Thursday, July 15, 2010 New Article - Are the Kids Old Enough Yet?
Are the Kids Old Enough Yet?
“Junior!” she exclaimed with a sharp tongue, as her son attempted to sneak a pre-dinner bite of the dessert she was making. She only called him “Junior” when she demanded his attention, for he wasn’t even technically a junior. And she had been doing this for over sixty years. Yes, this scene actually describes a true story of an 85-year-old mother scolding her 62-year-old son!
While the parent-child relationship does evolve over a lifetime, it does retain a certain character. Parents may continue to command a certain respect, and children often continue to honor that position of authority. However, in the world of estate planning, there may come a time where the children need to take a position of authority. It may come when the parents are still living, but it will definitely arrive after the parents have passed. And will those kids, the “juniors” of the world, be ready?
For more of this article here is the link http://vtelaw.com/index.aspx?TypeContent=ARTICLES&Art_Title=Are_the_Kids_Old_Enough_Yet__3_2010&art_id=1909 Thursday, May 06, 2010 New Article - HIPAA, Not HIPPO
While HIPAA was signed into federal law nearly a decade ago, it still seems to cause much confusion. While you may hear about it regularly at the doctor’s office and the pharmacy, do you really know what it is or what you’re signing?
Let’s begin with its acronym. Many times it is mistyped as HIPPA or even mistaken for HIPPO. But, be assured there is no mention of a hippopotamus in HIPAA! It actually stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which was finalized in 2000 and modified in 2002. In that Act was a requirement that the government establish a set of national standards for the protection of certain health information, which is commonly referred to as the “Privacy Rule.”
For more of this article here is the link http://vtelaw.com/index.aspx?TypeContent=ARTICLES&Art_Title=HIPAA,_not_HIPPO_(5_2010)&art_id=1759 Friday, April 02, 2010 New Article - Spring Cleaning - Dust Off Those Documents
Spring Cleaning - Dust Off Those Documents
Although past experience reminds us that winter is not yet over, our printed calendars do suggest that spring is near. For many that season’s arrival initiates the annual exercise of cleaning – washing the drapes, dusting the ceiling fan blades, and an overall freshening of the house. For perhaps a smaller number of cleaning enthusiasts, this ritual also includes the re-organization of closets and sorting through file cabinets or stacks of paperwork. And for even a smaller percentage of cleaners, sorting may involve a review of legal documents.
If your spring cleaning tradition doesn’t include a legal document-sort, should it? Here are some suggested guidelines.
For more of this article here is the link http://vtelaw.com/index.aspx?TypeContent=ARTICLES&Art_Title=Spring_Cleaning_-_Dust_Off_Those_Documents_(4-2010)&art_id=1660 Wednesday, February 24, 2010 New Article - Decision Makers
When creating or updating an estate plan, part of the process involves the consideration of alternative decision-makers, such as financial or health care agents, trustees, and executors. For example, if you are creating a durable power of attorney, you will need to name an agent or agents to act on your behalf, primarily to make decisions of a financial nature. Invariably, parents consider naming children in these capacities. But how do parents decide which child or children? If the agents serve in a successive order, how do they decide what order? Often, parents simply look at birth order. And the most common first choice for parents is the firstborn. Read more...http://vtelaw.com/index.aspx?TypeContent=ARTICLES&Art_Title=Naming_Decision-makers_by_Birth_Order_Method_(2_2010)&art_id=1603 |