ABLE Act Contributions Now Tax-Deductible in Arizona
First, the news: Arizona has now legislated a state income tax deduction for ABLE Act contributions, beginning this year. Now, let us explain what that means. Let’s start with the ABLE Act itself As a reminder, Congress passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act at the end of 2014. It allowed states to […]
Late in Life Romance: More Complicated Than It Seems
Late in life romance is special. Older couples, often financially secure, can travel, enjoy one another’s company, and get to know families and friends without historical baggage. Staying single also has practical appeal. It seems simple for those who have endured divorce or aim to maintain separate finances. But an arrangement that seems simple can […]
Marriage Annulled by Court After Spouse’s Death
Imagine a terminally-ill person marrying a long-time companion in the final weeks of life. If he or she was incapacitated at the time, can the marriage be annulled after the new spouse’s death? The Nebraska Supreme Court thinks so. Molly Stacey’s last years Greg Meyer, then 54, moved in with Molly Stacey in 2009. The […]
Monsoon Season Review: Taxes, Planning, Dementia & Dead Celebs
As we’ve been enjoying a fabulously soggy monsoon season in Tucson, suddenly August is around the corner. That means it’s time to survey the elder law landscape and share various items of interest. We delayed the June review because Britney Spears’ legal struggles took center stage. So this monsoon season review spans the two months […]
Roz and Duncan Work as a Team
Long-time friends of Fleming & Curti, PLC, will recall the late Odin Tyvlytter and his colleague Duncan. After the sad death of Odin, we recruited Rosalind Franklin to step in. Now office visitors can meet with Roz and Duncan if they wish. Usually, of course, there’s also a lawyer involved in those meetings. Meet Rosalind […]
Britney: Struggles Illustrate Common Themes
Oops, we’re doing it again. We’ve written about Britney Spears and her conservatorship from time to time, including two weeks ago, after she appeared in court. Here we are again, not to address Britney’s situation specifically but to look at how her conservatorship illustrates some truths about conservatorships. (Stars! They’re just like us!) But a lot […]
Trust Restatement, or Trust Amendment?
You want to amend your revocable living trust. Your lawyer has told you that you need a trust restatement. What’s the difference, and which should you prefer? The basic rule A trust restatement is really just the ultimate amendment. Assuming that you retained the authority to amend your trust, you can amend it by completely […]
Britney Speaks, Shows She Still May Need Help
It’s the end of the month, which is when we normally survey the landscape and share interesting developments in elder law. But Britney spoke in court, and we can’t resist. You may have heard that, for more than a decade, pop star Britney Spears has been under conservatorship in California. Conservatorships are typically needed for […]
Remarriage and Your Trust
We see it often in our practice. A couple prepares their estate plan, including a joint revocable trust. One spouse dies, and eventually the surviving spouse remarries. What is the relationship between remarriage and your trust plan? Michael Berezo Michael Berezo lived in Kirkwood, Missouri. He had married Alene Haskell in 1986; the couple had […]
Family Is a Factor in Almost Every Estate
Estate planning is always a family affair. Family is a factor whenever someone dies — even if relatives stand to receive nothing at all. For people without Wills or Trusts, family is the default (not “the state,” as many people believe). State “intestacy” laws try to guess what most people would want, and they get […]
