Recent Blog Posts
Can Dad Still Receive Aid & Attendance if he Lives Overseas?
Some people may be wondering whether their parent can receive VA Aid and Attendance benefits if the parent now lives out of the country. Thankfully, the answer to this question is simple: if your parent qualifies for the benefit, it does not matter where he or she lives, whether it is in America or… Read More »
Important Virginia Medicaid Update
Virginia has made some important changes to its 2011 Medicaid rules. If you or your loved one is in the process for applying for Medicaid, it is important to keep up with these changes. One important change for 2011 is that the home equity exclusion has been raised from $500,000 to $506,000. The Department… Read More »
The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Retirement
Everyone knows that entrepreneurs and small business owners often march to the beat of a different drum. After all, in order to start (and keep) a successful business you have to have a somewhat different and dynamic way of looking at the world and its possibilities. But this different way of looking at the… Read More »
Can I Get Both Aid & Attendance and Medicaid?
Many of my clients want to apply for both the Veterans Aid and Attendance Pension and Virginia Medicaid. Because the VA and Medicaid rules are so strict, many people are not sure whether they can get both benefits at the same time. The good news is that in Virginia, income received from the VA… Read More »
Even the Most “Normal” Families Require Special Estate Planning Consideration
Many people would like to think that estate planning is a piece of cake: choose your beneficiaries, write up a simple will, and voila – you’re done! The truth is that while estate planning can sometimes be achieved with this amount of simplicity, most of the time there’s more to it than that—a lot… Read More »
Take Advantage of Tax Law Changes and Give Grandkids a Head Start
We’ve recently seen a number of news stories with disturbing figures about the rising cost of college education, and the growing inability of graduates to pay off the debt they incur from student loans. In fact, recent studies reveal that student loan debt now exceeds credit card debt in the U.S.! All of this… Read More »
Estate Tax Calculator May Provide a Peek into the Future
Everyone who kept up with the recent changes in the estate tax laws—and the flurry of speculation, news stories and blog posts that came with it—knows just how important estate taxes are to estate planning. Although we make it clear on our blog that estate planning should be at least as much about family… Read More »
Retirement Planning Goes Back to its Roots
When it comes to retirement planning you can find suggestions, rules and guidelines of just about every shade, but it wasn’t until this article in the U.S. News and World Report that we’ve seen the biblical “7 Deadly Sins” applied to retirement planning. The tone of the article is light and tongue-in-cheek, but the… Read More »
The Importance of Estate Planning for New Parents
News sources such as the Washington Post entertainment section promise that this summer will be flush with celebrity newborns and proud mamas and papas. Some of the stars expecting additions to their families include Natalie Portman, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Connelly and more. Here at our office we wonder how many of these new parents… Read More »
How to Protect and Pass On Artwork, Antiques, and Other Valuable Assets
Some assets—such as real property, stocks and savings—are fairly straightforward when it comes to bequeathal to heirs; other assets—such as valuable artwork or antiques—are not so easy. How do you will an asset to a loved one when there is no deed of ownership? And just as importantly, how do these paperless assets figure… Read More »