Estate Planning in the Face of Natural Disasters

February 20, 2025
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog

Every year, the United States experiences a large number of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters, and the frequency and intensity of these events appears to be increasing. The recent Los Angeles wildfires are a stark reminder of...

Love Your Pet Day: Estate Planning and Your Companion Animal

February 13, 2025
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Probate & Trust Administration

Having a pet comes with many benefits. Pets may offer companionship and loyalty, while quality time with your pet can decrease your stress levels. They can teach your children about responsibility and emotional skills. Their presence can also encourage you...

Estate Planning for a Vacation Home

February 6, 2025
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Probate & Trust Administration, Wills & Trusts

If you are fortunate enough to own a vacation home, you need to figure out what will happen to it after you are gone. Many people in this situation hope to keep vacation homes in the family. Guaranteeing that can...

Deducting Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums in 2025

January 30, 2025
Brian Hicks
Elder Law, Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning, Our Blog, Senior Living, Wills & Trusts

The population of older adults in the United States has been growing steadily in recent years. According to the U.S. Census, the number of Americans who are age 65 and older grew more than 9 percent in just three years,...

Avoiding 4 Main Obstacles to Digital-Era Estate Planning

January 22, 2025
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Probate & Trust Administration

Identifying the digital property you own and managing it is more necessary than ever. From smart home devices to online investments and bank accounts, we’ve gone way beyond using the internet to email family and social media to connect with friends. In...

What Makes a ‘Good’ Nursing Home? 10 Points to Consider

January 16, 2025
Brian Hicks
Elder Law, Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning, Our Blog, Senior Living

If you are looking for a nursing home for yourself or a loved one, you want to choose a good facility. But what makes a nursing home good? Though good can be hard to define, some qualities are key to...

IRS Announces 2025 Gift and Estate Tax Exemptions

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released its tax inflation adjustment figures for tax year 2025. Annual Gift Tax Exclusion Effective January 1, 2025, you will be able to make individual gifts of up to $19,000 in the calendar year (an increase...

Estate Planning for Parents of Children With Mental Illness

January 2, 2025
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Special Needs Planning, Wills & Trusts

Mental illness in the United States is more common than most people may think. More than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness and one in six U.S. youth aged 6 to 17 experience a mental health...

The Great Wealth Transfer: Managing Your Inheritance Wisely

December 26, 2024
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog

We are in the midst of one of the most substantial intergenerational transfers of wealth in history. Referred to as the “Great Wealth Transfer,” it is expected to continue for another couple of decades. Baby boomers are the primary source...

Who Holds Your Will and Other Estate Planning Documents?

December 19, 2024
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Wills & Trusts

Once you've taken the step to create a will and get your estate plan in order, you need to figure out what to do with the will itself. Keeping track of the location of your current will – as well...