Author Archives: Jay Butchko
The “Insane Delusion” Challenge To A Will
Even though the state has laws for passing property to your relatives, writing a will is an empowerment act. Your heirs might be surprised about your choices about what to do with your property; they might not like it, but your word has the force of law. If a disinherited family member wants to… Read More »
Invisible Army Of Caregivers, We See You
It is easy to blame your stress on the subject of the most recent clickbait you clicked on. If not for those chirpy influencers or those people who have nothing better to do than talk about how offended they were by the fact that a marginally Internet famous person was offended by a recent… Read More »
Long-Term Care Costs More Than You Think It Does
When clients meet with estate planning lawyers for the first time, some of them have more realistic expectations about their retirement finances than others. If your only income during retirement will be from Social Security, then don’t expect to keep your empty nest in your possession while spending most of the year in a… Read More »
Which Assets Do Not Have To Go Through Probate?
The websites of estate planning lawyers are full of cautionary tales about how much money a deceased person’s estate can lose because of tax obligations and creditor claims. The solutions that lawyers, and especially for-profit financial planners, often propose is to establish a trust, a separate legal entity that owns your property so that… Read More »
What Kinds Of Medicaid Benefits Can Seniors Get?
If you grew up in the United States, you may have heard your grandparents talking about Medicare. It seemed to take up a large portion of the conversation at family gatherings. You could have reasonably believed that Medicare was the only way seniors could pay for their medical expenses. Given how much stress the… Read More »
The Joyful Estate Plan
While young people are talking about quiet quitting or the Great Resignation, or even despairing of finding any sources of employment income at all, you are looking forward to putting off retirement for as long as you can. Your work gives you hope and enables you to share it with others. No one lasts… Read More »
Are You Too Old To Get A Mortgage Loan?
A home mortgage is the biggest debt that most people incur in a lifetime. Therefore, the repayment term is usually 10, 15, 20, or even 30 years. When you are young and buying a house for the first time, a 30-year mortgage makes sense, because it has the lowest monthly payment; it is usually… Read More »
Floridians Should Have No Fear Of In Terrorem Clauses
In general, the civil courts will enforce any legally binding agreement between individuals or companies as long as the provisions do not contradict state law. For example, if a contractor renovates a kitchen and the homeowner doesn’t pay him, the court will order the homeowner to pay pursuant to the contract, but if a… Read More »
Lifelong Learners, Beware! Federal Lenders Are Coming To Garnish Your Social Security Check
Once your children are past the baby stage, you have more time to pursue your own goals, and for many parents, that means finishing the college degree program that they left when their children were born or seeking an advanced credential to help them achieve their career goals. Unlike younger students, college students over… Read More »
There Are Better Things Your Children Can Inherit From You Than Money
In a recent article on the Kiplinger website, Maurie Backman discusses seniors who have chosen not to leave inheritance money to their children, even though they can afford to do so. The top search results about estate planning tend to focus on whether your descendants should inherit vast sums of money from you through… Read More »
