Online resource center to help you explore these key issues, and others, regarding your estate.
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.
Learn moreMr. 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.
Learn moreMr. 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.
Learn moreAnother Valentine’s Day is upon us and, this year, it is coupled with a long weekend (pun intended). Countless numbers of people will be celebrating with their loved ones throughout the weekend, but with the extra days, there is more than enough time to spread the love around. In fact, it may even be beneficial … Read more
On those rare occasions when we are faced with the thought of our own mortality, the idea of dying slowly is uncomfortable. Often we see spry 90 year olds and hope to be them. We assume that when their time comes, it will be easily and in their sleep, just like we imagine it will … Read more
Congress has been heating up over another hot button issue in recent days: immigration. Securing the border, the status of long-term illegal immigration, and the apparent inhumanity of many deportations has made immigration a top priority in Obama’s second term. In California, the issues of both legal and illegal immigration are particularly acute. Current estimates … Read more
These days there is a lot of talk about the aging population, health of Social Security and Medicare, Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, and the rising cost of necessary medical care. Understanding how all of these topics interplay with each other can be a daunting task for anyone. Often, for someone who is ill, it is the … Read more
Choosing the people who will handle your affairs while you are seriously ill, injured, or missing is a deeply personal decision. Additionally, each document that you may use in order to give people power over your person and your estate covers its own issues and may have its own fiduciaries. Understanding, creating, and reviewing your … Read more
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) heard oral arguments on January 8, 2013 regarding an interesting Medicaid reimbursement case. After a person’s death, Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) will often attempt to recover some of the medical expenses spent on behalf of the Medicaid beneficiary from the estate. In a lesser known cost recovery … Read more
During this time of year, the VA has generally required that veterans receiving certain benefits file an Eligibility Verification Report (EVR) annually; most veterans would be expecting their forms now. Failure to fill in and return the EVR ran the risk of kicking the veteran out of the payment system. However, the VA has announced … Read more
When Is a Couple Legally a Couple? California State Law Purposes Veterans Benefits Medi-Cal Income Tax This seems like such an easy question, but it isn’t. Why? Because it depends on for what issue one asks this question. And there are numerous issues for which one could ask this question. The most frequent areas for … Read more
VA Accreditation, Board Certification, Degrees, Designations– What Are These and Why Are They Important? Introduction The Potential Disaster VA Accreditation Board Certification Degrees & Designations What Should You Be Looking For? Introduction Attorneys and other professionals can sport many different titles, certifications, and letters after their name. When it comes to VA benefits to pay … Read more
Will Your Power of Attorney for Your Mom Work with the VA? Dear Mr. Miller: My Mom signed a Power of Attorney for Financial Matters appointing me to handle her affairs. But I have been told that the VA will not work with me and that I cannot sign the VA Aid & Attendance Application … Read more
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.
Dear Mr. Miller: My mother is 82 and still lives alone. Over the last year, she has become noticeably more forgetful. She repeats stories, sometimes f...
Dear Mr. Miller: My mother passed away recently, and I have been named the Successor Trustee of her trust. I expected to be sad after losing her, but ...
Dear Mr. Miller: About ten years ago, my husband and I paid an attorney to create a Living Trust. We signed all the documents and put them in a safe p...
