Estate Planning Awareness Week: The Importance to You and Your Family of Having an Estate Plan In 2008, Congress recognized the need for the public to understand the importance and benefits of estate planning by passing House Resolution 1499, which designated the third week of Octo...

Planning for the death of an unmarried partner is critical, but so is planning for the possibility that one partner becomes sick, disabled, or incapacitated at some point during their lifetime. Under the laws of most states, an unmarried partner has zero rights to manage finances or make medica...

What really happens if you don't create a will, trust, or other estate planning documents and essentially keep your head in the sand? Any Marietta estate attorney will tell you, the honest truth is that you make things much harder, more costly, and more time-consuming for your loved ones if s...

Data breaches have been one of the hot topics this year in the wake of the Capital One data breach which compromised nearly 100 million Americans. But what hasn't been receiving much major media coverage are the recent breaches affecting seniors.  One such breach occurred last year in May,...

When a loved one enters hospice care, the whole point is to provide peace of mind and comfort to the patient and the family. And yet a lack of regulation, oversight, and available information means that isn't always the case.  The HSS Inspector General has found that, between 2012 and 2016, he...

Much attention over the last ten years has been given to the research for causes and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder, also known as ASD.   The Combating Autism Act became a law in 2006,  was reauthorized in 2011, then again reauthorized and renamed to Autism CARES Act in 2014 (Autism Co...

Estate planning is incredibly important for all parents, as it allows them the opportunity to make very difficult choices. It provides the chance to determine who will raise your minor children if you can't, what money will be set aside or used for their upbringing, and even what money will be ...

The increasing number of seniors and near-seniors experiencing dementia in the United States is on a rapid rise. A hallmark of cognitive decline is a long pre-clinical phase followed by an actual medical diagnosis that progresses from early to middle and late-stage dementia. Poor memory, agitat...

Most people understand that by paying into Social Security throughout their careers, they can receive health care benefits through Medicare starting at age 65.  Individuals under age 65 who qualify to receive Social Security Disability benefits are also covered under Medicare, as well as anyo...

When you dial 911 for emergency medical services (EMS) your transport may route you to a hospital that is not near your home. While you have the right to ask to be transported to the hospital of your choice, either out of preference or to stay in your insurance network of doctors, you might not...

If you've set up a Revocable Living Trust, congratulations! As a Marietta will and trust lawyer, I assure you that you've taken a very important step in protecting your assets and your family in the event you become incapacitated or pass away.  However, just because you've completed this impor...

Ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veteran's Affairs, Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana), along with Senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren (both Democrats from Massachusetts) are requesting a formal review by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of the rating system of Communi...

Before you retire or leave full-time employment for other pursuits, consider the impacts of your decision on the financial well being of your future. The transition to your next phase of life, whether full or semi-retirement, adventure seeking, or family driven, requires thoughtful planning t...

According to the American Psychological Society, elder abuse is the infliction of physical, emotional/psychological, sexual or financial harm on an older adult. Elder abuse can also take the form of intentional or unintentional neglect of an older adult by the caregiver. Elder abuse has a varie...

The national news has been filled with tragedy lately, including acts of senseless violence committed against random strangers. Families and communities across the nation are mourning the loss of their loved ones and doing what they can to help the survivors.  While most people are wondering...

Estate planning for a married couple is often pretty straightforward: you leave all of your property and money to your spouse who also takes care of the minor children. But what happens if both parents pass away unexpectedly or if you're a single parent creating an estate plan? Parents will usu...

Modern technology has put research tools once only available to professionals in the hands of everyday people. With nothing more than access to the internet, we can trace our family trees back several centuries. We can now order DNA testing kits through the mail, allowing us to discover our g...

As seniors start experiencing the changes associated with aging, one of their most common fears is losing their independence. Atlanta elder attorneys recognize that a chief catalyst of such fears is often when the senior loses the ability to drive.  A senior's ability to operate a vehicle may ...

Jerry's mother Jane decided, on her own, that it was time to move into an assisted-living facility. Jane's arthritis had worsened to the point where she couldn't dress herself, she struggled to get in and out of the shower, and she was lonely living by herself.  Jane did very well at her new p...

The silver tsunami of Americans has inspired the technology industry. There are continuous developments and implementations of inventive digital Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that transform the lives of aging adults as well as their caregivers. Each new tech development cycle strives to pr...

Farming or ranching is more than a means of livelihood – it is about preserving a legacy and unique way of life.  Unfortunately, many farmers and ranchers fail to make an estate plan.  The farm or ranch that has been passed down for generations then ends up being sold and converted into non-a...

You may have heard of a revocable living trust (RLT), which is a commonly used estate planning solution. But what exactly are they, who is affected by them, how can they be changed, and what do they accomplish? What Are They? Trusts, which are legal entities that hold title to property for ...

During the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, your mom or dad will likely need help managing his or her financial and personal affairs. If your parent already has a Power of Attorney or living will in place, a new diagnosis of dementia should cause you to take a fresh look at those documents,...

As a Marietta estate planning lawyer, it's easy to see why so many people put off writing their wills. After all, no one really wants to think about their own death, let alone prepare for it. In reality, though, preparing by creating a will is exactly what we should all be doing. There are plen...

Even those who don't fully understand the probate process are pretty clear about the fact that they want to avoid it. As a Marietta probate lawyer, I see so many cases where probate could have been shortened or avoided altogether if only people had more information. Probate is a legal process ...