Jessica Arends

The majority of my clients tell me that they want an estate plan to make things easier for their children when they pass. Many also place high importance on eliminating disputes between children. A good estate plan will meet those goals, but I always tell my clients to consider rounding out their plan by setting […]

My colleague, Haans Mulder, and I had the recent pleasure of speaking to a group of people about the nuances of planning to keep a home while a loved one receives Medicaid benefits. While the focus is often on preservation of the home sometimes it doesn’t make sense to continue paying for taxes, insurance, maintenance,

Avoiding estate recovery while attaining Medicaid eligibility was reviewed in Medicaid Series Part 5. But protecting the home so the Medicaid recipient will have some inheritance to pass along comes with a few burdens. Although each situation is different, here are some questions to consider when preserving a home until a Medicaid recipient passes away.

Although people refer to their pets as “members of the family”, “like our children”, etc., they are often overlooked when putting together a will, trust, or general durable power of attorney. Now, rest assured – if you already have an estate plan then you don’t necessarily have to change it. Michigan law considers pets to

The types of assets that someone can keep and still attain Medicaid eligibility were reviewed in Medicaid Series Part 4. Other articles will follow about the nuances and considerations involved in keeping a home while a loved one is receiving care in an assisted living community or nursing home. But, it is important to first

The time is upon us where some may never relate to the feelings associated with digging through an old box of photographs. That box of photos has become files on Facebook and Instagram. Those who don’t post every photo on social media may store those photos on web-based backup systems. The old hand-written letters we

The time is upon us where some may never relate to the feelings associated with digging through an old box of photographs. That box of photos has become files on Facebook and Instagram. Those who don’t post every photo on social media may store those photos on web-based backup systems. The old hand-written letters we

This is one out of a multitude of questions that a family looking to apply for Medicaid (the type that pays for nursing home care, in-home care, or assisted living care) has when I first meet with them. Sorting through the various rules and implications of Medicaid eligibility is a big chore that starts with

Ladybird deeds have gained popularity as a way for an owner to maintain property in his or her name but pass it along to a beneficiary at their death. This method avoids probate, is an alternative to transferring property to a trust during the owner’s lifetime, and is useful for someone who needs to apply

The next article in this Medicaid Series will highlight the main rules for nursing home Medicaid and the MI Choice Waiver program. A person interested in filing for Medicaid benefits must pass two tests. The first is the income test and the second is the asset test. The income test for someone interested in MI