Law Office of Bonnie Lawston

Over the years there has been a lot of chatter about avoiding probate because it’s this horrible expensive “monster.” It’s not. Look at the people or the source that is claiming its horrible - its services and people who are trying to convince you to pay for a trust now and avoid probate. Trusts can cost thousands of dollars and that will cost you the money now and it does not avoid probate.

If there are several children, who will be the administrator? That is a tough question to answer, however, when families are cooperative with each other, then it should be one who is closest to the estate or assets. Simply for the reason that it’s easier for that child to protect and manage the asset such as a house if they live nearby rather than another state.

Careful estate planning is the best way to maximize your inheritance for your children and your future income. Speak with an attorney today and start preparing a plan. Draft a Will and, perhaps a trust, and all the related documents needed to protect against government seizure, expensive future litigation and probate issues.

You love your family and you would not want to accidentally disinherit them, right? So, you need to plan otherwise, unintended results can happen, especially if your estate is fairly large and complicated.

Guardianships can be avoided through the use of living wills and powers of attorney documents. Living Wills and powers of attorney can provide for that person and their family when the person is temporarily or permanently unable to handle his or her own affairs due to an illness or injury.

Court Battles Deplete Estate assets leaving families to fight and receive less to nothing…..

The appellate division recently overturned a Nassau County case.

Minimizing Stress in Your Golden Years

If your parents or a loved one have suffered an injury or have an illness that makes it difficult or impossible for them to address their own needs, you may need to secure in-home care services. At the same time, you will want to take all appropriate legal measures to protect your loved ones and to give you the authority and flexibility necessary to quickly and effectively handle legal, medical, financial and other issues.

Alzheimer’s disease is a growing problem today that burdens loved ones and their families. The U.S. government website, alzheimers.gov reports that over five million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is most prevalent among the elderly, but is not a normal part of aging.

When your loved one begins to show signs of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, your focus tends to be on medical issues—the kinds of treatment that may be available, the effectiveness of different medications. However, there are steps that you need to take as soon as possible to protect your rights and the rights of your loved one. The Alzheimer’s Organization identifies specific issues that you want to address after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia.