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.
same sex marriage and estate planning girl walking through field with rainbow flag

When The U.S. Constitution Affects Estate Planning

Given the recent unrest regarding the possible overturning of one of the most important laws in Women’s health, it’s important to look deeper into how Constitutional law may affect not only women’s rights over their bodies, but other cornerstone laws as well, and in return Estate Planning at its core. One of my favorite classes…

Read more
does a will avoid probate court

Does a Will Avoid Probate?

Clients are often unpleasantly surprised to learn that having a Last Will and Testament does not negate the need for probate. And they are sometimes annoyed when they learn that even though they are named as the Executor in a Will, that alone does not give them authority to access the decedent’s assets. Yet both of these statements are true.

Read more
task force to protect senior citizens

Task Force to Study Ways to Protect Senior Citizens

Recently I had the honor of serving as the co-chair of the Legislative Task Force to Study Ways to Protect Senior Citizens from Fraud. The Task Force was created pursuant to a bill enacted by the Connecticut legislature in 2021 and was comprised of ten individuals appointed by various legislative leaders. Besides myself, the members…

Read more
i love you will

What Is An “I Love You” Will and When It’s a Bad Idea

Most couples have what I call “I Love You” Wills, which state that all of their assets pass to the surviving spouse. Moreover, many couples own all of their assets jointly, so the assets pass to the surviving joint owner even without a Will. This is usually the outcome that couples want, but there are…

Read more
Asset protection Planning

Asset Protection Planning Benefits For Medicaid

Part of my estate planning practice includes asset protection planning, especially for Medicaid. Many of my clients are interested in protecting their assets for their children. They know, either through personal experience or their own research, that the cost of long-term care could deplete their estates. The average cost of a nursing home in Connecticut…

Read more