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Team Tisser Foundation (TTF) is a non-profit corporation founded by Doron M. Tisser and his wife Laurie. TTF raises money for various charitable purposes and does not focus on any one charity or charitable purpose. The goal is to raise as much money as possible to "Help Make A Difference" by "Improving Life for Others." TTF has made donations to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Challenged Athletes Foundation, as well as charities helping people affected by natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunamis. Since 2000, TTF has donated over $250,000 to over 40 different charities. Friends and clients generally donate money to TTF to support Doron's participation in triathlons and marathons. If you would like more information about TTF, please contact Doron at doron@tisserlaw.com, or visit www.teamtisser.org
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About
Doron M. Tisser
Doron M. Tisser has specialized in estate and
gift planning, tax planning, trust and probate
administration, charitable giving, buy-sell
agreements and related areas for over 30 years.
Mr. Tisser is one of less than 100 attorneys in
California who has been designated as both a
Certified Specialist in Probate, Estate Planning
and Trust Law, and as a Certified Specialist in
Taxation Law by the State Bar of California
Board of Legal Specialization. He was chosen
by his peers as a Super Lawyer for 2009, 2010,
2011, and 2012 for Southern California, and
enjoys an "a.v." rating by Martindale-Hubbell
Law Directory, which is the highest possible
rating and is based on ethical considerations
and legal skills. Mr. Tisser has
published over 65 articles and chapters
in books on various estate and tax
planning subjects and is a frequent
speaker and lecturer at estate and tax
planning seminars. Mr. Tisser competes
in triathlons, including Ironman
races, and raises money for charities
through Team Tisser Foundation, a
non-profit corporation he co-founded
with his wife Laurie.
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DEALING WITH A TERMINAL ILLNESS IN THE FAMILY
Practicing in this area of the law, our clients and their families are sometimes faced with devastating news: a terminal illness will likely claim a life in a very short period of time.
When this happens, the family struggles with the emotional issues associated with end-of-life and it becomes easy to overlook important matters that should be taken care of. These are matters that apply to everyone – even those with well-drafted estate plans.
The following is a list of important issues that often arise under these circumstances, which, if addressed properly, can help to relieve some of the burdens facing the surviving relatives.
Getting Assets in Order
- Gather all information about life insurances, annuities, pensions and other retirement assets, government benefits, investments and real estate.
- Confirm all other assets are properly funded into the family trust to avoid probate.
- Make plans for creating needed liquidity to pay for estate taxes, final expenses and costs for post-death administration of the estate.
Ensuring Proper Distribution of Estate
- Verify that beneficiary designations for life insurance, retirement accounts and other similar assets are correct and on file with the institutions.
- Review will and trust documents to be sure distribution accurately reflects the intentions of the person who executed them, and that named fiduciaries (trustees, executors, etc.) will be available and able to assume their roles.
- If a business is owned, ensure that proper plans are in place for the organized continuation and transfer of the business interest.
End-of-Life Care and Final Arrangements
- Monitor health insurance and government benefits.
- Review the durable power of attorney for health care to be sure it is properly executed and contains necessary provisions based on recent changes in the law (e.g., medical privacy laws).
- Communicate wishes about end-of-life support, life-sustaining measures, disposition of remains and other specific requests to the health care agent who may have to make these decisions and carry out the person’s wishes.
- Address spiritual issues for the terminally ill person and his or her family
- Prepay or prearrange the burial and funeral services.
Practical Issues
- Prepare a “phone tree,” i.e., a list of people that should be informed about the death and the funeral, and divide the responsibility for contacting them among family members so that one person is not overwhelmed with the task.
- Write an obituary honoring the deceased. This can be difficult to do while the person is living, but with so many responsibilities after death, it is sometimes overlooked.
- Arrange for transportation for family members for visitation and the funeral.
This list is meant as a general guide to assist you in thinking about the types of issues that arise when a family member is in the final stages of life. Advice addressing your family’s specific concerns should always be obtained.
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