The Risks of Bad Advice
Law Brief ®: Alexis Gruttadauria and Richard Schoenstein Explore The New NYS Power of Attorney Form
Ruder Ware's Elder Law Team Recognizes National Special Needs Law Month - Part 2
Exploring Digitization of Health and Medical Data and Records Part Two
Are your estate planning documents protecting your assets?
Dear Jonathan: Based on my research, I feel like I’m pretty well versed in what I am supposed to do when it comes to creating an estate plan for myself. Everything I have read says that I should have a will, powers of...more
Many families are confident that they have made the necessary preparations to transition their wealth, businesses, foundation and family office to the next generation ... someday, when the time is right. We know that some...more
A complete estate plan includes essential documents such as a Health Care Proxy, Living Will, Power of Attorney, and Last Will & Testament, which are vital in protecting your medical, legal, and financial decisions. These...more
Wendy Williams, the famous talk show host, has long been a media fixture, but in recent years, her name has been associated with a highly publicized guardianship battle. This case underscores the importance of estate planning...more
A comprehensive estate plan provides how your estate is handled in the event of death or incapacitation. It also establishes your desires for how medical and life-sustaining treatments are communicated and administered. ...more
We all make important decisions and engage in regular financial transactions without giving a second thought about our capacity to do so. But what if you suddenly lost the ability? What would happen? While most of us don’t...more
Dear Jonathan: My father, a widower, passed away a couple of months ago. Being his only child, he appointed me as his agent on his durable power of attorney so that I can handle his bill paying which I have been doing for the...more
Michigan’s new Uniform Power of Attorney Act (UPOAA) becomes effective on July 1, 2024. This law serves several purposes, which include preventing financial exploitation of vulnerable individuals and making standard power of...more
As your child approaches their milestone 18th birthday, it's crucial to understand the changes and responsibilities that accompany reaching the age of majority in the eyes of the law. This moment marks their transition into...more
Normal aging can be challenging, but caring for an aging family member with dementia is particularly difficult. Over the years, we have often seen caregivers suffer from exhaustion, compromising their mental and physical...more
Days ago, I watched our baby girl back out of our driveway in her trusty SUV that once belonged to her grandparents to venture boldly to a new state and new chapter in her life. This fall marks the third and final time we...more
A power of attorney is among one of the most important incapacity planning documents you can have. It designates someone you trust with taking care of your affairs if you become unable to do so....more
Reaching the age of majority is a critical milestone in a young person’s life. It brings with it important changes and new freedoms. The newly minted adult may now vote, enter into contracts, join the military and marry....more
Our attorneys field questions every day about the nuanced estate planning issues that arise due to a client's unique circumstances, but there also are many fundamental estate planning considerations that apply "across the...more
Before you pack the car and bring your student to their new home at college, there is an important bit of estate planning each family should consider. At the age of eighteen, a child become a legal adult....more
In Michigan, the age of majority is 18 years. This means that when a person turns age 18, they are no longer a minor and are considered to be a legal adult. Consequently when your child turns 18, you no longer have the legal...more
When people decide to engage in estate planning, typically they focus on naming the beneficiaries of their estate and making sure their estate avoids probate when they pass away. In most cases, these concerns are addressed by...more
Traditionally, an estate plan addresses the tangible assets you own, such as cash and securities, investment real estate, vehicles, and your house. But this is 2022. Increasingly, people are living in a digital world, where...more
Acting as an agent under a power of attorney is a big responsibility and it isn’t something everyone can take on. It is possible to resign or refuse the position....more
Daughter with Power of Attorney Had Burden to Show No Undue Influence over Father - Coscia v. Sweezey, 2021 WL 4765696 (Mass App. Ct. October 13, 2021) - Does holding a power of attorney from a parent in declining...more
David F. Johnson presented his paper “Practical Issues Concerning Power of Attorney Transactions” to the Annual Legal Conference 2021 hosted by the Texas Bankers Association and the Southwest Association of Bank Counsel on...more
Estate planning is a process that must be customized to fit each individual’s unique situation. Each individual has their own priorities and issues to address. The priorities and issues for an unmarried individual are often...more
If you’re preparing to send a child off to college this fall, you should add two documents to your back-to-school checklist: (1) a power of attorney for health care, and (2) a durable power of attorney for finances. Without...more
Small but significant changes are coming soon to the New York State statutory power of attorney form effective June 13, 2021. By legislation passed on December 13, 2020 and signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo, all powers...more
Last week the South Carolina Supreme Court emphasized the importance of the plain language of powers of attorney when determining the authority they grant. See Arrendondo v. SNH SE Ashley River Tenant, LLC, Op. No. 28011...more