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 moreOver 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
Choosing the people who will handle your affairs while you are seriously ill or when you are deceased is a deeply personal decision. You need to decide whom you trust to honor your wishes, determine what medical treatments you will or will not have, take care of your money and, possibly, your children. And you … Read more
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your loved ones! Valentine’s Day was created to remind us to cherish our loved ones, and to spend a lot of money on cards, flowers, and stuffed animals. For our purposes, though, we will focus on the former. We are all familiar with the old grade-school rhyme: First Comes … 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...
