by Jeffery D. Stinson, CELA*  

Effective July 1, 2011, parents of minor children and guardians of adults with special needs may name an individual as standby guardian to step-in if the parent or guardian becomes incapacited or dies. Read on 

After thirty years as elder law attorneys in Indiana, at Severns & Stinson, we've gotten the message: nobody wants to end up in a nursing home. Nursing homes are - and should be - last on seniors' list of options . Read on 

Congress has agreed to allow the debt ceiling to be raised in exchange for $2.4 trillion in budget cuts over 10 years. How this deal will affect the three major programs crucial to the elderly -- Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security -- may not be known until almost year's end, but the impact could be significant. Read on 

Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) are a popular investment tool for retirement, but they also need to be taken into account when doing estate planning. Although IRAs can be used to provide for heirs either directly or through a trust, how much your heirs will benefit from the IRA and avoid unnecessary taxes depends on proper planning. Read on 

Amy Winehouse had many ups and downs during her short life, but it appears the troubled singer/songwriter had the foresight to leave behind an up-to-date and ironclad estate plan. Winehouse's tragic death at age 27 illustrates why you are never too young for a will. Read on 

Medicare fraud is often in the news, but what is it, exactly? Fraud costs Medicare an estimated $60 billion a year and contributes to the rising cost of health care for all Americans. Once you understand what is involved, you can help prevent fraud. Read On 

Cheryl was in a panic trying to get her parents home sold in Florida and move them near her in Idaho. Seven years ago Max and Clara purchased their retirement home in Florida and moved there from Idaho. Max had a stroke recently and Clara can no longer care for him herself, so in order for Cheryl to help out they need to move back to Idaho. Read On