Tag Archive for: estate planning attorney

Making Balanced Financial and Estate Planning Decisions Part 1 [Episode 94]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur are joined by Wealth Advisors and Certified Financial Planners Todd Oetken and Grant Roberts, both of Hilliard Lyons, a Robert Baird Company, as they detail the difficulties that elders face as they get older, through the lens of Joe’s late aunt. They highlight many of the areas where having a financial planner benefited her after her husband passed away and how they became a critical component of the elder care process for her.

Todd and Grant discuss with Joe and Susan the fees attached to financial planning and the various services associated with working with seniors. They also explain what a family office is and how much money that it takes to pursue that option. Joe emphasizes emulating the family office model within the constraints of your budget and resources, and Todd and Grant explain how you set up your estate can play a factor in doing so. They emphasize the need for having a Power of Attorney, health care Power of Attorney, and living will, as well as making changes to your home ahead of time, such as changing your bathroom or getting a lift for your stairs. They state that accomplishing your “bucket list” and doing what you want to do in your life while you are healthy is something that you should do, instead of living in the same state of worry over finances that you once lived in.

Protecting Your Assets in a Litigious World [Episode 93]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur highlight how to protect your assets in a litigious world on this episode of ElderTalk with Joe Cordell. Joe discusses how corporations or other types of entities have methods of protection, in order to lower the risk of losing assets. He explains what joint tenancy by the entirety is and how it can affect lawsuits that can result in the loss of assets.

Joe also talks about how an insurance umbrella policy catches many of the risks that you can be liable for. He details the difference between reducing the risk and protecting against the risk, as well as explains the role that irrevocable trusts play in asset protection.

Joe also discusses how comfortable or uncomfortable the law is with uses of trusts, as well as how asset protection does not apply to those who anticipate oncoming liability issues. He also highlights the ins and outs of a self-settle trust and talks about the control and freedom that you may or may not have while utilizing asset protection.

Building Your Team for Planning Your Future [Episode 91]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur break down the role of an elder law attorney, on this week’s episode of ElderTalk with Joe Cordell. They highlight the uncertainty that the future includes and how having a plan in place, created by an experienced elder law attorney can help put your mind at ease. They talk about how proper planning can help protect your life’s work and how building your team of experienced professionals in respective planning fields can be beneficial in deciding your future.

Joe discusses how a financial advisor, a medical care manager, a geriatric care manager, an individual that you would give durable Power of Attorney to, a spiritual advisor of some sort, and an elder law attorney can make for a complete team that assists you in making decisions regarding your future.

Joe also explains the vague boundary that exists between an elder law attorney and an estate planning attorney, as well as the need for having an elder law attorney who is opinionated.

Highlighting Celebrity Estate Planning Issues Part 2 [Episode 89]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur continue their discussion on estate planning issues that arise for celebrities. They discuss musician Ray Charles and the issues surrounding the trusts that he established for his children, as well as the amount that he left for his charitable foundation. Due to a lack of clarity and updates regarding the amounts being given to each child, litigation occurred.

Joe and Susan also discuss musician and aspiring politician Sonny Bono and his lack of will during the time of his death. They highlight how her former wife, Cher, sued the estate for unpaid alimony and was able to collect, despite her own success.

They talk about R&B singer Barry White and the lack of updates of his will. This, paired with the fact that his divorce to his second wife was not made legal, caused problems among the family members involved.

Joe and Susan also break down the issues surrounding Michael Jackson’s last wishes and the issues surrounding having a pour-over will and not putting the assets in a trust, as well as the estate of former Miami Dolphins owner Joe Robbie and the problems he had with his will, revocable trust, and his spouse’s forced share. They wrap up the show by discussing how much money Leona Helmsley gave her dog after she died.

Highlighting Celebrity Estate Planning Issues Part 1 [Episode 88]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur dive into estate planning through the lens of celebrities and use them to highlight the ways that you can put a plan in place, in order to take care of those that you care about.

They discuss the story surrounding Buzz Aldrin and his desire to get married again, despite his children’s concerns regarding competence and the legal implements regarding guardianship that are in place. They talk about the possibility of a prenuptial agreement providing safeguards that could quell the concerns of the children.

Joe and Susan discuss the detailed will and trust of Frank Sinatra and the company that his daughter was running, but was left to his wife, Barbara. They also discuss former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Warren Burger and his 176-word will. The division of assets was not evenly split, causing discord among family members.

They also talk about the will of Lauren Bacall and the taxes due on her estate. Joe discusses issues involving liquidity in estate planning. Joe and Susan wrap things up by talking about Lisa Marie Presley and her issues surrounding her father’s estate and the issues surrounding her own finances.

Common Questions Regarding Your Plan [Episode 84]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur answer listener questions, regarding issues that those facing the aging process would find helpful. These questions answer topics surrounding protecting assets, when you are attempting to qualify for Medicaid,  whether payments to third-parties are subject to the five-year look-back rule of Medicaid, whether or not writing the wrong address or wrong last name on a Power of Attorney document requires getting a new one, how competency can play a factor in determining whether or not someone is fit to live on their own, utilizing the legal maneuvering involved in creating a new Power of Attorney, in order to override the decision-making of someone named in the original one, the time that it takes to settle an estate, and so much more.

Joe and Susan discuss what the best way is to give money to your grandchildren, what a 529 plan is, the benefits of a trust, and how insurance policies can affect qualifying for Medicaid.

Making Realistic Resolutions for 2019 [Episode 82]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur kick off 2019 by discussing practical New Year’s resolutions, so that you can be benefit from the changes you make in the new year.

In no particular order, Joe and Susan discuss having important estate planning documents located in a place where other people know where they are, having a plan for asset transfer, having conversations with your family members about what you have decided, making sure that you have Powers of Attorney and health care directives created, so that your wishes regarding financial and medical decisions can be realized by a loved one, having a reliable emergency alert tool, joining a walking program, so that you can get the exercise in, and getting a physical, committing to a social club or activity, so that you can gain the physical benefits of social interaction with others.

Investing in the Planning Process [Episode 72]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur talk about the forms and paperwork that often can be involved in the long-term planning process. As the years go by, it is important to have a plan in place, and Joe talks about the costs that go into the estate planning process and how saving money in the planning process does not always translate into your wishes being executed after you die.

Joe discusses how the amount of money you have factors into the decision-making involved in estate and long-term planning, as well as how an experienced elder law attorney will be the one completing all of the necessary tasks to create a comprehensive and complete will or trust.

Joe also talks about how important the customization aspect of the planning process is. When you go online for a form, you may not be getting all of the customization you may require, and Joe explains why it is important to invest in the extra aspects of your long-term plan.

Taking the Emotions Out of Estate Planning [Episode 69]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur discuss some of issues that can arise when emotions get involved in the estate planning process. They discuss the need to have a plan in place, as well as highlighting how differing viewpoints regarding who feels entitled to what can breed conflict when it comes to making sure that the wishes are carried out according to the elder family member’s request.

Joe talks about how third parties like creditors, can involve themselves in the process after the family member has died. He also discusses how customizable trusts can be, in terms of how much control to specific amounts of money benefactors are allowed.

Joe talks about the unfortunate circumstances when a benefactor goes through a divorce after receiving an inheritance and how that is sorted out, as well as how an inheritance can make someone a target and at risk for exacerbating existing addictions.

Planning for Your Future [Episode 68]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell highlights those who are not quite at the age of needing the services of any type of estate and elder plans, but why it still is important to do so. He talks about the importance of knowing the government rules and how your age interacts with the regulations regarding elder law and estate planning.

He talks about how the start of the process can lead to disagreements among otherwise peaceful families, regarding who gets what in terms of assets and responsibilities. Joe also breaks down the necessity of having a health care proxy, such as a health care Power of Attorney. He explains how vital it is to make your wishes regarding the simplest aspects of your future known.

Joe also breaks down the rules and regulations that kick into effect after you die. He explains why probate is a necessary part of the process and how many look to trusts to avoid wills and probate.