Blog

Attorneys Joy Trueworthy and Rachel Trafton Present on Medicaid Planning

Rudman Winchell and Maine Elder Law Firm Attorneys Joy Trueworthy and Rachel Trafton will present on the topic of Medicaid Planning on June 5, 2019. Joy and Rachel were asked by the National Business Institute to present to local attorneys, paralegal… Read More
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National Elder Law Month

May is National Elder Law Month! At Maine Elder Law Firm, a practice of Rudman Winchell, our elder law services include long-term care planning and asset protection planning, advance health care directives and financial powers of attorney, Maine Medi… Read More
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Jane Skelton Presented on Special Needs Trusts and Legal Ethics

Attorney Jane Skelton presented May 17, 2019, at the National Business Institute seminar in Portland, Maine, titled Trusts From A to Z. Attendees of this seminar included attorneys, trust officers, wealth managers, accountants, and CPAs. Jane present… Read More
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Does all Property go Through Probate?

The purpose of a Last Will and Testament is to control the distribution of property in your probate estate after your death. But what property makes up your probate estate? Not all of it! Anything that is not part of your probate estate is not contro… Read More
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Medicaid Estate Recovery: Will the State Take my House?

There is a lot of misinformation and confusion surrounding estate recovery and the Maine Medicaid (MaineCare) long-term care benefit. One of the biggest fears we hear from aging Mainers is, “I don’t want the State to take my house.” That only h… Read More
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Family Limited Partnerships and LLCs

What is a Family Limited Partnership? A partnership, generally, is an entity created by agreement of two or more persons for the purpose of holding property or operating a business. The partnership agreement will spell out the respective rights of th… Read More
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15 Myths Regarding Medicaid Nursing Home Benefits in Maine

No one chooses to live in a nursing home, but some older Mainers eventually need care in a nursing home setting. For many, this means not only the loss of personal autonomy but also the depletion of assets to pay for the needed care. The median annua… Read More
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Tricky MaineCare Transfer Penalty

This article alerts elders, their loved ones, and their advisors to the potential pitfalls of the MaineCare transfer penalty. MaineCare is Maine’s Medicaid program. When a person applies for MaineCare long-term care benefits (including benefits for… Read More
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Tax Free Gifting

In general, whenever you give cash or property to another person, you are potentially subject to the federal gift tax. If you make “taxable gifts,” you are required to file a federal gift tax return (Form 709) and use some of your lifetime exclus… Read More
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Revocable Living Trusts

A revocable living trust, sometimes called a “living trust” or an “inter vivos” trust, is a trust established during life that the creator of the trust has the power to change or revoke. The trust creator can designate himself or herself as t… Read More
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