News & Resources

One of the primary reasons people create a trust is to avoid probate.  A revocable living trust is the most typical trust used to ensure that your wishes are carried out.  But sometimes this well-intended plan falls short if the trust is never funded. I always tell clients that their estate plan is not done… continue reading

This is often a difficult decision. Some people struggle because they’d like to name all of their children, but understand that may only complicate the process. Others have a child or person in mind who is very capable, but he or she lives far away from them. Other people don’t have any children or friends… continue reading

Many people who require in-home care, assisted living, or nursing home care rely on Medicaid programs to help pay for their care when they do not have enough funds to pay for it on their own.  Historically, the Medicaid applicant’s home (if not in a revocable living trust), has been a non-countable/exempt asset for Medicaid… continue reading

It is a very personal decision to determine whether to share your estate plan with your family. Except for the most extreme of circumstances, you will never be required to share the plan while you are alive. So, when the question of whether to share the plan is asked of me as an estate planner,… continue reading

If you have worked with an estate planning attorney before, it goes without saying that your primary focus was on the documents themselves – a will, maybe a trust, powers of attorney, etc. And hopefully when you concluded the process and your estate planning documents were signed, you also received some instruction on the next… continue reading

It is commonly understood that a single person or couple can keep their home and still be eligible for Medicaid benefits to help with the cost of assisted living or skilled nursing care. But what about your adult child’s home? It is not uncommon for a parent to help an adult child by giving them… continue reading

Recently Andy Mulder and his wife, Lois, have been selected by Resthaven’s Board of Directors as the recipients of 2018 Good Shepherd Award. Attached, you can find the lovely article from Resthaven’s newsletter detailing the extent of the Mulder’s service. The Holland community has been blessed with the service and leadership of Andy and Lois… continue reading

Terror is not a word regularly associated with a trust but there are times when the two terms meet. A “terror clause,” “in terrorem clause,” or “no-contest clause” can be used in both wills and trusts to warn someone to think twice about contesting the terms of a will or trust. The clause usually states… continue reading

Over the last few years, if you have read any articles in this space about estate planning or have taken the steps to create your own estate plan, then you are probably aware of the importance of having a general durable power of attorney and a healthcare power of attorney in place. These are the… continue reading

The Probate Court has authority to enter orders to protect the families of individuals who need benefits to pay for their long term care. The Department of Health and Human Services that approves Medicaid applications is bound to adhere to the court order when it comes to income and asset eligibility limits. How can the… continue reading