German Law Group

The phrase “power of attorney” is used with great frequency in the field of estate planning.

It can be very difficult for adult children with aging parents to accept that the people who raised them are now coming to the age where they are not able to perform the same tasks that they used to be. If you have aging parents there may come a time when you will need to step in and begin managing some of their responsibilities for them.

What does it mean when an attorney tells you that something is probate property? What about non-probate property? If you don’t know, then you should keep reading. When someone dies, he or she is called a decedent, and the property that they owned will be classified as being either probate property or non-probate property.

While many people make Medicare coverage part of their retirement plan, not everyone knows that Medicare doesn't pay for long-term care coverage. While some people plan on using long-term care insurance or private payment options if they ever need to relocate to a nursing home or assisted living environment, you may be able to use Medicaid to pay for the care costs as well. Let’s take a look at a few common questions about Medicaid planning and how it can help you.

Estate plans do not come in a one-size-fits-all product, and all estate plans need to be changed whenever certain life events arise. Divorcing or legally separating from your spouse is one of these events. If you believe you may be getting a divorce or separation, you need to speak to your estate planning lawyer so you can make the necessary changes.

It's very common to come across news stories about disputes that arise after a famous or wealthy person has died. These family conflicts often lead to broken family relationships that can never be healed. Having an estate plan will go a long way in helping to avoid these types of family conflicts. Not having a plan, on the other hand, can lead to all sorts of difficulties.

Dementia is a symptom of Alzheimer's disease, though it can also occur as a result of other medical conditions. Alzheimer's and dementia produce memory loss and a general cognitive impairment. Here are three common warning signs that Alzheimer's patients typically show. If you notice any of these in yourself or in a family member or loved one, you should consult a physician as soon as possible.

Answer: Maybe. In order to challenge a Will you must have “standing,” the legal right to challenge a will in court. In order to have standing you must typically have stood to receive more from the deceased person either through a previous Will or if that person had died without leaving any Will at all. Essentially, in order to have standing you must stand to receive more if you win the Will challenge and a court declares the Will invalid.

A good estate plan is one that takes into consideration all of your major life events, including a planned retirement and the money you'll need once you stop working. However, whether you have already retired or have yet to, you may wish to reconsider your decision to stop working. For many people, choosing not to retire is one of the best decisions they make. Here are several reasons why it may be right for you.

When you are making your estate plan you may hear the phrase “elder law” but not really know what it means. Elder law is simply the collection of legal issues and topics that most often impacts the elderly. Creating an estate plan, for example, is one aspect of elder law, though the topic includes numerous other legal issues. Let’s take a look at some of the most common elder law issues.

First, don't panic. It is often common to find a mistake or error in your estate plan, especially when you've created your plan yourself or used a website or self-help product. Second, the kind of changes you can make will depend upon the kind of mistake that was made and what you want to change. Let’s look at some common scenarios.

As more and more Americans reach retirement age every day, many often find that their new lives can lead to some regrets. If you have yet to reach retirement age and are creating your estate plan there are several issues associated with retirement you may want to consider as you make your planning choices.

As thousands of baby boomers reach retirement age every day, many of them are finding the idea of having a traditional funeral to be less than satisfying. Luckily, boomers—and everyone else—have a wider range of choices instead of the traditional coffin burial. Here is a brief list.

When a married couple consists of two U.S. citizens, the estate planning rules treat them differently than if one spouse is a non-U.S. citizen or if both spouses are non-U.S. citizens. Although the differences may only affect the postponement of Federal estate taxes, the marital deduction set forth in the Internal Revenue Code may affect your estate plans.

A nuncupative will is an oral will. Several states allow their residents to create oral or nuncupative wills under limited circumstances. Commonly called “deathbed wills,” testators make nuncupative wills during their final hours before at least one impartial witness.

A trust is a legal type of property ownership which allows a grantor to transfer legal title to trust property to a third-party trustee. The grantor gives another person the right to manage and temporarily retain ownership of his property for his benefit. To create a valid trust, a grantor must create the trust through a written instrument.

North Dakota is only one of 10 states to adopt the Uniform Probate Code’s augmented estate concept. Augmented estates allow disinherited spouses to claim a share of their spouse’s property if they were disinherited.

On April 27 of 2011, North Dakota became the first official state to adopt the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act.

If you were to make a short list of the most influential owners in the history of professional football Al Davis would certainly be at or near the top of the list.

Estate planning obviously involves deciding how you would like to provide for each of the ones that you love after you pass away.

Unfortunately too many people don't take retirement planning seriously enough, and as a result a significant percentage of Americans are not prepared.

We live during a time when everyday people can find information on just about any subject with the click of the mouse.

Many people choose to invest in life insurance. This can be a great way to offer protection to your loved ones, especially if you’re a provider for your family.

Estate planning is something that a lot of people put on the back burner for any number of reasons. Perhaps the most common one would be the fact that many individuals look at the average life expectancy of 78 years plus and figure that they have plenty of time before they have to start taking estate planning seriously.

Many parents choose to create a will so that their minor children are always protected. While a will allows you to appoint a guardian for the care of your minor children, it doesn’t allow you to fully explain the level of care that is needed.

If you want to have some control over your future, then you need to create a will. Many people assume that their wishes will be respected, even if they don't have a will in place

Making the decision to begin your estate plan can be scary and stressful. This is because you will have to explore many issues and you may not understand what will be involved in the process.

With a Power of Attorney you can appoint someone to handle your financial and legal affairs if you should become incapacitated and unable to take care of your own affairs. If you do not have a Power of Attorney, no one can legally do this for you without first going to court and being appointed as Guardian or the conservator of your estate.