Online resource center to help you explore these key issues, and others, regarding your estate.

Practice Areas

Mr. Miller has many years of experience in designing and implementing a comprehensive variety of Trusts, Wills, and other estate planning documents, as well as settling estates in the most expedient and appropriate method. Further, he counsels and assists clients on becoming eligible for VA benefits and Medi-Cal.

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VA Pension/Aid & Attendance/Medi-Cal

Mr. Miller has been active in the area of VA Pension and Medi-Cal for well over a decade. He uses various specialized types of Trusts as well as non-trust strategies to gain eligibility for his clients and save the family money.

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Probate & Estate Administration

Mr. Miller has been settling estates (both simple and complex) for well over 40 years. The starting point is always to create a strategy to settle the estate in the most efficient manner possible with a minimum of taxes. Often times the strategy created allows the family to bypass Probate Court proceedings.

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Elder Law Articles

Good Deeds, Bad Deeds, Up Deeds, Down Deeds…

By merv,

Buying real property is one of the most important financial decisions many people will make in their life.  It’s a decision that does not necessarily get easier the more times it is done and, especially in the last several years, can be very risky.  That said, it is also one of the most important assets  … Read more


The Medicare Market…

By merv,

Medical costs have been rising consistently over the last several years, far outpacing inflation and driving many individuals into bankruptcy.  There are a number of issues that lead to the problem.  Advancements in medicine are expensive, the population is aging so medical care is more in demand, and poor preventative measures mean bigger ailments are  … Read more


The Wars are Over. Now What?

By merv,

We spend a lot of time discussing the VA Aid & Attendance Non Service Connected Disability Pension.  But now that the vast majority of our deployed troops are returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, the V.A. is turning its attention toward meeting the needs of some of the relatively younger generation of able-bodied and disabled  … Read more


Taking Care of the Caretakers…

By merv,

One of the primary goals in Medi-Cal planning is to allow your elderly family to receive the care they need without losing all of their assets in the process.  Long term care is often extremely expensive, especially when it involves skilled nursing care facilities or in-home care.  Medi-Cal eases the burden for the ill in  … Read more


Pleading No Contest!

By merv,

I have devoted a fairly significant amount of space on this blog talking about the importance of avoiding disputes related to your estate plan.  From the articles here and here, you should be clued in by now that lawsuits over inheritances are no fun.  Johann Kaspar Lavater once said, “Never say you know a man  … Read more


The Heroes at the Hearing on V.A. Healthcare…

By merv,

Earlier this year, the maximum VA Aid and Attendance Non Service Connected Disability Pension benefit amounts increased for the first time in several years.  On the heels of the announcement, President Obama promised to increase spending for the V.A. and veteran care during his State of the Union address.  Yesterday (4/4), a hearing on the  … Read more


You might be avoiding probate but that’s no reason to avoid estate planning (Part 2)

By merv,

In my last article, I covered some of the common pitfalls of attempting to avoid probate by, primarily, placing property in joint tenancy.  I’ve saved the biggest zingers for this article. One of the major problems with this method of avoiding probate is the lack of creditor protection.  Although generally clients who wish to put  … Read more


You Might be Avoiding Probate but That’s No Reason to Avoid Estate Planning (Part 1)

By merv,

Often clients ask whether putting accounts in joint names will avoid probate.  The answer is yes, of course, and many people seem satisfied with the response.  From there, they put everything in both spouse’s names and, sometimes, add their children to their home deed, their bank accounts, and their brokerage accounts.  However, there is a  … Read more


Obamacare, Medicaid, Medi-Cal, Oh My!

By merv,

The lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (generally called “ObamaCare”) has finally made it to the Supreme Court.  Today, (3/28) in the third day of arguments, lawyers on both sides of the issue will discuss whether the expansion of Medicaid is within Congress’s power to mandate state spending. There  … Read more


About Living Trusts

About Living Trusts is hosted by the Law Offices of Merwyn J. Miller, as your online resource center to help you explore these key issues, and others, regarding your estate.

Merwyn J. Miller, J.D.

  • Board Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
  • Co-Author of legal text book and of “Don’t Go Broke in a Nursing Home
  • Teacher of law courses at public and private colleges
  • Continuing Education Instructor for attorneys
  • Columnist for largest regional newspaper in San Diego County and professional journals for 15 years, Contributing author to the book “In Your Service: The Veteran’s Friend”
  • Masters Degree in Financial Services - Estate Planning
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