Your Child Turned 18: The Legal Documents Every College Family Needs, From a Portland, Oregon Estate Planning Attorney
Here is something that surprises almost every parent: The day your child turns 18, you lose the automatic right to see their medical records or make decisions for them, even in an emergency. A few simple documents, including a HIPAA authorization and a power of attorney for your college student, can restore that ability. Setting them up takes less time than packing the car for move-in day.
You Signed a Trust Years Ago. Your Family Could Still End Up in Probate: Advice From a Portland, Oregon Estate Attorney
Here is a truth that surprises many families: Signing a living trust does not, by itself, keep your estate out of probate. A trust only controls the assets that are actually titled in its name. If your home, accounts, or other property were never transferred into the trust, or quietly slipped back out over the years, your family may face the exact court process the trust was designed to avoid. The good news is that checking is simple, and fixing gaps is usually easy while you are here to do it.
Healthy Aging Month: Small Habits That May Help Keep Your Mind Sharp
September is Healthy Aging Month, which makes this the perfect time to share some encouraging news. Research suggests that everyday habits may help support brain health as we age. While no routine can guarantee protection against memory loss, small choices add up over the years, and most of the choices are pleasant ones.
You Inherited an IRA. Now What? Advice From a Portland, Oregon Estate Attorney
If you recently inherited an IRA or 401(k), the most important thing to know is that most non-spouse beneficiaries must withdraw the entire account within 5 or 10 years, and the choices you make in the first weeks can affect how much of the money you actually keep. The inherited IRA rules changed significantly in recent years, and the old advice about stretching withdrawals over your lifetime no longer applies to most people.
World Alzheimer’s Month: Planning Ahead in Oregon When Memory Begins to Change
Every September, World Alzheimer's Month invites us to talk openly about a disease that touches an estimated 7 million American families. In our office, that conversation usually begins with a single worried question: Is it too late for my loved one to make a plan?
Do You Inherit Your Parents' Debt? What a Portland, Oregon Estate Planning Attorney Wants You to Know
The short answer is no; in most cases, children do not inherit their parents' debt. Debts belong to the estate, and the estate pays them from the assets the person left behind. Family members generally are not personally responsible. That said, a few exceptions catch people off guard, and knowing them ahead of time can save your family real stress.
What Happens to Your Online Accounts and Crypto When You Die
So much of life now lives online, and digital estate planning in Oregon is something most of us never stop to think about. From family photos to banking to cryptocurrency, it all sits behind passwords, and a death certificate is not a password. Loved ones are often locked out of accounts they did not even know existed.
Mailbag Moment: Your Burning Questions, Answered
"My younger brother is in his fifties with two teenagers, and he still does not have a will. Every time I bring it up, he laughs it off or changes the subject. How do I get through to him without sounding like I am nagging?"
Protecting Your Home From Nursing Home Costs in Portland, Oregon
For most families, the home is far more than an asset. It holds a lifetime of memories and the hope of leaving something behind for the children. So it is a real and growing worry that, as we age, a nursing home bill could quietly drain everything the home represents. The cost of long-term care is one of the worries we hear about most from families today, and many people assume there is nothing to do but watch it happen. That is the part we want to correct. You do not have to give up control and simply let the home go. With thoughtful Medicaid planning in Oregon, there are often steps a family can take to protect it, especially when they plan a little ahead. Let us share a story that shows why timing matters so much.
What Happens with No Will at All?
If you are looking for a simple way to explain to a loved one why a will matters, this is it: When someone passes away without one, they do not avoid the system. They simply hand every decision over to the state.
Protecting Both Your Spouse and Your Children: Estate Planning in Portland, Oregon for Blended Families
Blending two families together takes a lot of love and patience, and most couples assume that love will carry everyone through after one of them is gone. We understand why. It feels almost cold to imagine your spouse and your children ending up on opposite sides. Yet this is one of the most common heartaches we see, and a little estate planning in Portland, Oregon can prevent nearly all of it.
Make-a-Will Month: How to Talk to Someone You Love about Estate Planning
You have your plan in place, and you know the quiet relief that comes with it. But chances are, someone close to you does not. Make-a-Will Month is the perfect reason to change that, and you may be the one person they will actually listen to.