Joan Reed Wilson Esq. - Managing Partner Practices in the areas of estate planningelder law, Medicaid planning, conservatorships, probate and trust administration, and real estate. Admitted to practice in the States of Connecticut and California, she is the President of the CT Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), an active member of the Elder Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, accredited with the PLAN of CT for Pooled Trusts, with the Veteran’s Administration to assist clients with obtaining Aid & Attendance benefits for long-term care needs and with the Agency on Aging’s CareLink Network.
the reading of the will is not real

Who’s Invited To a Reading of the Will?

Have you heard of the “READING OF THE WILL”? Of course, you have! because it has been a scene in many TV shows and movies. After someone dies, the lawyer hosts a meeting in his (usually “his” because, well, you know, but that’s a topic for another time…) office. Everyone who had a relationship with…

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Capital Gains Taxes

How To Avoid Capital Gains Taxes When Selling Your Home

As a lawyer who is passionate about educating the public, I find that a lot of people are unaware of certain laws that affect them. At the same time, certain laws seem to stick in people’s minds, even decades after the law has changed. How many of you have heard that you have to reinvest…

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Sign a DNR in Connecticut - wear a DNR bracelet

Do You Sign a DNR With Your Lawyer?

What is a DNR? “DNR” stands for Do Not Resuscitate and means that if you stop breathing, you will not be resuscitated. Most, otherwise healthy people, would want to be resuscitated if they collapsed and stopped breathing, for example, if they had a heart attack. Those who are terminally ill and are suffering may choose…

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Choose your own probate attorney

Can You Choose Your Own Probate Attorney?

In the past week, we have received calls from two different clients whom we had helped in the past. Each of them called because they were in the process of probating their parent’s estates and both were quite frustrated and wanted our advice regarding the probate attorney they had to use. They each said that…

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Medicare Savings Program

Medicare Savings Programs 2019 Threatened Again

The Fall of 2019 brought uncertainty to the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) in Connecticut when they were unexpectedly slashed by the state budget. After several months of negotiations, a bipartisan effort was able to revive the program that affects so many seniors. What Are Medicare Savings Programs? The Medicare Savings Programs in Connecticut are benefits…

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Estate Tax Return

Does a Surviving Spouse Have To File An Estate Tax Return?

Will You Owe Taxes On Your Spouse’s Estate? Currently, the estate tax exemption in Connecticut is $12.92 million per person. So although an Estate Tax Return must be filed for every decedent, tax is due from very few estates. And even if the decedent’s assets exceeded $12,920,000, there is an unlimited marital deduction, so if…

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