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 moreMilitary 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
You’ve heard the expression, “He who pays the piper calls the tune.” Other similar iterations are “He who rents the flat chooses the curtains,” or simply, “The money talks.” Regardless of your choice of expression, they boil down to one thing: when money is involved, the person holding it makes the determination of how to … Read more
Southern California loves its cars. California’s traffic congestion is well-known throughout the country despite our extremely wide roads. Car companies specifically advertise to San Diego consumers with special car colors and SoCal editions of certain models. Like many of our other assets, cars may be worth next to nothing, or more than some people’s houses, … Read more
Inherently included in your estate plan will be some tax planning concepts. Even as the imposition of estate tax becomes less relevant for the vast majority of people, other tax questions are on the rise, both during estate planning and during trust administration. Particularly with increased taxation on investment income, conventional wisdom may prove to … 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
The answer to this question will depend on a lot of your particular family and estate circumstances. A-B trusts are only useful for married couples. If you created your A-B trust for primarily non-tax purposes, then it may still be wise to keep the structure. For example, if you have children from prior marriages or … Read more
Since last year, the status of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has been somewhat murky in media coverage. Many of the benefits of Obamacare have already been implemented. Security for health insurance plans, coverage of adult children until age 26, and the requirement that coverage be extended to individuals with pre-existing health conditions are among … Read more
Introduction Problem–Lawsuits and Challenges Safeguards-For the Appointment with the Attorney Safeguards-The Family Meeting Safeguards-No Contest Clause Estate Planning Review Dear Mr. Miller: Introduction: I have a Living Trust that leaves everything to my two kids. But I am not dividing it equally between them. The daughter has been very helpful to me in my golden … 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
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.
Part One: What Is Fair? Dear Mr. Miller: I have three adult children and am struggling with how to divide my estate. My oldest daughter has done very ...
Dear Mr. Miller: My husband and I recently completed our estate planning. We now have a Living Trust, Wills, Powers of Attorney and other documents. O...
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...
