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Common Estate Planning Mistake #9: Failing to name enough successor agents under a Power of Attorney for Property

There are only two people who can give somebody the authority to make and carry out decisions for you. One is a Judge through an expensive guardianship proceeding and the other is you through a Power of Attorney. A Judge can give that authority to just about anybody, whether we would want them to have it […]

Alzheimer’s Disease and the Validity of Wills and Trusts

If someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, and they don’t have their estate planning documents in place, the time to get them in order is now, while they still have the chance and before there are going to be any doubts about the validity of the documents. In this Elder Law Minute, Wes Coulson, Illinois Elder […]

Common Estate Planning Mistake #8: Failing to address the possibility of a second spouse disinheriting children from a first marriage

The typical estate planning structure for married couples, of leaving everything to each other and then to the children after the second spouse dies, should be different for second marriages, especially when children from first marriages are involved. While it’s unlikely the second-marriage couple will knowingly plan on disinheriting children belonging to each other, not […]

Common Estate Planning Mistake #7: Failing to include enough powers in a Power of Attorney for Property

Not all Power of Attorney for Property documents are created equal. Some may give authorization for an agent to pay your bills, while others may give authorization for your agent to do more complex things such as setting up a trust for you to protect your assets. In this Elder Law and Estate Planning Minute, […]

When it comes to Long Term Care – When you run out of money, you run out of options

Long Term Care in a nursing home can present a wealth of issues, one of which being financial. With proper planning, the money you may have accessible to you when or if that time comes, will help create more available options for you. In this Elder Law Minute, Wes Coulson, Illinois Elder Law Attorney, explains how planning […]