The Dean Law Firm Blog

By Julia “Jules” Pullin
Attorney at The Dean Law Firm, PLLC

After all the changes that we’ve experienced in 2020, it’s no surprise that the upcoming holiday season will also be different. While the usual holiday events, family gatherings, and parties will be limited, it allows for us to focus more on what is truly important, such as spending time with close family members and friends. You can also use this time to develop new traditions that can continue beyond the pandemic, such as:

• Baking sweet treats to send to neighbors and family. Almost everyone loves baked goods, and the extra dose of love will make these treats very appreciated.
• Having a family movie night.
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By Julia Pullin
Attorney at The Dean Law Firm, PLLC

As this highly unusual year draws to a close, people will reconnect with their family members for holiday gatherings, whether in person, over videoconference, or by telephone. In these gatherings, you would reflect on your experiences over the previous months, share memories, and express love and gratitude for your family members.

Unfortunately, due to precautions and social distancing, you may not be able to spend as much time with family this holiday season. Instead, a good way to pass on your reflections, love, wisdom, and values to the next generation is to write a legacy letter. Taking the time to write a personalized letter to your future generations will have a greater impact than you know.

By Julia “Jules” Pullin

Attorney at the Dean Law Firm

It’s that time of year again, when college students prepare to begin a new semester, whether at a physical campus or online, and other young adults are preparing to enter the workforce for their first job outside of school. It’s an exciting time for these young adults and their parents, who are proud of their children for moving on to the next stage in their lives.

However, as a parent, you still have that worry that you will receive a phone call from your child’s school or workplace that there has been an accident involving your child. Many young adults will end up visiting the campus doctor or the emergency room due to illness or accident. As a parent, you have a right to know your child’s medical information if they are in the hospital – but only until they turn eighteen.
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by Stacey K. Skillman

Attorney at The Dean Law Firm, PLLC

We have all read the headlines of celebrities passing away without a Will, leading to sometimes bitter and always expensive and prolonged court proceedings. Turns out that not having a Will is not just for the rich and famous. A recent poll conducted by Caring.com shows that 68% of adult Americans do not have Wills.
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By Julia “Jules” Pullin

Attorney at The Dean Law Firm, PLLC

One of the most important things that you can do for yourself and your family is create an estate plan.  By having certain documents in place to take care of yourself and your loved ones in the future, you can mitigate or prevent future problems. Unfortunately, people often make crucial mistakes in their estate plan that can have devastating consequences for their families. Here’s a look at the top five estate planning mistakes that you need to avoid.

by Laura L. Bromlow, J.D., CELA

I often get similar questions from clients when they are considering creating their estate plan.  “Once my plan is done, is there anything I need to do to maintain it?” Or, “How often should I review my estate planning documents?”  And, “What is the expense of keeping my estate plan up to date?”  These questions all speak to related issues, which is how to keep your estate planning documents relevant.

By Julia “Jules” Pullin
Attorney at The Dean Law Firm

Downloading a Will from the internet seems tempting – it’s quick, inexpensive, and you just fill in a few blanks.  However, signing a Will that you bought online is like playing poker with a blindfold on—you won’t know if you’ve bet correctly until it’s too late.  I’ve counseled many clients who were shocked to learn that a loved one’s online Will was invalid.  An invalid Will is treated like there is no Will at all, which ends up costing family members thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees and tying up the Estate in administration.

There are three major problems that can happen with an online Will:

I was a Girl Scout from the ages six to ten. During that time, I sold cookies, found out that I did not like camping outdoors, but most importantly, I learned a motto that stayed with me throughout my life: “Be Prepared”. The 1947 Girl Scout Handbook explains the motto this way: “A Girl Scout is ready to help out wherever she is needed. Willingness to serve is not enough; you must know how to do the job well, even in an emergency.”

If you or a loved one has been turned down for long-term care insurance, cannot afford the premiums for the long-term care insurance, or believe that you will apply for Medicaid in the future, then you should consider Medicaid Planning.

When you apply for Medicaid, any gifts or transfers of assets made within five years of the date of application are scrutinized and subject to a penalty. This is referred to as the “lookback” period. That penalty is based on the dollar amount of the transferred assets divided by the average monthly private patient care rate, the resulting number translating to the amount of days or months that the applicant is ineligible for Medicaid.

In the United States, six out of ten adults in the United States have a chronic disease, and chronic disease is the leading cause of disability and death. While many healthy adults view estate planning as a contingency plan, adults with a chronic illness approach estate planning with higher urgency. While preparing their plan, adults with chronic illnesses should assemble a “team” of advisors.

An attorney can draft important financial and health documents, such as your:

• Will or Revocable Living Trust: Expresses your wishes regarding your property after you pass away;
• Durable Power of Attorney: Appoints an agent to make your financial decisions if you cannot do so;
• Medical power of attorney: Appoints an agent to make your medical decisions if you cannot do so;
• Living Will: Expresses your preferences for life support;
• HIPAA Authorization: Allows family members to know your protected healthcare information;
• Out of Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Order: Informs paramedics not to use a cardiac defibrillator if your heart stops.

These documents will enable you to empower a trusted person or group of people to care for you when you are unable to do so.