Serving Denton County Since 1992 | 6021 Morriss Rd., Suite 101, Flower Mound, TX, 75028
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Recent Blog Posts
Common Issues with Medicare Coverage
Medicare is a government health insurance program for people aged 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities. It has several parts, including Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance), Part C (Medicare Advantage Plans), and Part D (prescription drug coverage). Many people struggle to understand what is covered under each part, which can lead to confusion about medical bills and coverage options.
A Texas elder law attorney can help by explaining the different parts of Medicare and reviewing your coverage to ensure you are not missing benefits or paying for unnecessary services. They can also help you determine whether a Medicare Advantage Plan or a supplemental insurance plan is the right choice for your needs and assist you if you are denied coverage.
Denied Claims and Coverage Disputes
Sometimes, Medicare denies a claim for a medical service, saying it is not covered or is not medically necessary. This can leave people with unexpected and significant medical bills. Medicare claim denials are often due to paperwork errors or misunderstandings about the rules.
What Do You Need to Do After a Parent Dies?
Losing a parent is a life-altering event that can leave you feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do next. Alongside processing your grief, there are practical and legal steps you must take to manage their estate and honor their final wishes.
Handling these responsibilities can be emotionally and logistically challenging, but an experienced Texas estate planning attorney can guide you through the process with compassion and clarity.
Notify Family and Loved Ones
The first step after a parent's passing is to notify close family members, friends, and others who may need to know. It is often helpful to ask someone you trust to assist with this task, especially if you are feeling overwhelmed. Sharing the news can also provide an opportunity for loved ones to offer emotional support.
Get a Death Certificate
You will need several copies of your parent’s death certificate to handle various aspects of their estate. These can typically be obtained through the funeral home or the vital records office in the county where your parent passed away. Be sure to request multiple certified copies, as many institutions require an original for verification.
Common Complications of Probate Court (And How To Avoid Them)
Making arrangements for after your death is a delicate process. There may be people who you want to take care of, whether through financial support or other property you pass down to them. However, depending on how you plan for this time, your beneficiaries may have to go through probate court, which is the legal process of dividing up your assets in front of a judge.
Probate court can be a long, tedious, and expensive process for your loved ones to go through after experiencing a devastating loss. However, there are measures you can address as part of your estate planning that can make the process more manageable for your loved ones. A Texas estate planning lawyer can help you sort out your affairs efficiently and with minimal stress, avoiding the various challenges associated with probate court.
Including a Charitable Remainder Trust in Your Estate Plan
Creating an estate plan can be difficult for several reasons. First, there is the emotional aspect of making plans for a time in the future when you will either be incapacitated or no longer living. Second, it can be complicated to sort through all the possible arrangements you can make. Many people struggle to articulate exactly how they want to leave a legacy, and are often unsure how to benefit both their loved ones and important causes they support. A knowledgeable Flower Mound, TX estate planning lawyer can help you navigate this problem by working with you to create a charitable remainder trust.
What Is a Charitable Remainder Trust?
When people establish trusts and other ways to leave money to beneficiaries, there is a concern that taxes will be levied on any inheritance. One way to avoid saddling beneficiaries with hefty capital gains taxes is by setting up an irrevocable trust called a charitable remainder trust (CRT), which lets you accomplish three things:
3 Differences Between a Will and a Transfer-On-Death Deed in Texas
When someone starts thinking about what they will leave behind when they pass away, it can be difficult for two reasons. First, it is emotionally challenging to plan for our own death, something most of us would prefer not to focus on. Second, there are so many options available that it can be confusing to sort through it all. This article will compare two estate planning options - wills and transfer-on-death deeds. Both are official ways to leave things behind for loved ones after your death, but they have different characteristics that make them preferable for different circumstances. Contact a knowledgeable Flower Mound, TX estate planning attorney to discuss which option makes the most sense for you.
How to Decide Between a Will and a Transfer-On-Death Deed
Transfer-on-death (TOD) deeds and wills are two options commonly used for bequeathing your assets to people you leave behind when you die. While they accomplish similar goals, there are some important differences that might make one method better suited to your needs:
Planning Your Own Funeral in Texas
People tend to care a lot about how big events in their lives are marked. Why should a funeral be any different? Since your funeral will leave a lasting impression of your life on all who attend, it is not unreasonable for you to have certain ideas about how it should be. To that end, it is common for people to include their funeral plans in their estate planning arrangements. If this seems relevant to you, speak with a skilled Flower Mound, TX estate planning lawyer to learn more about how you can plan your own funeral.
Why Would You Plan Your Own Funeral?
Most people do not relish the idea of making plans for when they die, but as Benjamin Franklin famously said, nothing is certain but death and taxes. With death being a certainty rather than a possibility, it can be sensible to try to plan for when it happens.
There are two main reasons why you might want to plan your own funeral:
Establishing a Texas Special Needs Trust
Parents of children with special needs typically want to do everything they can to get them every resource to help them live a great life. That also includes setting up ways to ensure that they will keep getting the care they need after their parents are no longer around. Often in situations like this, a family might decide to establish a special needs trust, which can leave someone with financial resources but maintain their eligibility for programs that offer care and basic needs. If you are interested in taking steps to protect your child’s financial future, speak with a skilled Flower Mound, TX estate planning lawyer to learn more.
Government Programs for People with Special Needs
The government has programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid that offer financial support to people with special needs. However, if someone has a certain amount of resources, they can be disqualified as a Medicaid beneficiary. A special needs trust is a way to hold assets that can be used for someone receiving Medicaid benefits to pay for a nursing home or other type of long-term care.
Tax Considerations to Keep in Mind for Your Texas Estate Plan
When you live in Texas and are granted an inheritance, you benefit from the fact that the state does not have an inheritance tax. There are also some federal estate tax exemptions you might be entitled to. All that can make you think you have nothing to worry about when you inherit something. However, Texas residents might still need to pay federal estate taxes depending on the circumstances of the inheritance. If you are trying to plan for your financial future, speak with a skilled Denton County, TX estate planning lawyer who can explain your options for protecting assets.
How do Estate Taxes Work in Texas?
There is currently no state-imposed inheritance tax in Texas. As for federal taxes, if an individual inherits up to $13.61 million or a couple inherits up to $27.22 million, they are exempt from taxes. Since these amounts are so high, many people will not be liable to pay taxes, but it is best to be aware that laws can change.
Understanding the Lookback Period for Medicaid Trusts
One important but less discussed aspect of estate planning is something called a "lookback period," which is the time when financial transactions - particularly involving trusts - are scrutinized. This is done to determine Medicaid eligibility. If you are considering Medicaid planning, speak with a knowledgeable Flower Mound, TX estate planning lawyer to understand the implications of this lookback period.
How Do Medicaid Trusts Work?
Medicaid is a federal and state-funded program that provides healthcare benefits to eligible individuals with limited financial resources. To qualify for Medicaid’s long-term care benefits, applicants must prove that their financial situation necessitates them. They need to meet strict conditions, with any assets they own not exceeding a certain limitation.
Texas Closes the Loophole Used to Defraud Seniors and Others
S.B. 576 went into effect almost a year ago to restrict the exploitation of senior citizens and mentally disabled people. While scams and scammers change from week to week, this vulnerable group of seniors and the mentally disabled are common targets of "friends" and caretakers looking for a quick buck. All too often, these fraudsters have been able to get away with stealing money, possessions, and even identities, thanks to a loophole in Texas law. Comprehensive estate planning can help prevent unscrupulous people from taking advantage of the elderly.
If you suspect a vulnerable person is being taken advantage of by dishonest caretakers, friends, or greedy family members, take immediate action. A skilled Flower Mound estate planning attorney can help determine whether fraud has occurred and, if so, how to hold the person who committed the fraud accountable and ensure your loved one is safe. This can be a difficult time and a complex situation that benefits from speaking to an experienced lawyer.
Whether you need legal assistance with estate planning, have questions about elder law, or are involved in a business litigation case you can trust Colbert Law Group PLLC to handle your case with the personal attention and commitment to a positive outcome that you deserve. From our office in Flower Mound, we serve clients throughout Denton County and Southern Oklahoma.
6021 Morriss Rd., Suite 101, Flower Mound, TX, 75028
972-724-3338
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