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My mother has a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust and her house has been owned by this trust for 6 years. She purchased the house in 1980 for $30,000. It’s now worth $400,000. What will be the tax consequences if she sells the house while she is alive? What if we sell it after her death?

Question: I recently signed a last will and testament but it does not list out my assets individually, is that alright? What about my retirement accounts and annuities?

Question: Can you tell me about any updates to estate and gift taxes for 2019?

My father is a widower and was recently diagnosed dementia. I am worried he is becoming incapable of taking care of himself. He never executed a health care proxy or a power of attorney. Can he sign them now? If not, what options do I have to get him the care that he needs?

Question: My mother recently passed away. I am the nominated executor of her estate. Her Will directs that all of her personal property is to be shared equally among her children. Can you give me any suggestions about how to divide the personal property?

In general, we suggest clients review their estate plan every five years or after a major life event. Such events include marriages, divorces, births, deaths, retirement, sale of your home, etc.

If you happen to have a copy of your parent’s or grandparent’s Last will & Testament, it is likely that the estate plan was simple- everything to the spouse, then when the second spouse dies, everything to the children. We call these “sweetheart” or “I Love You” Wills.

My mother recently passed away. She had two children, myself and my sister. Prior to her death, she had named my sister as agent under her power of attorney. My mother’s will treats both of us equally. I found out that a month before her death my sister used the power of attorney to change the beneficiary on my mother’s bank account to just herself. Was she allowed to do this?

My sister wants me to sign a document that allows her to probate my mother’s will. The problem is that the will favors my sister, and I think the circumstances around the will are suspect. Is there a way I can get more information about the will signing?

Inheritance is the practice of passing property upon the death of a decedent. The rules of inheritance differ from state to state.