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Question: Two years ago my sister used a Power of Attorney given to her by my mother to withdraw $100,000 from my mother’s bank account.

The government does not take the home of applicants who need assistance from the Medicaid long term care program. However, without proper planning, there is a potential that the government will not cover the cost of your care or will put a lien on your home during your lifetime or after you die as repayment for care that you received.

Question: I was chatting with friends over coffee this evening and someone mentioned the “right of sepulcher”. What exactly is that right?

My spouse and I live in our home in New York in the summer and we spend the winter at our condo in Florida. We are looking to do estate planning and also prepare for if either of us need long term care in the future. Should I see an attorney in New York or Florida?

It is never a bad idea to discuss your health care proxy with your physician. A health care proxy is a document that states who will make medical decisions for you if you lose your mental capacity and are unable to make these decisions for yourself.

Question: I’ve already bought a plot. Are there any other steps I should take to plan my funeral?

Question: My spouse and I do not have any children of our own, but we have two dogs who we care for and treat as our children. We want to make sure they are taken care of should a time come when we no longer are able to and when we pass away. Is there any kind of estate planning we can do to make sure our dogs are cared for?

One of the most misunderstood planning strategies is that Retirement funds, such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s, traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and Roth IRAs should not name a trust as designated beneficiary. My clients are often advised to name individuals and not trusts, even minor or disabled beneficiaries.

I am the Executor of my father’s estate. I have collected the assets and paid the expenses and am ready to close the estate. How should I proceed?

One of the issues that we see facing many of our clients is an inability to implement and access services once an application for Community Medicaid has been filed and approved.