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 moreOften 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
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
Typos, juxtaposed letters, mis-punctuated sentences. If you have ever read the corrections section of a newspaper, you know that no one is infallible. Unfortunately, sometimes the same is true about your attorney. What do you do when your lawyer makes a mistake on your vital documents (pun intended)? To start off, an ounce of prevention … Read more
No, really. We’re serious this time. You have probably been told over and over to increase your retirement savings. Increased lifespans and higher costs of living have contributed to increased projections for what you actually need for retirement. More recently the retirement accounts of many Americans have taken a beating as a result of the … Read more
An ongoing lawsuit filed in late 2010 is suddenly causing a stir nationwide. The lawsuit urges, among other things, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to take action to approve V.A. benefits for veterans who were stationed at the Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland during the 1960s. So far, the government has … Read more
Selecting the Successor Trustee? More Difficult Than You Thought! Introduction The Job The Choices Family and Friends Trust Companies Negatives to Trust Companies Factors to Consider Who Can Help You Select a Trust Company Introduction: Bob and Lori were about to make an estate planning appointment with their attorney. They were discussing who should manage … Read more
Many of my younger readers are familiar with Facebook and other social networking sites. (Here’s our Facebook page. It can keep you abreast of the headlines for our blogs.) They are frequently warned about how their online presence could negatively impact their real life job prospects and relationships. As a result, many users try to … Read more
In the ongoing effort to balance the state’s budget amid the economic downturn, the State of California decided late last year to cut Medi-Cal reimbursement rates by 10%. In the ongoing effort to preserve their fees, various professional organizations including the California Hospital Association sued. Last week U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder gave a … Read more
Beginning last month veterans who qualified for V.A. Aid and Attendance Non Service Connected Pension finally saw an increase in their checks. Although most people feel the cost of living has certainly been rising since 2009, V.A. Aid and Attendance benefits were stagnant. Well, no more! The Congressional Budget Office recommended standard of living increases, … Read more
Do I Need an Attorney to Apply for Medi-Cal? Introduction Qualify the Easy Way Recovery The Problem Transmutation Agreement What Lawyers Accomplish Introduction: Those who wish to qualify for Medi-Cal (Medicaid outside of California) need to meet certain net worth requirements. California’s version allows the disabled spouse to have no more than $2000 while the … 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...
