Estate Plan Changes and Updates
Did you know you need to update your estate plan on a regular basis? Your estate plan is a snapshot of your life the way it was at the time it was created. However, over time, your family structure, your assets, and the tax laws change, so you should set a schedule to...
Can a Long-Lost Sibling Inherit Your Parents’ Estate?
Discovering long-lost siblings has almost become a common occurrence. New DNA technology and the popularity of family tree search tools has made it easier than ever to dig into your ancestry. But what happens when you uncover a new sibling? Including them at Christmas...
Plan For Your Pet
Creating a plan for your pet may sound silly to some. But for many of us, especially seniors, our pets are our family members. Do you have a plan for your pet if you were incapacitated, either temporarily or permanently? What if you needed to go into residential care...
Support Our Students, Support Our Future
Anchorage students go back to school Thursday, August 15. They will return to classes carrying book bags filled with new supplies. Unfortunately, those pens and notebooks won't last long. So at our office we purchase extra school supplies this time of year, and give...
Funeral Planning
Funeral planning may sound morbid, but it can be your final gift to your family. You’ll have the opportunity to ensure the service is a reflection of your life with the music you’d like played or the readings you want included. It can save your family from having to...
Powers of Attorney
A Power of Attorney is an important piece of your estate plan. Most people don’t want to give up control of their financial affairs or have others make medical decisions for them. But if you become mentally incompetent or physically incapacitated and can’t manage your...
Talking About Your Estate Plan
Talking about your estate plan might make you uncomfortable, but it shouldn't. Dying is just another life stage. It's the most natural thing in the world. But there is something that keeps us from acknowledging our own mortality. Unfortunately that discomfort also...
Guardian and Conservator Exploitation
If you are appointed a guardian or conservator of an individual, it is vital that you understand Alaska law regarding conservator exploitation. It is so unfortunate, but from time to time the court has to deal with situations where vulnerable citizens have been taken...
How Can We Leave Our Home to Our Child?
Leaving your home to your child involves a number of different steps and considerations. You will have to determine the value of your estate and whether it will be taxed. You will also need to consider possible loss of control of the property, depending on how it is...
How Can Single Parents Protect Their Minor Children?
Estate planning is especially important for single parents with children. While every parent wants to provide for their children, it’s even more important for single parents, who have no other adult to step in, should the family suffer a crisis. For example, many...
Protecting Seniors From Identity Theft
Identity theft is one of the biggest threats to seniors. As we age, sometimes we need help protecting the estate we've worked so hard to build. In the same way that we eat right and exercise to protect our bodies, or build a healthy social life, we must also take...
Things to Know About An Estate Plan
Estate Planning is really just a short phrase for a detailed process. Often times people put off estate planning because the decisions can be difficult. Decisions like "Who will be my beneficiary?" or "How will I divide my assets among my children?" or "Where do I...
Beneficiary Basics
Beneficiary deeds, also called a “transfer-on-death” deed, are a good way to avoid the cumbersome and expensive process of probate. Real estate is one of the assets that triggers a probate proceeding. The Beneficiary Deed can streamline what could otherwise be a slow...
Estate Plan, the Ultimate Romantic Gift
During the month of February we think about love letters and romantic gift giving. But truly, what could be better proof of a commitment than an estate plan that protects your loved one for years to come? Flowers are beautiful, but why not give something with a little...
Anchorage Special Needs Planning Attorney: How to Plan for Your Child’s Future When You Are Divorcing
Raising a child with special needs is challenging. Sadly, the stress of the situation contributes to the high rate of divorce among couples who are raising children with special needs. In fact, it is estimated that the rate of...
Alaska Will and Trust Lawyer Answers: “Our Property is Titled in Joint Tenancy. I Don’t Need a Will, Right?”
Alaska Will and Trust Lawyer Answers: “Our Property is Titled in Joint Tenancy. I Don’t Need a Will, Right?” The answer to this question and so many other estate planning questions is, “Yes, but….”. It is true that if you own an asset jointly with rights of...
Anchorage Estate Planning Attorney Urges Millennials to Rethink this Common Estate Planning Myth
by Anchorage Estate Planning Attorney Connie Aschenbrenner As an Anchorage estate planning attorney, I know Millennials have a lot going on; they are starting their careers, buying their first homes, and starting their families. With so many “beginnings,” it’s hard to...
Pre-planning Your Funeral is Essential, but Think Twice Before Pre-Paying’ Warns Anchorage Elder Lawyer
By Connie Aschenbrenner, Anchorage elder lawyer Based on what I am seeing as an Anchorage elder lawyer, more and more people are considering pre-planning and pre-paying for their own funeral. For years, I have recommended that my clients include their wishes for their...
“Check the Oil, Rotate the Tires, and Update Your Estate Plan,” says Anchorage Wills Lawyer
By Connie Aschenbrenner, Anchorage wills lawyer Many of you know that I worked in a gas station in high school. I know how to tune up a car, change the oil, and change a tire. I have also, although only once, put a new muffler on a car. Some of you may also know,...
Alaska Will and Trust Lawyer: How to Plan When You’re Ill or Dealing with Health Challenges Related to Old Age
Serious health diagnoses can impact your life in huge ways and may bring concerns you haven’t thought of up to the forefront. One of those concerns, which is often pushed off when everything is going well, is estate planning and/or elder law planning. Planning can...
Anchorage Estate Planning Attorney: Avoid This Common Beneficiary Mismatch
As an Anchorage estate planning attorney, I have seen many unfortunate circumstances where a person goes through the time and expense of having an estate plan created only to fail to update their beneficiaries on their financial or retirement accounts before they pass...
Anchorage Elder Law Attorney: 5 Ways to Protect Older Loved Ones from Financial Abuse
Anchorage Elder Law Attorney: 5 Ways to Protect Older Loved Ones from Financial Abuse It’s no secret that the elderly are a favorite target of scam artists. Criminals will troll the internet and phone lists looking for seniors that are easy to prey upon due to an...
New Law to Expand Chronic Care Benefits through Medicare
In a rare instance of bipartisan cooperation, Congress recently passed a law that will expand chronic care benefits to individuals enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans who have chronic illnesses. The Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve...
Ask an Alaska Estate Planning Lawyer: “I Just Discovered a Long-Lost Sister. Can She Inherit Dad’s Estate?”
Ask an Alaska Estate Planning Lawyer: “I Just Discovered a Long-Lost Sister. Can She Inherit Dad’s Estate?” This may sound like a situation from a movie, but it happens more than you can imagine: a long-lost child appears after the death of their parent. This is an...
