What are the words written on the side view mirrors on your car? It says something along the lines of, “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.” This warning is because the mirror is convex and curved outward. The convex shape allows drivers to see more of the area behind and to the side of the vehicle, essentially providing a wider field of view and reducing blind spots. The reasoning behind bringing this up Read More

One of the true joys in life is discovering a passion. The focus may range from driving the country to viewing covered bridges to riding roller coasters. Though we are about to discuss the latter, it doesn’t matter what people are passionate about; finding something you value and appreciate is genuinely important. The American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) have an annual marque event called Coaster Con. Members meet at Read More

Many people fall for a basic trap or misconception that they have a sufficient estate plan because they have one document: a will. It’s the document that most people are familiar with. This concept is embedded in our culture and entertainment. Hamlet, for instance, is worried about his father’s will because it disinherited him in favor of his uncle Claudius. Knives Out, released in 2019, depicts the famous Read More

Before we go on trips, we take the time to plan. We find someone to watch our pets, and we have packing lists. If something gets forgotten, there’s usually a way to replace it when we get to where we are going. However, what happens when we die? What sort of preparation did we do? This is precisely why estate planning exists. It answers what will happen to my assets when I pass away. There are things we can do that Read More

After more than three decades of practicing law, we have encountered people in various stages of life, all of which are navigating challenges. Everyone struggles and feels degrees of pain, but we have found that there is one thing that everyone has in common: We are all going to pass away. There is a spiritual element to this, and people seek different ways to process their mortality to be ready for that stage. This Read More

It isn’t a hurricane, tropical storm, or an old name that is making a resurgence. IRMAA is an abbreviation for Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount. It may land as a significant surprise for anyone who is in retirement. Think about the person who is retiring and is getting Social Security. But what happens if you are fortunate enough to have a lot of retirement income? The issue is that you have more money to Read More

When the issue of special needs planning arises, most people imagine parents protecting their children. Special needs children and adults may rely heavily on government funding and support. Parents with these precious children want to ensure they are provided for and protected when they can no longer do so themselves. This is why special needs planning is fundamental. Those who neglect estate planning have no say in Read More

Clients frequently tell us that they know they have to “get around” to making an estate plan. These are people who understand the importance of a plan and still don’t make one. Because we have been doing this for decades, no one empathizes more with your situation than we do. Death and dying are uncomfortable topics, and having to do the legwork to place your assets in a trust or to identify each one in a will is Read More

This term is used to describe people who have raised children who have since left to pursue college or a career—and it is one that we have personally and professionally experienced. Our motivation behind talking about empty nesters is very much tied to estate planning and elder law because of what they are experiencing during this stage of their lives. For many of these people, their attention is turning away from Read More

Facing the need for a nursing home is something that may surface in your lifetime. Estate planning pertains to what happens to your assets when you pass away, but elder law attorneys like J. Kevin Tharpe guide and support people who have to balance the need for long-term care with a limited or fixed budget. One of the points that people need to pay attention to is that people rarely go straight into a nursing home. Read More