“Parenting is always difficult, and it’s even more challenging when a child has a mental health or substance use issue.” – Barry Lessin, M.Ed, Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor Substance Use Problems Make Parenting Difficult at Any Age Many parents of all ages struggle with children who face substance use problems. Whether the problem […]
If you or a loved one has lived with a mental illness and/or a substance use issue, you may be aware of how important it is to make your wishes for your health care known before a crisis occurs. When our own wishes are not known or are not followed, severe emotional trauma may occur […]
For high-net-worth families, many legal strategies are employed to preserve wealth and minimize taxes. However, tax laws continually change and can impact new and existing estate plans. For example, the SECURE and SECURE 2.0 Act presents some challenges and opportunities in high-net-worth estate planning and the ability to transfer wealth from one generation to the […]
Most young parents do not think about dying or becoming seriously ill or injured. As unlikely as such a serious event is when we are young, it is a possibility. This is why we pay for medical insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance. Even though many young parents acknowledge the possibility of a life-altering event […]
Before seeking medical care, imagine if you were ill and had to decide if you could afford it. Unfortunately, for many Americans, seeking medical care hinges on affordability rather than medical necessity. About half of US adults have gone without or delayed medical care in the last year due to a lack of affordability. Even with insurance […]
Online profiles and accounts aren’t addressed in most estate plans because most adults don’t have a will. As your online presence grows professionally and personally, taking charge of your digital assets and plans for them after you die becomes important. Some social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter provide users with options to nominate […]
Parents usually treat their children’s inheritances equally, whether they are for property or money. But sometimes, parents intentionally choose to not leave anything to a child, and the reasons for doing so may vary. One reason could be that a child who is more financially successful than the others and the parent doesn’t feel it’s […]
The number of Americans who are widowed or divorced has reached record levels, causing new partnerships to form among older Americans. The US Census Bureau reports that more than half of all older adults have only married once, opting to stay legally single in their future relationships. Cohabitating can have unforeseen and unintended consequences without a legally […]
Special needs trusts (SNT), or supplemental needs trusts, are legal entities designed to assist people of any age with disabilities with maintaining government benefits and receiving additional financial assistance. Under the SSA expenditure rules, an SNT can provide additional monies to enhance the beneficiary’s lifestyle while maintaining Medicaid, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or Supplemental […]
In the United States, gun trusts are legal tools that enable individuals to own firearms in a legally compliant way and, at the same time, allow them to share access to firearms with others. This approach is beneficial for those who own restricted firearms or firearms regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA), such as […]
During the process of planning your future, both financially and medically, you may wonder what the difference between estate planning and elder law is. Estate planning and elder law also have some similarities. Even though these two types of law are for different stages in life, they are often handled at the same time. This […]
You can delegate the power of attorney to someone you trust to conduct transactions or make decisions on your behalf. They could be related to personal finances, business operations, or medical needs and used for a single immediate purpose or an ongoing situation. This may sound pretty straightforward. When you are looking for services online, […]