Many adult children wonder what their aging parents may need and how can they can help provide it for them. You may constantly worry about your parents or other older loved ones, especially if you live far away from them. You can, however, take some simple steps to ensure your parents are safe as they age. Tip No. 1: Recognize the Risks Older Adults Face Knowing the risks seniors face can help you begin an Read More
Where Medical Research May Fit Into Advance Planning
Medical research helps prof essionals understand and improve disease treatment, diagnosis, and prevention. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, there are more than 139,000 registered clinical studies in the United States as of 2023. Thinking about taking part in medical research in the years to come may strike you as a rather unexpected part of long-term health care planning, yet it can be Read More
Are Wills Public Record?: Estate Planning Q&A
Wills contain important information about who receives money, possessions, and property upon a person’s death. Who can view this information, and is it a public record? Once your will goes through probate, it becomes a public record. The probate court must maintain the will so that the public can access it. Anyone can visit the probate court to view the will, regardless of whether they are an heir or Read More
Estate Planning for Your Digital Legacy
NOTE: The intent of this article is to bring awareness to planning for and organizing digital assets; however, Linville Law Office, PLLC does not advise sharing all passwords/logins. Please be aware, that some end user license agreements prevent sharing password/login information for certain accounts. Before you share a password/login information, make sure you are clear about what is allowed with respect to Read More
What Is Hospice Care at Home?
Hospice care is a type of health care that patients with terminally ill conditions rely on at the end of their lives. This type of care focuses on pain management and emotional, spiritual, and familial support for patients nearing the end of their lives. There are several options for receiving hospice care, including being cared for at home. The type of intimate care a patient receives while in hospice is more Read More
Is Medicaid Expanding in Your State?
As of late 2022, more than 84 million people were enrolled in Medicaid — a number that has steadily increased in recent years. Amid the pandemic, total enrollees climbed by 20 million people from 2020 to 2022 alone. Meanwhile, the debate among lawmakers on further expanding Medicaid in some 11 states continues to evolve. Depending on where you reside, passage of such an expansion could mean you become newly Read More
Estate Planning: An At-a-Glance Overview
Estate planning, or what some people refer to as legacy planning, entails preparing your affairs for the future, including death and other life events. While older adults might give more thought to estate planning, it is an essential tool at any age and any asset level. Why It’s Important With estate planning, individuals and families can protect their interests after death or incapacity. You can provide Read More
This Tax Season, Seniors Can Get Free Assistance
As we enter tax season, let's take a quick detour from all things estate planning, and offer some tax preparation tips. When it comes to filing your 2022 federal tax return for the 2023 tax season, you may be able to access several forms of assistance for free. Filing Online: IRS Free File In January 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s Free File service opened to taxpayers. Through IRS Free File, Read More
Medicaid Funeral Assistance May Help Pay for Funeral Costs
It is an unpleasant thought, but death is a reality we all must face. (According to Ben Franklin, death and taxes are the two certainties we must all face, but it's not yet April, so we'll hold off on talking about the second of the two certainties for now). One way to cope with the loss of a loved one is to be prepared for their final send-off. Funerals are expensive. No matter your circumstances, the Read More
Who Can Override a Power of Attorney (POA)?
As we have entered 2023, we've reviewed some common roles in estate planning documents: executors (for wills - only effective when you pass) and agents (for powers of attorney - while you're living but can't act for yourself). Today, we'll finish out January with a review of when an agent named on a power of attorney can be overridden. A power of attorney (POA) is a legal Read More