If you do not yet have an estate plan in place, you have probably had to listen to well-meaning friends and family members nagging you about getting started on one. They do mean well, and you do realize you need a plan, so why not just use a few “Do-It-Yourself” forms you find on the internet to get your plan started? Although that may sound like a perfect solution, the Indianapolis estate planning attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain the hidden dangers inherent in DIY estate planning. Why … [Read more...]
About Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Will Medicaid Pay for a Family Caregiver?
Watching a parent, grandparent, or other older relative deteriorate physically and/or mentally can be heart-wrenching. The idea of putting your family member in a long-term care facility may not sit well with you; however, caring for them yourself may not be financially feasible. Will Medicaid pay for a family caregiver? The Carmel Medicaid attorneys at Frank & Kraft explain an Indiana Medicaid program that may allow you to be compensated for caring for a family member. Medicaid Waiver … [Read more...]
What Should I Do If I Don’t Want My Inheritance?
As much as we all try not to admit it, when a loved one passes away we often anticipate receiving some type of inheritance. In fact, conflicts and discord often erupt because of the way in which a decedent chose to dispose of his/her estate. It may surprise you then to find yourself in a position one day where you don’t want an inheritance left to you – but it happens more often than you may realize. Rejecting an inheritance, however, is more complicated than it sounds as the Indianapolis estate … [Read more...]
Are There Alternatives for Managing Property When Someone becomes Incapacitated?
While your primary estate planning goal may be to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes after your death, one of the most important secondary goals of any comprehensive estate plan should be to plan for how your assets will be managed in the event of your incapacity. To help encourage you to plan ahead, a Carmel incapacity planning attorney at Frank & Kraft discusses your options for managing property during incapacity. Incapacity Doesn’t Discriminate When you … [Read more...]
Indiana Council Against Senior Exploitation Works to Protect Older Hoosiers
Sadly, elder abuse is a very real problem in the United States. Moreover, as the population of seniors continues to grow, so does the number of elder abuse cases. While physical abuse and neglect are the most well-known types of elder abuse, financial exploitation is actually the most common. In the State of Indiana, residents will be happy to learn that the Secretary of State has formed the Indiana Council Against Senior Exploitation, a group that is tasked with protecting seniors against those … [Read more...]
What Happens If Someone Contests a Will?
When a family member passes away, the time period that follows is one filled with grief and a variety of other strong emotions. There are also a number of practical and legal steps that must be taken following a death. Among the most important of those is probating the decedent’s estate which begins with submitting the decedent’s Last Will and Testament to the appropriate court. The terms of that Will provide a roadmap for the distribution of the decedent’s assets. What happens, however, if … [Read more...]
When Does a Living Trust Terminate?
Creating an estate plan typically requires you one to contemplate numerous inter-related goals and objectives at the same time. To achieve all those objectives, you may need to incorporate numerous estate planning tools and strategies into your estate plan. One of the most popular of those estate planning tools is a living trust. Once your living trust is in place, however, how and when does it terminate? To help you better understand how a living trust works, the Carmel living trust attorneys … [Read more...]
Tips for Caregivers
As the elderly population in the United States continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, the need for caregivers for the elderly has also experienced a corresponding increase. Oftentimes, family members or close friends offer to provide care to an elderly individual without expecting payment for that care. If you are one of those caregivers, it is important that you acknowledge the impact your selfless caregiving will have on you and your family. Remember that if you completely ignore your own … [Read more...]
Is a Family Limited Partnership Right for My Business?
Starting a small business is a dream come true for many people. If you are hoping to realize the American dream of becoming an entrepreneur, planning ahead is the key to the long-term success of your business. This is especially true if you plan to pass the business down to the next generation. In fact, the lack of planning is one of the leading reasons why so many family businesses fail to make a successful transition from one generation to the next. There are a number of strategies you can use … [Read more...]
What Is a Letter of Instruction?
When drafted properly, a well thought out estate plan can accomplish a number of inter-related goals. The estate planning process, however, is something that never really ends. Instead, your estate plan should evolve over time and grow along with you, your family, and your estate. As times goes by, you will likely find that you need to include additional estate planning tools and strategies in order to fulfill the needs of your growing family and address the ever-changing goals you have for your … [Read more...]
