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Orange City Estate Planning Blog

Justice Scalia and His Legacy

If you’re an NFL quarterback, you’ve reached the pinnacle of your profession. There’s nowhere left to go except down the ladder or into retirement. It’s the same with CEO’s like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, or Warren Buffet. As President, Barack Obama has hit the peak of his political career. Likewise with Supreme Court Justices: they are the capable-est, the intelligent-est, the wisest among all lawyers. While we have yet to hear what Justice Scalia’s estate plan looks like, it seems clear that his professional legacy is firmly fixed. [Read More]

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The Biggest Mistake You Make Before Turning 65

We are about to experience – some say we’re already experiencing – the biggest workforce shift from full time work to retirement in United States history. If you’re a Baby Boomer, you are a part of this generational transition. If you can see retirement on the horizon, then I have a warning for you: there’s a train following close behind retirement that you absolutely must plan for: nursing home care. [Read More]

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The Medicaid Planning Hoax: 3 Myths

Nursing homes are incentivized by the state to perpetuate the hoax because the daily nursing home rate paid by the state is lower than the private pay rate. Lawyers who don’t know anything about the Medicaid regulations are telling people they have no options for planning for Medicaid eligibility. How do you overcome misinformation or a lack of information? You get educated. Here are three myths, rooted in the Medicaid Planning Hoax, that are all wet. [Read More]

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Estate Planning Includes Creating Your Legacy

One of the most overlooked aspects of estate planning is the opportunity to create your legacy. Believe it or not, creating a legacy isn’t all about having Northwest Iowa libraries and hospitals named after you. Instead, there are some more cost-efficient, yet great ways that you can help your family remember your values and beliefs. [Read More]

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The Biggest Job in Probate Court

There are several responsibilities that come along with being a personal representative in Northwest Iowa, and there are personal qualities which may make one person a better choice than others. For example, a good personal representative will have a sense of fairness and will be able to remain impartial when it comes to following the decedent’s instructions. [Read More]

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Ask the Elder Law Lawyer: How Much Do I Need to Save for Retirement?

If you’re like 70% of people in the US who have a retirement plan, you still haven’t worked with a professional such as an elder law attorney in Northwest Iowa in order to determine how much money you really need to save. A recent study found that only about 30% of this group has actually sat down with a professional to come up with a realistic number. [Read More]

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I Digress: What is a “Money Story”?

I attended a conference in July of this year where I had the chance to listen to an unscripted conversation between a counselor and a married couple. Their conversation was focused around what the counselor called the couple’s “money story.” But what is a money story? [Read More]

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101 Death Hacks [Part Five]

Welcome to our fifth and final part of our 101 Death Hacks. Keeping it Current Update your fiduciaries’ contact information every time their information changes

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