Proper Retirement Planning Avoids Underestimating Care Costs

February 27, 2025
Brian Hicks
Elder Law, Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning, Our Blog, Senior Living, Wills & Trusts

It can be easy to underestimate the amount of money we will need for health care and long-term care after we retire. Not knowing exactly what care we will need and with the costs of all types of care rising,...

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,...

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...

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...

Estate Planning Checklist: 5 Initial Steps You Can Take

December 12, 2024
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Wills & Trusts

Most of us spend little time thinking about death or losing the capacity to manage our own affairs. These are unpleasant topics and banishing them from our minds is easier than entertaining them. Death, however, is inevitable, and becoming incapacitated...

10 Do’s and 1 Don’t for the Trustee of a Trust

November 21, 2024
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Probate & Trust Administration, Wills & Trusts

Whether it feels like an honor or a burden (or both), you may have been appointed to serve as the trustee of a trust. What sort of responsibilities do you face in this role, and what can you do to...

Who Needs a Trust Instead of a Will?

October 28, 2024
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Probate & Trust Administration, Wills & Trusts

Creating an estate plan can protect your loved ones and establish your legacy. With an estate plan, you can provide for your loved ones after your death, transferring to them such assets as your home, vehicle, bank accounts, and personal...

A black and gold pen sits on top of a document near the signature line

What Is a Trustee in Estate Planning?

October 10, 2024
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Probate & Trust Administration, Wills & Trusts

A trustee is a person or institution appointed to manage a trust on behalf of the beneficiaries of the trust. Being a trustee is a significant responsibility. Those serving in this role must always act in the best interests of...

Glasses, black pen and calculator sit on top of paperwork titled Estate Planning

11 Reasons You Need to Create an Estate Plan

October 3, 2024
Brian Hicks
Estate Planning, Our Blog, Probate & Trust Administration, Wills & Trusts

Many people believe estate plans are only for extremely wealthy families who are looking to reap tax benefits. Or they may delay estate planning because they are young. Others do not understand why an estate plan is important in the...