A. Diane Baker Law Blog

As we get older, many of us find ourselves wondering what the future holds: What if I have a stroke or a serious accident that leaves me incapacitated? What if I get Alzheimer’s disease? How would I pay for assisted living or nursing home care?

Unfortunately, traditional health insurance policies and Medicare generally don’t cover long-term care in a nursing home or an assisted living facility.

And long-term care... Read More

As we get older, many of us find ourselves wondering what the future holds: What if I have a stroke or a serious accident that leaves me incapacitated? What if I get Alzheimer’s disease? How would I pay for assisted living or nursing home care?

Unfortunately, traditional health insurance policies and Medicare generally don’t cover long-term care in a nursing home or an assisted living facility.

And long-term care... Read More

We’ve had several clients ask us if they need to “file” or “record” their Wills somewhere, after they are signed.

The answer is “No.” In Georgia, like most other states, there is no requirement that you file your Will with any court prior to your death. 

Remember that you can change or revise your Will at any time. So, your original Will generally stays with you, hopefully stored in a safe, fireproof location, such as a... Read More

If you’re working on writing your Will, you’ve probably thought about the person that you want to name as the Executor of your estate. Many clients ask us for advice about how to choose the person who will serve as their Executor.

We know that choosing an Executor can be a confusing and difficult choice, so here is a quick summary of important points to consider:

What are the Responsibilities of an Executor?

An Executor is responsible for... Read More

As parents, it’s very important to think about the person who would take care of your children if something happened to you. It’s a big decision, and one of the most important reasons that young parents come in to have their Wills prepared.

If you’re married, and one of you were to pass away, the other spouse would usually take care of the children. But what if you were both killed in an accident?

And what if you are divorced or a single parent? You... Read More

If you own a “smart phone”, then you probably enjoy downloading new mobile apps. In our estate planning and elder law practice, we counsel many families seeking practical, as well as legal, advice about medical care, housing and a host of other issues affecting seniors.

So, we thought you might be interested in hearing about some of the “seniors” apps we’ve come across for iPhone, Droid and BlackBerry. Most of them are free or low cost.

We hope you... Read More

When you open an account at a bank or brokerage firm, you have a choice of opening your own, individual account or a joint account with another person. Many times, couples who are married choose to open a joint account so that they can both have access to the account. While this often works fine, there are many situations where joint accounts can derail your estate plan, resulting in your assets not passing according to your wishes, as stated in your Will.

Here’s the key fact:... Read More

An Advance Health Care Directive is a document that allows a family member or close friend to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so.  The person that makes those decisions on your behalf is called a “health care agent.”

If you don’t have an Advance Health Care Directive, the people that you would want to make these important decisions may not be allowed to do so.  So, your wishes may never be known or honored.

And, if you have an... Read More

Many of our clients have seen ads for LegalZoom, and asked us how we are different.

According to LegalZoom’s disclaimer, LegalZoom is NOT:

So, what exactly is LegalZoom? They are a company located in California, which is “a registered and bonded legal document assistant.”

And what is that? Well, it turns out that California is the only state... Read More