Q. When I read your bio, I noticed that you went to William & Mary for Law School. I went there for undergrad and for grad school, and love everything about the place, from the picturesque campus to Lake Matoaka in the Fall. I am a history buff with a PhD, who took full advantage […]
Who Will Be There for Me if I’m Aging Alone?
Q. I am currently 82 years old, and I live by myself in the home I purchased 40 years ago in Northern Virginia. Most of the people I know have grandchildren and evengreat-grandchildren. Throughout my life, I put my career first, and I never got married or had any children. I don’t have much family, […]
Getting Remarried: Avoiding Estate Planning Mistakes
After Lori’s first marriage ended in divorce, she told her three adult children that she would never remarry. That was until she met Chris. After dating him for five years, and realizing that they were meant to be, Chris proposed to Lori and she said “yes.” Not only will this hopefully mean a happily ever […]
Why Every College Student Should Have an Incapacity Plan
Q. My 18-year old daughter, Madison, will be a freshman in college in the fall. At her high school graduation party, my friend Phil told me that he is already doing estate planning for his own daughter, and he told me that it is really important and I should do it for my daughter. Is this really something that a college student needs? My […]
A Parent has Alzheimer’s and a Gun. What Do You Do?
Ever since Gregg Schnepp retired, his favorite activity has been gathering with his friends at the shooting range. According to his wife, Joanne, who is a strong believer in the right to bear arms, “shooting is about his only interest in life.” However, as a 70-year old with both mental and physical decline, it is becoming unsafe for Gregg to carry a gun. Joanne knows she has to talk to her […]
Special Alert to Existing Clients and Potential Clients
YOUR LIVING TRUST MAY HAVE OUT OF DATE PROVISIONS AND NEED TO BE REVISED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. A once-popular estate planning tool, called a “Credit Shelter Trust” or – also called a “Bypass Trust” or a “Family Trust” — may now cost families more than it saves. If your estate plan includes one, it could be doing more harm than […]
The Estate Planning of Prince, Harper Lee, and David Bowie
In 2016 so far, we have said farewell to some of the most legendary names in music, film, literature, and television, including Prince, Harper Lee, and David Bowie — all within the first four months of the year. While nothing can make the horrific loss of these legends better for their families, friends, and fans, […]
The Most Important Awareness Day of the Year (and only 20- 30% realize it!)
Anne is 71 years old, and her health is rapidly declining. When her time comes, she is confident that she wants to donate her organs to help someone else live a longer and healthier life. She also wants to be buried next to her second husband, Joseph. Anne has three children — two from her […]
April 29 Marks the End of a Major Social Security Loophole
Q. I remember reading an article that you published last fall about The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, where you mentioned that the end of file-and-suspend would be happening in six months. I am concerned about the impending deadline. Can you explain exactly when it is and what it means for those who would still […]
New, Overlooked, and Odd Tax Deductions for Seniors
Q. With tax season upon us, I am preparing for the grueling task of filing my taxes. I am aware that every year, the IRS makes a litany of changes to the tax code and Congress often weighs in with its own alterations as well. Of course, like most seniors on a fixed income, I want to deduct all I can. Are you aware of […]
I’m Not Dead Yet!
Q. When my Aunt Barbara died in 2002, my cousins had to rely on the legal system to help negotiate with their half-brother over her estate. To sell her personal possessions, the family had a large auction. They all agreed to keep a few things, but it was the real estate that caused a […]
Top 15 Articles of 2015
From the 50th birthday of Medicaid and Medicare and the 80th birthday of Social Security to the once-a-decade White House Conference on Aging, we covered a lot of ground in 2015. It was a year that included a new act being passed in Virginia to help special needs families, overtime pay for caregivers, and amazing new technological innovations to help seniors age-in-place. At the Farr Law Firm, […]
How to Survive Adult Sibling Conflict Over Elder Care, Inheritances, and More
Q. Last week, my sister, my brother, and I traveled with our families to visit our 82-year old mother for Thanksgiving (I didn’t have to go too far, since she lives ten minutes away!). Although mom says she is “just fine,” we noticed several memory lapses and other signals of her waning health throughout our […]
Be Very Afraid: Our Top Ten Scariest Articles
With Halloween upon us, now is the time when we present you with this year’s scariest & creepiest stories. From posthumous messages from loved ones to Alzheimer’s being contagious, we uncovered some scary ground. To celebrate Halloween, we’ve ranked our scariest articles for you to revisit (if you dare). As always, thank you for reading […]
Spooky or Reassuring? Posthumous Messages from Loved Ones
Image from express.co.uk Imagine you had a letter from someone who was likely to pass away – could you resist reading it? Morgan received a letter from her cancer-stricken brother-in-law, Jack, to be opened after his death. She put it in her safety deposit box, to keep from opening it. When his health took a […]
Giving Money to Your Children (while you’re still alive)
Janet’s granddaughter, Grace, recently got accepted to veterinary school. Janet is thrilled at this huge accomplishment, and would like to give Grace a gift of $40,000 ($10,000 a year), to help her pay for school, so she wouldn’t have as many loans to repay when she graduates. For Janet, the experience of losing her own […]
Don’t Attempt this on Your Own
Image from Scientific American Q. My Aunt Linda is very stubborn. She has been divorced twice, has three kids, two step-children, and a grandchild on the way. She did her estate planning documents when she was married to her first husband, and insists on making updates to them with a red pen. I told her that […]
Is Estate Planning Needed for Cohabitating Couples?
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I live with my boyfriend, Rich, in a house we own together. For a number of reasons, we have decided not to get married, but will continue to cohabitate for the foreseeable future. Why would people in our situation need to do estate planning? Thanks! Liv Togeth-Herr — Dear Liv, Even though cohabitation may be […]
“Life Reimagined”- Guidance for Retirement Planning
Are you at a point in your life where you’re asking, “What’s next?” You’ve finished one chapter and you have yet to write the next one, and this one involves an empty nest, no more commuting to the office, lots more time for yourself, and limitless options. Many of us face these exciting transitions as […]
A Year Later: Robin Williams’ Family is Still at Odds
Robin Williams with his son, Zak, and his wife, Susan in 2012. Photo from New York Times Many wealthy people die having done inadequate estate planning, or none at all. This was not the case with late comedian Robin Williams, or so we thought. It seemed that Mr. Williams attempted to spell out his wishes […]
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