All posts by Janet Colliton
A Brief Guide to the Pa. Inheritance Tax
The Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax has been the subject of much discussion and controversy over the years, at least among my clients and potential clients. Since there have been so many questions requiring response I thought it would be helpful to jot down some of the basic concepts and provide a brief guide to navigate the […]
Continue readingEssential Medication Denials Raise Serious Questions
Some issues hit close to home. For me this one hit very close. On July 7, a letter issued from my daughter’s health insurer, six pages, single spaced, denied coverage for her medication that prevents her from going blind. It demanded expedited response to prevent adverse action from being taken. The letter was received approximately […]
Continue readingWill Medicare Travel With You For Foreign Travel
As seniors venture overseas whether for recreation or new living arrangements, a key question to ask is what benefits travel with them. While Social Security benefits follow Americans to other countries, basic Medicare likely will not and seniors may need to be prepared for alternate arrangements. First, while Medicare does cover residents of Puerto Rico, […]
Continue readingOptions to Consider When a House Is Part of an Estate
If your parents pass while still owning their residence there are, without doubt, choices to be made. These include but are not limited to whether to put the house up for sale on the market or to make arrangements for a family member to purchase from the estate. Other possibilities include rental for a period […]
Continue readingCommon Myths on Gifts and the Federal Estate and Gift Tax
There are certain ideas that become so ingrained in the consumer public’s psyche, that they seem almost impossible to dislodge. One of these in the area of estate and financial planning is the notion that the U.S. federal government prohibits gifting over a certain amount, currently $16,000. Some taxpayers remember when the number was as […]
Continue readingShould You Agree to Serve As An Executor?
This column follows up on two prior columns on related subjects. They are “What Does An Executor Do?” published November 16, 2021 and “Reasons To Hire A Lawyer For Probate” published February 8, 2022. Both of them, directly or indirectly raise the question: Should you agree to serve as an Executor in the first place? […]
Continue readingMemorial Day – Its History and a Time to Remember
Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, is often remembered as the beginning of the summer season and thought of as a tribute to Veterans. However, Veterans are honored on the day named for them and Memorial Day actually is for those who gave their lives in US Military Service. The history of the holiday […]
Continue readingWhat You Should Do With Your Estate Plan When Getting Divorced
Couples considering divorce have much to deal with without considering the effect on their individual estate plans. Still, in the same way that divorce affects other aspects of their lives it also affects inheritances, handling of funds for minor children, beneficiary designations on death, and titling of assets during life to name a few. As […]
Continue readingSenior Communities Are Calling – Is It Time To Answer
I have known people – more than a few – who have said they will never move to a senior community – too many old people there. The observation is not necessarily true these days. There are younger people in senior communities. Or we may have revised our opinion regarding what is “old.” If your […]
Continue readingWhy Are So Many Pennsylvania Hospitals Closing
On July 11, 2019, notably before the COVID pandemic, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania published an article in their “Knowledge at Wharton” Business Journal aptly titled “Keeping the Lights On: Why Are U.S. Hospitals Closing?” At one point the article discusses rural hospitals but the most obvious example immediately before the authors […]
Continue readingLoss Of Institutional Memory Contributes To Things Falling Apart
The so-called “Great Resignation,” the exodus of employees to new jobs, retirement, or unemployment with plans to be made for the future, has been described largely from the perspective of the employee. Reasons given include greater mobility, experiences working from home during COVID, dissatisfaction with pay, or lure of perceived better alternatives. The workforce that […]
Continue readingConsider State Benefits For Long Term Care Before Moving
The 2020 U.S. Census report demonstrated some definite trends regarding Americans on the move. In an online article by Laura Mueller in moving.com, “Where Are People Moving To? Top Trends for 2022,” the author noted “an overwhelming push toward states in the South and West.” The top 25 cities “seeing the most new residents” include […]
Continue readingPay Attention To Your Non Probate Assets
In presentations regarding essential actions individuals should take regarding inheritance, emphasis is usually placed on drafting a Will. This leaves unanswered what happens to assets that do not pass by Will – so called non probate assets. The distinction can be critical. In fact, for many, probably most, many more assets pass outside the Will […]
Continue readingGifting Considerations For Now and Later
If you feel you are comfortably situated, a condition you need to examine carefully, you might, especially in later years take a look at gifting either as a way of moving assets out of your estate to charities or to pass some of your wealth on to your children before you die. As with any […]
Continue readingCan A Lawyer Practice Out of Place
As lawyers and clients develop relationships and then either the lawyer or the attorney moves out of state a common question arises – can the relationship continue or must it end at the state border? The question can become even more interesting as, when during COVID 19 disruptions, either or both of them operate remotely. […]
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