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.
tips to talk to elderly parents

8 Tips for Having ‘The Talk’ with Elderly Parents

Talking about estate planning is a difficult, emotional topic but it’s essential for every family. Unless you’re certain your parents have an up-to-date will and a wider plan for what should happen in the event of their passing, you shouldn’t assume everything will be taken care of. According to a 2021 survey, less than half…

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CO DETECTOR LAWS

New CT Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector Laws – October 2023

A Guide for Realtors and Sellers Last year we wrote an article about changes to the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide affidavit that State law requires sellers of residential real property to provide to their buyers at closing. For Connecticut residential real estate closings occurring after October 1, 2023, there is yet another significant change to…

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aretha franklin will

The Aretha Franklin Estate Dispute

P – R – I – V – A – C – Y The legal case for the Estate of Aretha Franklin ended yesterday with a finding that her hand-written 2014 Will that was found under a couch cushion is her valid Will. According to her long-time attorney, Aretha Franklin was too private to rely…

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Who Has The Legal Power To Make Decisions For You

Who Has The Legal Power To Make Decisions For You?

Who’s Making The Decisions Around Here??? Let’s start at the very beginning. When a baby is born, the child’s parents make decisions for her. And as she ages into a toddler, child, and teenager, the parents have full legal authority. When the child turns 18, the parents DO NOT have the authority to make decisions.…

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as is property and inspection contingency

Understanding The Inspection Contingency for As-Is Properties

What’s As-Is Got To Do With It? In this seller’s real estate market, you may be seeing more real estate listings that include the phrase “as-is”. Typically, when a property is listed “as-is,” it implies that the seller does not want to invest time or money into addressing any problems with the property. What is…

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veteran benefits eligibility

Veterans Aid & Attendance Benefits Eligibility Guide

It has been nearly five years since the VA rules for Aid & Attendance benefits changed drastically. Among other things, the new rule imposed a 3-year look back for transfers of assets, including gifts to persons, trusts or purchases of annuities, deny claims for up to 10 years due to transfer and exempt the value…

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