04

Apr

Intrafamily Loans and How They Work

An intrafamily loan is a financial arrangement between family members—one who is lending and another who is borrowing. An intrafamily loan may be used to help a family member who needs money for a number of reasons:● buying a home● funding or purchasing shares in a busine...

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04

Apr

If My Will Is Filed with the Court, Will It Go through Probate?

Death is a personal and private affair that affects the deceased's close family and friends. However, there is at least one aspect of death that may require state oversight: probate. Probate is the court-supervised process of either (a) carrying out the instructions laid ou...

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04

Apr

How to Choose the Right Agents for Your Incapacity Plan

Many people believe that estate planning is only about planning for their death. But planning for what happens after you die is only one piece of the estate-planning puzzle. It is just as important to plan for what happens if you become unable to manage your own financial or medi...

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04

Apr

5 Essential Legal Documents You Need for Incapacity Planning

Comprehensive estate planning involves more than just planning for your legacy after your death, avoiding probate, and reducing taxes. Good estate planning also appoints people to make legal, financial, and medical decisions for you if you are alive but unable to make those decis...

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04

Apr

2023 in Review: Estate Planning Insights & Strategies for the New Year Ahead

For some, 2023 can be summed with two letters: AI. From the promises (“Now we are all ivy-league graduates! ”) to the doomsday predictions (“Terminator is no longer science-fiction! ”), 2023 has been the year of artificial intelligence. It was also the year that vinyl records exce...

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04

Apr

Blindsided: The Michael Oher Conservatorship Controversy Explained

Michael Oher has had a remarkable life so far. Born to a single mother struggling with addiction and growing up in and out of foster care, Oher went on to star as a University of Mississippi football player and was selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played eig...

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04

Apr

2022 Year End Letter from Strauss Attorneys

We are coming to the end of another year! It has been, yet again, a roller-coaster of a ride. This year marked the apparent end of Covid, as well as The Godfather’s fiftieth anniversary. And, of course, we all are feeling the pinch of rising inflation rates. For estate planners...

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04

Apr

When Forgetfulness is a Problem

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes. We learned those body parts as youngsters as we sang along to the song. As we age, we often find that our head, shoulders, knees, and toes don't quite work like they used to. While these physical ailments can be a sobering reminder that we...

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04

Apr

Don’t Lose the Family Home Due to Medicaid Estate Recovery.

Ever since the COVID-19 virus hit our state this spring, I have heard many instances of families facing the loss of the family home after a parent or grandparent has died while receiving Medicaid benefits to help pay the cost of a long term nursing home stay. This is especially...

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04

Apr

Do Not Miss Out on All of the Medicaid Exemptions You are Entitled To

Medicaid rules can be confusing and even Department of Social Services caseworkers get their own rules wrong from time to time. Having an advocate that can work through the maze of rules can pay off for the family. In North Carolina, a Medicaid applicant can have up to a $10,000...

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