How to collect a debt on person who recently passed on?
Additional Information: person died in July, 2010 Probate question from Holyoke, MA ATTORNEY ANSWER: If a probate estate has been opened for the decedent, you should file a claim against the probate estate as soon as possible. If a probate estate has not been opened for the decedent, you could petition the probate court to […]
Does real estate belong to estate or beneficiaries?
Additional Information: My sister, legal resident of VA, recently died. Her will states all property to be sold & shared equally by her 8 siblings. Executor tells us that since the will has been probated the house belongs to 8 siblings – not the estate and siblings are responsible for all expenses. There are difficulties […]
My brother passed away and my dad is the executor of the will. Do we have to sell his personnel stuff to paid his bills?
Additional information My brother house is not paid for. He has a car, but no other assets, do we have to sell his furniture and stuff to pay his outstanding bill. There is no money in any bank accounts or stocks. He had to withdrawn his IRA way before passing. Can the family keep his […]
Tips on choosing a nursing home
While there is no way to guarantee that nothing will go wrong in a nursing home, some careful research and planning can help reassure you or your loved ones that you’ve made a good choice. Here are some things to consider when looking for a facility: Location. No single factor is more important to the […]
Should you save money with a three-year long-term care policy?
Long-term care insurance is expensive. One way that some people reduce the cost is to buy a policy that will cover care only for a limited period of time (such as three years), as opposed to a policy that covers care indefinitely. Last year, almost a third of individual buyers purchased a three-year policy, according […]
Moving? You might need to switch your Medicare plan
If you’re over age 65 and you’re preparing to move to another state – or even to another county – you’ll need to make sure your Medicare plan will still be in effect after you move. Whether your policy will still be valid depends in part on whether you have original Medicare or Medicare Advantage. […]
Beware of using ‘off the shelf’ power of attorney forms
The power of attorney is one of the most important estate planning documents you can have. It allows you to appoint someone to act for you as your agent if you become incapacitated. Without such a document, your loved ones won’t be able to make decisions for you or manage your finances. They’ll have to […]
Americans spend too little time researching home loans
A home is usually the most expensive purchase people ever make. And as we’ve all learned recently, mortgage loans can be complex and a poorly chosen mortgage can cause many problems down the road. And yet, Americans spend very little time researching a mortgage. The average homebuyer spends only five hours choosing a home loan […]
Can landlords, condos ban oxygen users from smoking?
People who use oxygen for medical reasons often smoke as well. (Frequently, smoking is the reason they have respiratory problems that require oxygen.) The problem is that smoking and oxygen are a dangerous combination. Oxygen accelerates fires and can turn a cigarette ember into a serious flame. Even after the oxygen is turned off, gas […]
FHA-insured condo loans may take longer to be approved
Mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration help many people to buy a home who couldn’t do so otherwise. That’s because lenders are often willing to loan to people with less of a down payment because the loan is insured by a federal agency. However, the FHA has just made it more difficult to obtain […]