Elder Law Issues

Elder Law Issues


Latest Episodes

Nosy Questions in Our Initial Interview
October 22, 2023

Why do we ask so many nosy questions in our initial interview with clients? Why do we care about how your children are doing, or how they get along? It's all in furtherance of figuring out your family dynamics and making sure we consider the best way to a

Probate 101 for Non-Lawyers
October 15, 2023

We've said it before: probate (at least in Arizona) is not the awful beast that most people think it is. That's not to say you should be eager to have your estate go through probate -- but it's not nearly as bad as you have been led to believe. Let us exp

Arizona’s New Supported Decision-Making Law
October 08, 2023

Beginning October 30, 2023, Arizona will have a law allowing "supported decision-making" agreements. But what will that mean? And how will those agreements interact with powers of attorney, or guardianship?

Complex Estate Plans Not Always Required Even for the Wealthy
September 03, 2023

If you have substantial wealth, will your estate plan need to be more complicated? Not necessarily. And, for that matter, your estate plan might need to be somewhat complicated even if you are not wealthy. Let us explain.

Civil Commitment Proceedings in Arizona
August 27, 2023

It's difficult to understand the difference between civil commitment proceedings, on the one hand, and guardianship or conservatorship proceedings on the other hand. In Arizona (the rules may be very different in other states, so be cautious about general

Prenuptial Agreements – an Estate Planner’s View
August 20, 2023

Planning on getting married? You might want to consider signing a contract with your prospective spouse -- a "prenuptial agreement." In fact, you can sign a similar agreement after you're already married -- a "postnuptial agreement." Both are recognized u

Physician-Assisted Suicide in Arizona
August 13, 2023

Can a terminally-ill Arizona resident ask his or her physician for aid in dying? No -- but the landscape is changing in surrounding states. What's usually called "physician-assisted suicide" is not legal in Arizona, and is widely misunderstood in many jur

Are There Lessons for Us in Senator Feinstein’s Story?
August 06, 2023

Like many of you, we have been reading about Senator Dianne Feinstein's recent legal troubles. We don't know her or anything about her actual circumstances (beyond what we read), but her story gives us a chance to talk about common themes we see in the of

Donor Advised Funds
July 30, 2023

If you have charitable inclinations, you might consider whether a Donor Advised Fund is right for you. What are these entities, and how do they work? Well, join us for a discussion.

Visitor Restrictions Imposed by Health Care Agent
July 23, 2023

Suppose a manipulative, combative or just unpleasant family member insists on visiting a demented patient in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Can those visits be restricted? Prohibited altogether? Can visitor restrictions be imposed by an agent