensure that the financial security provided by the insurance is preserved for the long term.

One key concern is the potential for beneficiaries to hastily misuse or exhaust the funds. A sudden windfall might lead to imprudent spending, leaving your loved ones without the financial support you intended. Additionally, if your beneficiaries are not financially savvy, they may struggle to manage a lump sum effectively, meaning the policy might lose money over time.

Even if an adult beneficiary is financially responsible and savvy – or knows enough to speak to a financial advisor – life events can put the funds at risk. Because the life insurance proceeds now belong entirely to your beneficiaries in this case, the proceeds of the policy are now completely vulnerable to any future divorces or lawsuits that your beneficiary may go through in the future.

That means that if your beneficiary is divorced, sued, or accumulates debt, all the money they received from your insurance policy could be lost.

Plan For Your Life Insurance The Right Way: Use a Trust

A Trust is an agreement you make with a person or an institution you choose. This person is called your Trustee, and their directive is to manage the assets you put into or leave to your Trust, according to the rules you create.

Instead of naming minors or adult loved ones as the direct beneficiaries of your life insurance, name your Trust as the beneficiary of your policy instead. By doing this, your loved ones will still receive the funds you intend for them while maintaining control over how the funds are managed and distributed. This ensures that your wishes for your assets and your loved ones are carried out even after you’re gone.

How does it work?

A well-drafted Trust allows you to specify conditions for distributing the Trust funds, ensuring that the funds are used for intended purposes such as your beneficiaries’ education, homeownership, or other specific needs. Distributions from the Trust can also depend on the ages and circumstances of each beneficiary. This level of control can prevent the misuse of funds and promote responsible financial behavior for everyone involved. Plus, assets held in a Trust bypass the probate process, ensuring a more efficient and timely distribution of funds to your beneficiaries. This can be crucial in providing immediate financial support to your loved ones when they need it the most.

And while you can choose to have your Trustee distribute life insurance proceeds directly out to your beneficiaries outright, at specific ages and stages, you may want to provide even more protection for your beneficiaries. One of the considerations we’ll help you make is whether to retain the assets in trust, giving your beneficiaries control over the Trust assets, but in a manner that keeps the inherited life insurance protected from lawsuits, future divorces, and creditors.

Let Us Set Up Your Entire Plan In The Best Way Possible

Setting up your life insurance policy with the right beneficiaries involves careful consideration of your unique family dynamics, financial goals, and long-term objectives while being proactive to avoid future issues. By doing so, you maximize the benefits of your life insurance to provide a lasting legacy of financial security and support for your loved ones.

But planning for your life insurance is only one step in creating a plan for everything you own and everyone you love today and in the future. As your Personal Family Lawyer, my mission is to guide you to create a comprehensive estate plan, which I call a Life & Legacy Plan, that ensures your wishes are fulfilled and your family’s future is protected no matter what the future holds.

Schedule a complimentary call with my office to learn more.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.

Want to contribute to your grandchild’s future college education? The FAFSA Simplification Act, which went into effect last month, now makes it possible for grandparents to do even more to help finance their grandchild’s education.

In the past, any contributions or distributions from a grandparent’s 529 college savings plan were subject to FAFSA reporting, potentially impacting the student beneficiary’s eligibility for federal financial aid. The new changes, however, bring a breath of fresh air.

In this blog, you’ll learn what has changed under the new rule and how grandparents can leverage it to support their grandchild’s educational pursuits.

Understanding the 529 Account

First things first – what exactly is a 529 college savings account? It’s a special savings account designed to help individuals, including grandparents, set aside money for future college expenses. Contributions aren’t federally tax-deductible, but the good news is that earnings within the account grow tax-free. When funds are withdrawn for qualified education expenses, they remain untaxed.

What The New Rule Changes

When the account owner is a dependent student or custodial parent, the total value of the 529 plan is reported as an investment asset on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Previously, if a grandparent owned the 529 plan, any distributions were considered untaxed income for the student, potentially affecting financial aid eligibility. The upcoming change eliminates this concern.

In a nutshell, a 529 plan owned by a grandparent will no longer require reporting on the FAFSA. Even more impactful is that distributions from this grandparent-owned 529 plan will not be deemed as untaxed income for the student. This opens up opportunities for grandparents to contribute to their grandchild’s education without jeopardizing financial aid eligibility.

Maximizing Grandparent Contributions

It’s important to keep the following in mind when you make contributions to a 529 account for a grandchild:

1. Funds Must Be Used For Qualified Educational ExpensesGrandparents can use 529 plan funds for a range of qualified educational expenses, including tuition, room and board, books, supplies, laptops, and internet access. However, certain expenses like insurance, student health fees, transportation, and extracurriculars are not covered and may incur a ten percent penalty if 529 plan funds are used toward these expenses.
2. The Annual Gift ExclusionWhile grandparents can contribute to their grandchild’s 529 plan, it’s essential to be mindful of the federal annual gift exclusion, which is the amount of money a person can gift to someone else without needing to file a gift tax return. The limit currently stands at $18,000 for an individual and $36,000 for those filing jointly with a spouse. A special rule allows gift givers to spread larger one-time gifts across five years to stay within their lifetime gift exclusion.
3. Reconsider Payments Made Directly to The SchoolDistributions directly paid to the school from grandparent-owned 529 accounts will not affect aid eligibility. However, for now, it’s recommended to pay the grandchild directly.
4. Timing MattersWhen withdrawing funds from the 529 plan, it’s crucial to do so within the same tax year as the educational expenses. This strategic move ensures smooth financial transactions and adherence to tax regulations.
5. Watch Your Withdrawal LimitsThe amount withdrawn from all 529 plans should be no more than the total cost of the qualified educational expenses billed by the school. Excess withdrawals may incur a 10 percent penalty, but there’s a 60-day window to rectify the situation without penalties.

Helping You Plan For Your Family’s Future In The Most Loving Way Possible

It’s a heartwarming prospect to be able to help shape a brighter future for the younger generation. By understanding the new FAFSA rule and strategically utilizing 529 plans, you can contribute meaningfully to your grandchild’s education without compromising financial aid opportunities. This makes a 529 account an even better investment tool that not only helps your grandchild afford their education but leaves behind a legacy of love and wisdom.

At our firm, we believe this is what estate planning is all about – your Life & Legacy. That’s why we refer to estate planning as Life & Legacy Planning. It isn’t just about making a plan for what happens to your assets when you die – it’s about making meaningful, heart-centered decisions that provide peace, love, and guidance to the ones you love today and for years to come in the future.

If you’re ready to create a plan that takes care of everything you own and everyone you love in the most loving way possible, give us a call to learn what a Life & Legacy Planning Session can do for you.

Click the button below to schedule your complimentary call.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

​Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.

As we welcome the New Year, filled with hope and resolutions for a brighter future, one commitment should be at the top of your list– creating a Kids Protection Plan™. It can be hard to think about a future where you couldn’t be there for your children, but having a plan in place will ensure that your kids stay in the care of the people they know and love in the event you become incapacitated or die (instead of their care decisions being left up to chance or whichever judge is overseeing the family court at the time).

This is not just some task to add to your to-do list; it’s a warm embrace of security for your little ones. So, why is this the ultimate resolution for you in 2024? Keep reading to find out.

Unforeseen Circumstances Can Leave Your Kids In Foster Care

Imagine your kids at home with a babysitter, and you don’t come home. You’ve been in an accident and are unconscious at the hospital. Authorities are called, but the babysitter doesn’t have the legal authority to care for your children until you return or until a Permanent Guardian is appointed. Even if you already named a Permanent Guardian for your kids, this doesn’t offer immediate legal authority for the Guardian to care for them.

In such scenarios, law enforcement might place your child into protective custody with social services. A Kids Protection Plan™ bridges this gap by providing legal documentation and instructions for Temporary Legal Guardians who have the immediate legal authority to care for your children until you return or until a Permanent Guardian is appointed by the court. This minimizes the risk of your children ending up in foster care or with a family member that you would never want in charge of your children.

Planning Lets You Pick Who Cares for Your Kids – Not a Judge

Is there someone in your life whom you unequivocally would never want raising your kids? Even if you’ve already named Permanent Legal Guardians for them, it’s still up to a judge to make the official determination of who should raise your children long-term. If this person is an immediate family member, the judge may choose them as your kids’ Permanent Legal Guardian if they come forward as a candidate, despite what your Permanent Guardian Nomination paperwork says.

A comprehensive Kids Protection Plan™ confidentially excludes anyone you would never want raising your kids and provides crucial information about your decision to exclude them that can be presented to the judge if needed. With this confidential document, you ensure that your children are always kept away from someone you wouldn’t want as their Legal Guardian.

You Have Unique Desires for Your Kids’ Education, Healthcare, and Financial Well-Being

Every parent has distinct desires regarding their children’s education, healthcare, and financial well-being. A Kids Protection Plan™ allows you to articulate these wishes thoroughly in a way that provides your kids’ Legal Guardians with guidance and your children with the comfort of their routine.

Plus, providing clear instructions to potential guardians ensures that your children’s upbringing aligns with your values and aspirations. This process not only secures their future but also grants you profound clarity about your parenting priorities.

Comprehensive Protection for the Ones You Love Most

While nominating Permanent Legal Guardians is fundamental, it might not suffice in every situation. A full-fledged Kids Protection Plan™ offers a holistic approach, addressing the potential pitfalls of leaving your kids with caregivers, excluding unwanted individuals from guardianship, and outlining your unique desires for their well-being. This comprehensive plan ensures that your children remain in the care of trusted individuals who understand and respect your values.

If you’re ready to make creating a Kids Protection Plan™ your most significant New Year’s resolution, the first step is scheduling your Life & Legacy Planning Session™. During the Session, we’ll guide you through our unique, heart-centered process to tailor a plan that reflects your wishes, secures your family’s future, and includes a Kids Protection Plan™.

And unlike other resolutions that may be hard to stick to, we’re here to guide and support you through every step to ensure your Kids Protection Plan™ offers the best protection for the people you love – both now and for years to come.

Click the link below to schedule a complimentary call to learn more about our process and schedule your own Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.

Trying to find the right lawyer to help with legal matters, especially if you are under the gun in a crisis situation, but even if you aren’t, can often feel like navigating uncharted waters. You want to find an attorney you like who will understand your family’s needs, but you also have to consider the cost of the attorney you’re hiring, and whether they can meet your immediate needs and be there for you in the long term.

Depending on the type of legal work you need handled, whether it’s a high-conflict litigation matter, a one-off transactional matter, or ongoing strategic support, the options can be confusing to say the least. Maybe you’ve even considered a legal insurance plan or a pre-paid legal program. While the idea of legal insurance is fantastic, the execution is often lacking.

In this blog, we’ll explore your options for hiring a lawyer just by looking at the legal billing models. In future articles, we’ll consider other factors, such as the benefits of consistent relationships, strategic guidance, and proactive risk prevention. In addition, for the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on proactive estate planning, and touch on some of the other more reactive situations, such as crisis planning to support an elder who needs immediate nursing care or a high-conflict divorce or business break-up.

The Pitfalls and Costs of Hourly Billing

Hourly billing, tracked and invoiced in 6-minute increments, was the standard legal billing model for generations. If you’ve ever hired a lawyer billing by the hour, you probably experienced the reality where you really didn’t want to share too much with that lawyer, and wanted to keep your conversations as concise as possible, always tracking whether the conversation strayed into anything personal and perhaps wondering “am I getting billed for this?”

As a result, when hiring an attorney who bills by the hour, you’ll likely find yourself hesitant to contact your attorney with questions or additional pieces of information because you don’t want to incur extra costs or get a surprise bill in the mail. This creates a barrier to open communication with your lawyer and can keep you from getting the legal support you truly need.

Or, you may not even think about how your lawyer is billing, and after a quick phone call to your lawyer here and an email to them there, you could be caught off guard by how quickly those 6-minute increments add up to substantial invoices you weren’t planning on. This can harm your relationship with your lawyer, make it challenging to budget for legal services effectively, and can leave you feeling stressed about your legal bills instead of focusing on the reason that brought you to the lawyer in the first place.

Complex cases or unforeseen complications can inflate your bill even more by prolonging the time your lawyer is needed to complete the work. Even without a complex case, hourly billing may unintentionally skew your lawyer’s incentives. After all, a longer legal process means more billable hours for them. If you’re wondering if this is the case with your lawyer, it negatively impacts your sense of trust in your relationship with them.

Hourly rates for lawyers can be as low as $125 per hour, and as high as $1000 or more per hour. In some big firms, they even get as high as $2000 per hour now. The general range seems to be $250-$650 per hour, depending on the type of matter.

Because hourly billing comes with so many risks to the relationship with your lawyer and your bank account, whenever possible, we recommend that you work with a lawyer who is experienced enough in the type of matter they are handling for you that they are able to quote you a flat fee for a specific outcome related to the work you need handled.

The Advantages of Flat Fees

Choosing a lawyer who charges flat fees flips the script, offering a straightforward and transparent approach to legal billing. With flat fees, you know exactly what you’ll pay from the outset, and what you’ll be delivered in return. As we say here in our office: everything is billed on a flat-fee basis, agreed to in advance, so there are no surprises. This transparency eliminates the stress of unexpected costs and allows you to plan for legal expenses more effectively.

Flat fees give you and your lawyer room to speak freely about your needs without feeling as if you need to watch the clock or wonder if you’ve strayed too far afield in your conversation and connection. This means you can ask questions without worry, and leave it to your lawyer to set boundaries around whether any of the additions you may want would increase the fee for the services you need.

The way we see this work in our office when we are focusing on your estate planning matters is that we’ve invested considerable time in coming up with a flat fee billing structure that’s based around the outcomes you desire, rather than the specific documents you need, and that is flexible to change and grow with you over time.

For example, you may begin with a plan that is focused on keeping your kids in the care of people you know, love, and trust but doesn’t fully avoid the court process. Later, you might upgrade to a more comprehensive plan that focuses more on asset protection. The critical aspect here is that your fee is tied to the outcomes you desire, not the hours it takes or the documents we create.

When an attorney charges a fee for their services that is based on the outcome you desire, you know you’re getting a comprehensive package, not just one or two documents or a set of hours that won’t actually deliver for you and your family at the end of the day.

Keeping The Focus On You

As your dedicated Personal Family Lawyer® firm, we specialize in providing comprehensive estate planning with a focus on our client relationships. That means charging a reasonable flat fee for a comprehensive plan where we can take the time to get to know you, your family, and your needs on an intimate level and tailor your fee to the outcomes you desire.

Plus, we understand that planning for death and incapacity can be a lot to think about, and we want to give you the mental and emotional space to consider your estate planning options without the anxiety or distraction of a bill that changes every month. We want our time spent together to be entirely focused on you and your needs.

If you’re ready to create an estate plan for the people you love that will serve and protect them for years to come, we invite you to reach out.

Schedule a complimentary discovery call with us to get started.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

​Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.

Last week, we started our discussion on estate planning for a loved one with a dementia diagnosis and what this means for their ability to protect their wishes through an estate plan. We covered:

• What it means to have mental capacity or be incapacitated
• How dementia affects capacity for estate planning purposes
• The essential estate planning tools a person with dementia needs to create right away

However, as dementia progresses, estate planning must become more proactive and strategic than ever to avoid court and conflict over your loved one’s wishes in the future. If dementia becomes too advanced before planning is complete, the question of who will manage your loved one’s assets and care will be left to a judge who doesn’t know your loved one or their wishes.

Keep reading to learn what steps need to be considered when estate planning for someone with more advanced dementia.

Seek a Cognitive Evaluation

If your loved one’s cognitive capacity is in question, seeking a professional evaluation is a prudent and proactive step in the estate planning process. Schedule an appointment with your loved one’s primary care physician or a specialist in dementia care to assess their mental state and make a recommendation on your loved one’s ability to make estate planning decisions.

During this evaluation, the medical professional will talk to your loved one and ask them questions about their everyday life, how aware they are of their circumstances, and what they would do in certain situations, such as if a stranger came to the door or if a pipe burst in their home.

Your loved one doesn’t need to remember every detail about their life for the evaluation to be beneficial. The professional will be most concerned with your loved one’s ability to analyze a scenario and make a thoughtful decision on how to respond. For example, your loved one may not remember what day of the week it is but may remember they shouldn’t open the door for a stranger.

Receiving a report from your loved one’s doctor stating they have the cognitive ability to make estate planning decisions (at least when they are in a lucid state) protects their ability to make decisions for their finances and healthcare, and dissuades any future debate from third parties as to whether your loved one had the ability to make a plan in the first place.

Encourage Private Meetings Between Your Loved One and Their Lawyer

It may be second nature to help your loved one with appointments, especially if hearing and memory troubles make it difficult for your loved one to follow along. But as much as possible, allow your loved one to meet with their lawyer independently. A private meeting between your loved one and their lawyer will provide them with the opportunity to express their wishes without external influence.

Even if you have your loved one’s best intentions at heart and they would prefer to have you present during the meetings, encouraging your loved one to have private conversations with their lawyer when possible helps avoid questions about whether or not you influenced their estate planning decisions.

If it isn’t feasible for your loved one to have an entire meeting with their lawyer alone, make sure they at least have opportunities to talk to their attorney in private by leaving the room while your attorney confirms their wishes.

Be sure to document every time your loved one meets alone with their lawyer and ask their lawyer to document it as well.

Make Sure Their Estate Plan Is Executed Carefully

Unfortunately, errors that occur at the time an estate plan is signed are common. Every state has different laws for how estate planning documents are executed, how they can be signed, and what witnesses or notaries are required to make the document binding.

If your loved one’s plan isn’t executed properly, it can result in your family needing to involve a judge to determine whether the estate plan is still valid. This also creates an opportunity for family members to question whether your loved one had the mental capacity to create the plan at all.

It’s also essential to document your loved one’s capacity at the time the estate plan documents are signed. Make sure that their lawyer reviews the documents carefully with your loved one before they sign them, that the documents reflect your loved one’s wishes, and that your loved one is creating the plan of their own free will.

If you have any concerns about other family members questioning your loved one’s estate planning decisions or mental state at the time, ask your loved one and their attorney if they could record the signing meeting to dispel any claims that your loved one was coerced into planning or didn’t know what they were signing.

Conclusion

If your loved one received a dementia diagnosis and hasn’t addressed their legal matters, don’t despair – but act fast. Even in the advanced stages of dementia, individuals may have moments when they can participate in decision-making and estate planning. But, due to the progressive nature of dementia, time is of the essence for your loved one to create an estate plan, and the sooner they plan, the easier it will be for them to get the help they need as their condition progresses.

In cases where your loved one’s capacity is severely diminished and estate planning hasn’t been completed, your family will need to pursue a court guardianship. This legal arrangement involves a court appointing a legal guardian who assumes responsibility for making decisions on behalf of the person with dementia. This process can be stressful, and it’s possible the court will appoint someone your loved one never would have wanted to manage their assets or healthcare decisions.

To make sure your loved one’s wishes are documented before it’s too late, I invite you to book a Life & Legacy Planning Session™ with my office today. Our team is dedicated to providing compassionate guidance and legal expertise to ensure the well-being and wishes of your loved one are preserved.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

​Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.

Caring for a loved one with dementia is a challenge that millions of families undertake each year. As a caregiver, understanding how a dementia diagnosis affects your loved one’s legal decision-making is crucial to ensuring their wishes are honored and that you are providing them with the best possible care.

In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of estate planning, even after a dementia diagnosis, as the best method to ensure the wishes and rights of your loved one are protected.

Understanding Incapacity

Dementia is a progressive condition that affects memory, cognition, and daily functioning. As dementia causes your loved one’s cognitive abilities to decline, there may come a time when they are no longer able to make sound decisions about their finances, healthcare, and overall well-being.

When the effects of dementia make it difficult for a person to understand information and make sound decisions, that person is considered to be incapacitated, which means they can no longer legally make healthcare or financial decisions for themselves. This change in their memory and cognition can be emotionally overwhelming for both your loved one and your whole family, and without proper planning, can require court involvement.

But, there’s still some good news. Thoughtful estate planning can ensure that your loved one is cared for by the people they know and trust if they can no longer care for themselves, and even if you’re loved one has already been diagnosed with dementia, it is still possible for them to create a legally-binding estate plan during the early stages of the disease.

Estate Planning In The Early Stages of Dementia

Every adult should create certain legal documents to protect their rights and wishes, and this is no different for a loved one with a dementia diagnosis. What is important to remember is that in order to create a legal document, you need to have mental capacity – meaning you need to be fully aware of what you are doing and what the consequences of your choices will be.

Thankfully, a person does not need to constantly be in a state of capacity to create an estate plan. As long as your loved one has the mental capacity at the moment they sign their estate plan documents, the documents will be valid, even if they regress into a state of incapacity afterward.

In the early stages of dementia, and ideally long before any health problems surface, your loved one should create (or review and update) the following estate planning documents:

General Durable Power of Attorney

A General Durable Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal tool that allows your loved one to appoint someone to make financial and legal decisions on their behalf. Their POA can write checks, pay bills, maintain their home, and manage their financial assets.

This document becomes especially significant as dementia progresses. Encourage your loved one to designate a trusted individual as their financial Power of Attorney while they are still able to make such decisions.

A Revocable Living Trust

A General Durable Power of Attorney is an important tool, but many financial institutions place constraints on the use of a POA or don’t acknowledge their authority at all. To make sure your loved one has complete protection of their financial wishes, encourage them to establish a Revocable Living Trust and move their assets into the name of the Trust. Creating a Trust document alone is not sufficient. Assets must be retitled, and beneficiary designations updated to ensure all assets are covered by the Trust, and that the named Successor Trustee can step in with ease, when necessary.

As part of creating a Trust, your loved one will name the person they want to manage their assets when they are no longer able to do so. This person is called the Trustee or Successor Trustee. The Trustee and Power of Attorney are often the same person, but not always.

Determination of who should serve in what role, and at what point your loved one should give up control over their financial assets is part of what we counsel our clients to decide. If you have any uncertainty whatsoever, please call us to discuss. It’s far better to get the right tools in place, and the right people named, early than it is to wait until it’s too late. Once it’s too late, it’s really too late, and your family could be stuck with a court process as the only path.

By having these two estate planning tools in place and the support of our proactive guidance, you can rest assured that the people your loved one knows and loves will be able to manage their assets for them as their dementia progresses. One of the best things we’ve experienced about part of this process it that the people who have taken care of all of this before they begin to experience dementia are able to relax into a phase of life that can often be full of anxiety because they know it’s been handled.

Power of Attorney for Healthcare

Similar to a General Durable POA, a Power of Attorney for Healthcare (HPOA) appoints someone to make medical decisions on behalf of your loved one when they are unable to do so for themselves. Discussing and establishing a Healthcare Power of Attorney early on allows your loved one to express their medical preferences and ensures their wishes are honored.

Their Power of Attorney for Healthcare should also include a Declaration to Physicians, also called a Living Will, that outlines their desires regarding medical treatment, life support, and end-of-life care. Creating a Declaration to Physicians and discussing their wishes with you ensures that their preferences regarding life-sustaining treatment, resuscitation, and other medical interventions are documented and respected.

The economic burden of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or advanced dementia can be significant – between $2,500 to more than $10,000/month is not unusual. The time to discuss these costs, and what you or your loved one want is right now, before dementia or Alzheimer’s makes it impossible to have any choice.

Plan As Early As Possible

One of the most crucial steps in preparing for the challenges of dementia is to help your loved one complete their estate planning while they still have the capacity to do so. Waiting until the later stages of the disease can limit their options and increase stress for everyone involved.

By addressing legal matters early on, you can ensure that your loved one’s wishes are respected, and their affairs are managed in the way they intended, by the people they trust, without the need for court involvement.

If you have a loved one with more advanced dementia, check back here next week as we explore late-stage estate planning options and methods to avoid family and legal conflict over your loved one’s care.

To learn more, click the button below to schedule a complimentary 15-minute call now.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

​Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.

Losing a loved one is an incredibly challenging experience, and the journey through grief can be both complex and overwhelming. Unfortunately, we all experience grief at one time or another, and knowing how to manage your own grief and how to be there for others who are grieving is an important skill that can improve your life and relationships.

As your Personal Family Lawyer ® firm, we understand that our role extends beyond legal matters. In times of loss, it’s crucial to provide comfort and support to those grieving, and when they’re ready, guidance for the steps ahead.

In this blog, we explore practical and heartfelt ways to hold space for your loved ones who are mourning.

1. Express Empathy

When someone is grieving, the simple act of expressing empathy can provide immense comfort. Let your loved one know that you are there for them, ready to listen without judgment. Phrases like “I’m here for you,” or “I’m so sorry for your loss” can make a significant impact.

If you have also lost a loved one, consider relying on your own experience to relate to their feelings and encourage the person that they will make it through this. Justbe mindful to keep the focus on their feelings, as everyone experiences the emotions of loss differently.

If you aren’t sure what to say or aren’t able to be with them physically, a heartfelt card or a handwritten note can convey your sympathy in a tangible and lasting way. Being present on a telephone call can also be extremely comforting. Even if your loved one doesn’t want to talk, just being together in silence can help.

2. Create a Safe Environment

Grief is a personal journey, and everyone copes differently. Some may need solitude, while others seek companionship. Respect your loved one’s grieving process and offer support tailored to their needs.

Grieving individuals often need a safe space to express their feelings without fear of judgment. Encourage open communication and let your loved one know that it’s okay to feel a range of emotions. Avoid offering unsolicited advice and instead, provide a listening ear.

Sometimes, just being present and allowing them to share memories or express their pain can be incredibly therapeutic.

If your loved one doesn’t feel like talking or being around others, don’t push them. Leave them a message of support and give them space. Check in with them only if you haven’t heard from them in an unusual amount of time based on your relationship with them.

Be patient and understand that the stages of grief are unique to each individual. Even if your loved one is feeling better, they will likely have days or weeks where they will feel overwhelmed by grief again. Offer comfort in these moments without trying to change how they feel.

3. Offer Practical Help

During times of grief, even daily tasks can feel insurmountable. Offering practical help, such as preparing a meal, running errands, or assisting with household chores, can make a world of difference to someone in mourning. Small gestures can alleviate the burden on your loved one, allowing them the time and space they need to navigate their emotions.

If your loved one is grieving for their spouse, they may be at a loss for how to manage their finances or other daily tasks that their partner normally would have handled. Offer to help them pay their bills, set up memorial arrangements, or inform your other relatives about the loss. If your loved one has children to care for, offer to watch their kids for a while, pick them up after school, or help with homework.

Where you’re able, try to assist your loved one as part of a routine or ritual. Establishing routines can provide a sense of stability amid grief. This could be as simple as giving them a weekly phone call to check in, a monthly visit to a special place, or inviting them over for dinner every Sunday. The consistency and socialization these routines bring can offer a source of connection and help ease the depression that comes with loss.

Ease The Burden of Loss on Your Family By Planning Ahead

In times of grief, the support of friends and family is crucial. But the best way to alleviate some of the stress and anxiety that comes with the loss of a loved one is to create a plan ahead of time. By doing so, everyone you love will know exactly what you want to happen if you become incapacitated or die, and the care of your assets, bills, and loved ones will be handled quickly and smoothly by the people you trust.

Even more importantly, your loved ones will have the support of your Personal Family Lawyer® to walk them through any necessary legal steps they need to take during the mourning process.

To learn more about how we can help you create a plan that will provide guidance, comfort, and ease for your loved ones after your death or incapacity, schedule a complimentary call with our office.

We would be honored to be there for your family.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.

In December 2022, Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act, bringing significant changes to the world of retirement savings and student loans. Two key parts of the Secure 2.0 Act are set to take effect in 2024, and they could substantially impact your family’s financial future.

In this blog, we explain how the new law affects your unused 529 college savings account and what that means for your future savings.

You Can Now Roll 529 College Savings Into A Roth IRA

A 529 college fund is a tax-advantaged savings account that is designed to help families save for their children’s college education. With the SECURE 2.0 Act, Congress expanded the ways you can use these accounts by introducing a new rollover option, which is especially helpful if the beneficiary has money left over after their education is complete.

Starting in 2024, a 529 plan account beneficiary will have the opportunity to roll over up to $35,000 from your 529 college savings plans into a Roth IRA – and the best part is it’s tax and penalty-free.

But there are some rules you’ll need to follow to take advantage of this retirement fund boost:

1. Annual and Lifetime Contribution LimitsAny rollover from your 529 account is subject to annual Roth IRA contribution limits. For example, if in 2024 the Roth IRA contribution limit remains the same as in 2023 ($6,500 for individuals under 50), you can roll over an amount up to this limit, including yearly contributions withheld from your income. There is also a rollover contribution limit of $35,000 over your lifetime.
2. The 15-Year RuleTo qualify for tax and penalty-free rollovers, the 529 plan must have been open for at least 15 years. This 15-year clock starts ticking from the day the 529 plan was initially opened, usually by a parent or grandparent. It’s crucial to remember that changing the beneficiary of the 529 plan at any point may potentially restart this 15-year clock.
3. 5-Year Rollover BlackoutFunds that were contributed to your 529 plan within five years of the rollover date cannot be rolled over. Only contributions made outside of this five-year window are eligible. But, you can continue to rollover funds as time goes on and the 5-year window moves farther away from the most recent contributions.

Here’s an example of how these rules work in real life: Imagine your mother opened a 529 account for you in 2001. She contributed money to the account every year for 20 years, through 2020. When you graduated college in 2022, there were some funds left in the 529 account. You want to roll over these funds into a Roth IRA on January 1, 2024.

In this scenario, the account has been open for at least 15 years, so you can roll over funds into a Roth IRA, up to the annual contribution limit of $6,500 per year. But, the funds you roll over from the 529 cannot include funds your mother contributed in the 5 years before your rollover date of January 1, 2024. That means you can’t roll over funds contributed to the 529 account between January 1, 2019, and January 1, 2024.

Let’s look at another example: Your father opened a 529 college savings account for you in 1998 and contributed money to it every year until your graduation from trade school in 2015. Since graduation, you and your employer have contributed a total of $3,000 to your retirement account this year. There is $10,000 left in the account and you want to roll over the funds into a Roth IRA on January 1, 2024.

In this example, the account has been open for more than 15 years and all of the funds in the account were contributed to it more than five years ago, so all of the funds are eligible for a rollover. However, you can only contribute up to $6,500 to your retirement accounts annually. Because of this, you can only roll over a maximum of $3,500 from your 529 account into your Roth IRA this year if you or your employer don’t make any more contributions to your retirement this year. After the rollover, you’ll have $6,500 in your 529 account at the end of 2024.

In 2025, you’ll be able to roll over the remaining $6,500 from your 529 into your Roth IRA (if you make no other contributions from your income that year).

An Extra Bonus For Grandparent-Owned Accounts

In order to be considered for federal financial aid, students must disclose their personal and family financial information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA). Funds in a 529 account created by a parent are counted as a financial asset of the student on the FAFSA application.

But funds in a 529 account owned by a grandparent or other third party have never been counted as an asset for FAFSA purposes. Only money withdrawn from the account is considered untaxed income of the student which FAFSA considers in its application review.

The big news is that with the new Secure 2.0 Act, any withdrawals from a grandparent-owned 529 for education expenses will no longer be considered untaxed income of the student, which means the funds will not hurt the student’s eligibility for federal aid.

Planning for What’s Really Important

While you take steps to secure your financial future, don’t forget to protect everything you’ve worked so hard to build. Your retirement savings is likely the largest asset you own, and making sure it’s managed and passed on in the best way possible is essential for your well-being and the future well-being of those you love.

To make sure there’s a plan for your future, give our office a call. We’d be honored to learn more about your goals for your family and share with you the unique process we use to ensure everything you own and everyone you love is cared for, no matter what.

Schedule a free 15-minute discovery call to get started.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

​Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.

Business ownership is a fulfilling and exciting endeavor, but it also comes with rules, responsibilities, and reporting requirements that can be hard to track. If you own a small business or have a Trust that owns a business interest, you’ll need to comply with the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) come January.

Beginning January 1, 2024, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) will require small companies to disclose the names of any owners who hold a 25% or more ownership interest in the company, as well as any individuals who exercise significant control over the company’s activities. This new rule also applies to Trusts that own or control a company.

If you or your family own a business or have a Trust that owns a business, you’ll be required to file a report under the CTA. And, if you plan to create a new company next year, your reporting deadline could be as soon as 30 days after the date of its creation.

There is a way to get more time to file the required report, but you need to act before the end of the year.

In this blog, I’ll share how to get a year-long reporting extension for your business that can give you more time to gather the required information needed to file the CTA report. But before I tell you how to gain the extension, it’s important to understand what the CTA is and how it will affect your business.

What The Corporate Transparency Act Means For Your Business

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) was enacted in 2020 to enhance corporate transparency and prevent money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes. By requiring businesses to report information about their owners and controllers, the Act seeks to make it easier to identify “shell” corporations – companies that don’t actually perform an active business or trade and which are often used to move money around illegally.

To comply with the Act, certain businesses including some corporations and LLCs will need to disclose the names of anyone who owns 25% or more of the company and any members of the company who have “substantial control” over the company’s activities to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). This includes anyone who owns or controls a company through their Trust.

In order to comply, a business must file an annual report with the following information on each owner or controller of the business:

• Business name and current business address
• State in which the business was formed and its Entity Identification Number (EIN)
• Owner/controller’s name, birth date, and address
• Photocopy of a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license or passport) of every direct or indirect owner or controller of the company

If a company doesn’t file an annual report, it may be penalized with a $500 fine for every day the report is late and its owners could even face imprisonment for up to two years.

What Businesses Need to Report Under The CTA?

The new CTA rule applies to any company that is created by filing a formation document with the Secretary of State or a similar office, such as corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs).

Since money laundering and terrorist financing are usually conducted using small businesses, the Act largely aims to collect information on these companies, so entrepreneurs and small business owners should take extra care to meet the filing requirements.

Publicly traded companies, non-profits, and regulated companies like financial firms, accounting agencies, and banks are exempt from the rule. Large companies are also exempt if they have 20 or more full-time employees in the US and generate $5 million in sales. An LLC or corporation that isn’t actively performing a business or service is also exempt due to its inactivity.

When Do Businesses Need to File Their Report and How Can You Extend Your Deadline?

Here’s the thing about filing your annual report for the Corporate Transparency Act: If your company was created after January 1, 2024, you’ll need to file your report within 30 days of the company’s creation. But, if your company’s formation occurred on or before December 31, 2023, you have until January 1, 2025, to file its CTA report.

So, if you already have a business entity created, you have until January 1, 2025, to submit your report. This means if you’re thinking of creating a new company or changing the entity structure of an existing company, doing so before January 1, 2024, will give you a year-long grace period to file the report. Otherwise, once January 1 rolls around, it’ll be too late to take advantage of this extension.

Why does this extension matter?

The extension provides a valuable window of time for business owners to understand the reporting requirements thoroughly, gather the necessary information, and engage with legal professionals to ensure they’re in compliance with the Act without the pressure of a 30-day deadline.

The Act’s reporting rules seem straightforward, but the penalties for non-compliance can be substantial. Creating your new business entity by year-end provides a cushion against potential penalties and risks associated with overlooking or misunderstanding reporting requirements. It’s a proactive step that gives your business the advantage of time.

Helping You Make Strategic Moves for The Wellbeing of Your Family

If you own a family business or you’re thinking of creating a new business entity soon, I encourage you to do it NOW before the end of the year so you can take advantage of the year-long window to file your Corporate Transparency Act report for existing businesses.

And don’t wait until the end of December to get started, as we anticipate there will be a rush of new business entity filings at the end of December as business owners and their professionals rush to file their creation documents before the new year. If you need assistance filing your report or aren’t sure whether the CTA rule applies to your company, we can help.

As your Personal Family Lawyer® firm, our goal is to guide your family through every stage of life and every change in the law through an ongoing relationship with you. Our approach to serving clients doesn’t end when the paperwork is filed. We keep in touch with you and keep you abreast of any changes in the law so you can have peace of mind knowing that your family and assets are well cared for now and in the future.

Schedule a complimentary call with my office using the button below to learn more.

This article is a service of a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning Session™, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session™.

The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer® firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

​Proper estate planning can keep your family out of conflict, out of court, and out of the public eye. Are you ready to protect your loved ones and legacy? Check out my next presentation.