Elder Law
Uncomfortable Conversations About Estate Planning (Part 2 of 2)
My clients frequently express to me how difficult it can be to speak to their family members about the decisions they have made (or are in the process of making) when we are working on their estate planning documents. Sometimes the issue is that a parent’s adult children refuse to discuss these matters because the children are not willing to acknowledge that their parent will die at some point. Other times the issue is a child that cannot get their parents to acknowledge the need to get their affairs in order. The unique dynamics that every family has can often compound the general problem of one person or the other not wanting to discuss these matters. Last week we examined the first of the two situations I’ve mentioned above. Today, let’s look at some ideas for adult children on how to motivate their parents to get estate planning in order.
Read MoreUncomfortable Conversations About Estate Planning (Part 1 of 2)
My clients frequently express to me how difficult it can be to speak to their family members about the decisions they have made (or are in the process of making) when we are working on their estate planning documents. Sometimes the issue is that a parent’s adult children refuse to discuss these matters because the children are not willing to acknowledge that their parent will die at some point. Other times the issue is a child that cannot get their parents to acknowledge the need to get their affairs in order. The unique dynamics that every family has can often compound the general problem of one person or the other not wanting to discuss these matters. Let’s start this week by looking at the first of the two situations I’ve mentioned above and consider some possible approaches to a potentially very delicate topic. Next Sunday, we will tackle Part 2 of this topic with some ideas for adult children on how to motivate their parents to get their planning in order.
Read MoreHow to Avoid the Need for a Court Appointed Guardian or Conservator
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If you are an adult in Idaho and become unable to make your own decisions in life due to injury, illness, or some other form of incapacity, there are two basic ways in which another person becomes the stand-in decision maker for you. The first way is through the use of a previously written and signed Power of Attorney Document in which you will have stated who it is that should make your decisions for you if you cannot do so. That stand-in decision maker is called your “Agent” or your “Attorney in Fact.” However, if you have not previously completed valid Power of Attorney documents, a judge will need to appoint someone to become your decision maker through a court process known as Guardianship and Conservatorship. If a judge has to appoint your stand-in decision maker, that person will be called your “guardian” and/or “conservator.”
Read MoreWhat Happens if you Handwrite Your Own Will in Idaho?
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From time to time in my practice as an estate planning attorney I come across a Last Will and Testament (a “will”) that is handwritten. If my client is the person who wrote the handwritten will, he or she is usually meeting with me due to a decision to formalize the estate plan. However, I am always asked in that scenario: “was my old handwritten will valid?” The answer, as it so often is with legal matters, is that it depends.
Read MoreThe Difference Between a Power of Attorney Document and a Last Will & Testament
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I’m often asked if a person needs a Power of Attorney document if that person already has a Last Will and Testament (“Will”). It is a good question. The simple answer for almost everyone is yes – you should have both a Will and a Power of Attorney document. Let’s look at what purpose each serve and why both are necessary.
Read MoreOrgan Donation Should be Addressed in Your Estate Plan
As I read an article about a local family’s experience with organ donation on the front page of last Sunday’s newspaper, my mind went immediately to the many conversations I have had with my clients about this topic. There are several things I think we should all understand about how Idaho law addresses the issue of organ donation and how we can use our estate planning documents to help make sure our wishes on this topic are followed.
Read MoreEstate Planning Can Help Seniors Remain Independent
No one wants to be a burden on his or her friends and family. And no one wants to lose his or her independence. Yet, so many of my clients express deep concern about both. Seniors want to ensure that their families are not disrupted when the complications of life occur. Be it a fall and injury, the onset of dementia, an unexpected chronic illness, or just loss of energy and slowing down – seniors do not want their problems to effect those around them. Many of the seniors I work with have spent the bulk of their lives caring for others. They are rarely ready to be cared for themselves. My clients are often very realistic about the possibility that they need help with certain things or may even have to move out of their home at some point to receive adequate care. However, they also want and deserve to have the most important voice in those decisions.
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