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 moreThere are plenty of things that get better with time like fine wines and cheese. There are also plenty that do not necessarily improve with time: like unresolved family tension. These days, with the number of blended families, unresolved tensions lead to serious estate planning and administration problems. Even worse, the blended family issue can … Read more
Issues in women’s health have been hot in the news and the Republican presidential primaries lately. The current debate highlights a broader issue: women are different than men. Women suffer different medical problems and the same medical problems differently. Because March is Women’s History Month, the V.A. issued a number of articles and tips for … Read more
Over the years of my practice I have seen the specter of death taxes weigh over my clients and drive their estate plans. A lot of people have been confused about what estate taxes are and what they mean. If you ask me, rightfully so! The world of estate tax has been extremely tumultuous over … Read more
The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments in the case of Astrue vs. Capato. The basic facts of the case are as follows: Ms. Capato married rather late in life in 1999 to a man who, shortly after was diagnosed with cancer. Because his condition was expected to be fatal, as it worsened he used … 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
The answer, as always, is it depends. But, before you think this will be an article about eligibility requirements rest assured it is not. First, think about what ails you and how you would most like it to be treated. Do you want to be in a hospital or skilled nursing facility? Do you want … 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
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...
