As an elder law attorney, I am often asked, “Will I lose my home if I go into a nursing home?” The fear is not unfounded by any means. The cost of nursing home care continues to rise, with a private room costing $92,376 a year in 2019 and projected to cost $134,869 a year by 2028 according to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey. The good news is that Medicaid is available to help cover a stay in a nursing home – without Read More

Think back to where you were 20 years ago, or even 10 years ago. Could you have predicted the events in your life that would lead you to where you are today? Chances are the answer is no.  However, if you made your estate plan 10 or 20 years ago, it may no longer be up to date. This is precisely because, at the time, you could not have predicted the changes and events, good and bad, that took place between then and Read More

As a parent, you cannot do much about the decisions your adult child makes. When it comes to a bad marriage, there is nothing you can say or do to change the situation. However, this does not mean you have to sit back and allow your child’s spouse to put his or her inheritance at risk. You have options in Georgia that allow you to maintain some control in this area. Your best option is to create an estate plan and Read More

More seniors than ever before are choosing to stay in their homes as they age. This arrangement allows them to retain independence while receiving necessary health care and support services. If you help care for a parent or older family member who wants to live in his or her own home, these tips can help him or her age in place safely and successfully. Talk about wants and needs Aging in place allows your loved one Read More

Legislation currently held up in the U.S. Senate offers sweeping changes addressing the nation’s retirement savings crisis. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 – known as the SECURE Act – looks to prevent older Americans from outliving their assets. A report by the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) says 29% of older households have no retirement savings, including an IRA Read More

Some people in their older years face increased safety risks living by themselves at home due to age-related infirmities. To promote as much independence as possible for a senior loved one, families sometimes see to it that the Georgia home of their relative is modified so that their loved one can live there safely. Alternatively, some families take their elderly relative into their homes in lieu of moving their Read More

One of country music star Kenny Chesney’s hits includes the lyrics, “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to go now.” While the song is both clever and fun, it raises an important point: Making funeral arrangements and planning for the final disposition of the body can be uncomfortable. Still, you likely want to have some say in these matters. In Georgia, you can create a preneed contract that addresses Read More

An alarming number of American adults have yet to address the issue of estate planning (let alone draw up a will). If you happen to fall amongst this group, you may be worried that stipulating how you want your estate dispersed once you are gone will alienate or offend some of those that you love. Better to let them decide how to divide up your estate themselves, right? The only problem with that line of thinking is Read More

Estate planning in Georgia is not just about what happens when you die, and it is much more than deciding who gets what. Estate planning allows you to manage your assets now, prepare for what will happen in the future and show your love for your family and ensure you can always care for them.  Many people put off estate planning because they do not want to think about their death, but if you think about the ultimate Read More

You’re looking into getting your estate plan in order, but it can be hard to know where to turn with so many options. Everyone knows about wills, but a revocable living trust may hold the real answers to your planning questions. A revocable trust is a deposit account that thrives on the flexibility it provides throughout its duration, whether you’re in good health, unable to make sound decisions or after you’ve Read More