A special needs trust can be an important inclusion in your estate plan if you have a child or other dependent family member with special needs. The goal of a special needs trust is to provide financial resources for someone who needs extra support while also limiting...
Guiding Families Along
Life’s Path For More Than 30 Years
Estate Planning
Better Than No Loaf: Medicaid Planning Using “Half a Loaf” Strategies
While it is preferable to conduct long-term care planning well in advance of needing care, if you haven’t planned ahead, there are some strategies available to avoid spending all your assets.
What is the difference between a living will and medical power of attorney?
When you hear about estate planning, two terms that will come up are “medical power of attorney,” and “living will,” these two things may seem like they’re similar, but they are not. Why? One of them allows you to state your preferences for medical treatment while the...
You’ll want to make or update your estate plan before retirement
When retirement is on the horizon, you want to think about living life to the fullest, not about dying. However, the final stages of planning for retirement are an ideal opportunity for you to revisit your estate plan if you already have one or to create one if you...
The importance of updating estate plans
After creating your estate plan, you, like many people, might have filed it away without giving it a second thought. You might have believed its provisions would hold up throughout your lifetime. Yet, changes in your relationships, health, residency and to your assets...
The Importance of Beneficiary Designations Matching Your Estate Plan
In a typical year, Severns & Howard usually sees during the summer months an increase in interest to establish or update their estate planning documents. This could be due to the nice weather and the beginning of summer travels, timing of retirement, a health...
Four Ways the Coronavirus Pandemic May Affect Long-Term Care Insurance
The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the elderly, particularly those in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. This has raised questions about how the virus has influenced the costs and provision of long-term care insurance, which...