Probate is how the law is set up to make sure that a deceased person’s bills are paid and that their remaining assets go where they were intended to go by the deceased person. When someone dies, it presents an opportunity for someone to either steal or misinterpret their intentions. A way to understand probate is to think of the two people who will represent the deceased after they die. The first person is the probate judge, who could be thought of as the person’s brain. The second person is the executor or administrator, who could be thought of as the arms and legs in actually moving ownership or possession.
Monthly Archives: May 2016
Legal-Ease: Thinking like a lawyer
Thinking like a lawyer requires analyzing situations in the context of laws and deciding whether they do or do not apply to that particular situation. To think like a lawyer requires four main attributes: separating situations into distinct parts, thinking without emotion, using logic, and analyzing situations from different perspectives.
Legal-Ease: Water and sewer service for your new house
When building a new home, water and sewer services are pretty important pieces to have in place early. If the land you choose to build your home on is adjacent to public water and public sanitary sewer lines, some of the initial hurdles are already out of the way. If the land is not near water and sewer service lines, a water source needs to be found, such as a well or a pond. The biggest hurdle, however, is sanitary service. There are strict regulations surrounding sanitary sewer systems, and it’s up to local health departments to fill in the regulations’ gaps.
Legal-Ease: Nursing home planning usually includes Medicaid planning
As Americans are living longer than ever, the need for long-term healthcare continues to grow. Within 25 years from today the cost of living in a nursing home could be as high as $200,000 per year. Many people save money to pass on to their children and grandchildren, but it’s easy for that saved money to be quickly spent on living in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Fortunately, there are some options when planning for a potential move to a nursing home.
Legal-Ease: Clearing brush can lead to permanent government program ineligibility
Landowners who clear brush may be permanently ineligible for some government programs that are administered through the USDA. Before removing anything from their land, landowners should contact their local Farm Service Agency to be certain that the property being cleared isn’t a wetland. Federal law says that any conversion of wetlands to cropland could make the converting party ineligible for participation in all USDA programs.