Estate Battle with Millions at Stake in New Orleans

March 4, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Advanced Directives, Advanced Medical Directives, Agent, Asset Protection, Beneficiary Designations, Celebrity Estates, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Plan, Estate Planning, Executor, Healthcare Power of Attorney, Heirs, Inheritance, Last Will and Testament, Legacy, Life Estate, Living Will, Long-Term Care Planning, News, Personal Representative, Power of Attorney, Probate, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration, Real Property, Retirement Accounts, Succession Planning, Successor Trustee, Trustee, Trusts, Will, Will Contest

The widow of car-dealership magnate Ray Brandt filed court papers to evict her family from their Old Metairie compound on Tuesday, the latest escalation of a bitter family battle over control of the massive estate that Brandt left behind when he died in late 2019.

Did the Pandemic Put a Premium on Estate Planning?

February 27, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Life Insurance, Long-Term Care Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

More Americans turned their attention to life insurance, wills and trusts last year, as the coronavirus pandemic made the reality of death unavoidable.

Does an Estate Plan Need to Change because of the New Administration?

February 26, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Now that there is a Democratic majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives, estate and gift tax law changes are expected to occur in 2021 or 2022.

Millennials, It’s Time to Talk Estate Planning With Your Parents

February 25, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Long-Term Care Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Millennials, It’s Time to Talk Estate Planning With Your Parents Every generation gets it. some stigma as to how they act as a generation. Some say millennials are selfish and uncaring about the future. They have have gotten a bad…

Do We Need Estate Planning?

February 19, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Business Planning, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Life Insurance, Long-Term Care Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Everyone, regardless of financial status or age, can benefit from having an estate plan—assuming you have assets to leave and people to leave them to.

Did Larry King have an Estate Plan?

February 17, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Business Planning, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Long-Term Care Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Retirement can be a bigger drag on the assets than all the professional and romantic mistakes put together.

Why and When a Sweetheart Will (Or No Will at All) Is Not Enough

February 11, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Asset Protection, Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

Why and When a Sweetheart Will (Or No Will at All) Is Not Enough In a an article by Starvos S. Giannoulias of Chicago writes: WHY AND WHEN A SWEETHEART WILL (OR NO WILL AT ALL) IS NOT ENOUGH Young…

The Difference between Power of Attorney and Guardianship for Elderly Parents

February 10, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Guardianship, Long-Term Care Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

The difference between power of attorney and guardianship is a common question asked by adult children. Both roles share a duty to provide care and oversight of medical care and health.

What to Do First when Spouse Dies

February 8, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

After a loved one dies, their affairs need to be set in order. You might find yourself planning a funeral, paying bills and closing accounts. The list of things you need to do after someone dies can seem endless, especially during a time when you are also grieving.

How Does Family Pay for Parents’ Care?

January 25, 2021
Bill O’Leary, Esq.
Elder Care, Elder Law, Estate Planning, Long-Term Care Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate and Estate/Trust Administration

More than 53 million Americans are unpaid caregivers for family members. The majority are women—often, an adult daughter who lives closest to an aging parent starts out helping with daily activities. As the parent/care recipient requires more assistance, the daughter cuts back on work hours– risking her own financial security.