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 moreMost estate planning is centered around a few important goals: preserving as much of your estate for your heirs as possible, easing the transition of your assets, and preserving positive memories of your life. In most cases, a properly drafted trust can accomplish most of these goals. For example, by paying attention to the need … Read more
In 2011, California lawmakers passed AB 97, which would cut Medi-Cal reimbursement rates by 10% beginning June 2011. The California Hospital Association (CHA) and other Medi-Cal providers sued, alleging that the cuts violated other state and federal laws relating to appropriations, healthcare, and agency procedure. Since that time, the CHA has been successfully keeping the … Read more
Military service carries a number of benefits for veterans during and after their time in the service. As a nation we strive to take care of veterans, from education to medical care. As veterans, it is important to recognize and take advantage of the benefits that exist, such as VA Aid & Attendance Non-Service Connected … Read more
A recently updated study may indicate that Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) is not actually as effective at improving health as originally thought. However, people who receive Medicaid often feel healthier and are happier about their healthcare than individuals without Medicaid. The study comes from researchers of the 2008 Medicaid expansion in Oregon, which expanded the … Read more
Insurance Agents and Veterans Benefits Introduction The Problem Insurance Agents Providing Non-Insurance Services Medi-Cal Need Not Considered Options Beyond Annuities Surrender Charge VA Accreditation Insurance Agent Regulation Against Senior Abuses Conclusion Dear Mr. Miller: Introduction: My Dad recently purchased a $150,000 annuity to help him qualify for the Veterans Aid & Attendance benefit. It … Read more
The unprecedented backlog in claims for benefits from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) continues to increase. Although a large part of the problem may be attributed to systemic issues within the system, a large part of it is due to a more obvious issue: increasing numbers. Claims for benefits, such as the VA Aid … Read more
The Supreme Court has heard arguments regarding the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8, but people on both sides of the issue will have to await the decisions, due out in June. The cases focused on the level of scrutiny the laws ought to receive and the Constitutionality of the laws, … Read more
When you are completing your estate plans, there are certain assets that will need special consideration. Some assets that require special consideration, like a primary residence, are covered in most estate plans. Careful consideration of how to treat the home may promote future eligibility for Medi-Cal or VA Aid & Attendance Non Service Connected Disability … Read more
The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA), which administers a litany of VA benefits, including the Aid & Attendance Non-Service Connected Disability Pension to veterans has been plagued by persistent backlogs throughout the Obama administration. Despite significant efforts to curb the backlog, it is increasingly worse and even worse than the VA assets. According to the … Read more
March is perhaps best known for the college sports frenzy known as March Madness (the NCAA basketball tournament). However, every year March also features another kind of “rebound.” The spring real estate selling season begins as winter doldrums come to an end. Combined with the general upward trend of real estate pricing, increasing numbers of … 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...
