Fong Law Group

Notarizing Documents for Seniors With a Dementia Diagnosis

An Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis can be a challenging journey for the person and family alike. When the diagnosis occurs, a ticking clock begins on the timeline for getting proper and sound notarizations done for crucial legal documents.

What Does It Mean to Get a Document Notarized?

According to the National Notary Association, having a document notarized is a process that ensures the document is authentic. The Notary serves as an impartial screener who confirms the identity, willingness, and awareness of the person signing the document.

There are vital issues and implications to be aware of when having documents notarized for individuals with dementia.

Notarizing for a Person With Dementia: A Legal Gray Area

Having documents notarized for seniors with dementia leads to some legal gray areas. There are no laws that prohibit having documents notarized for individuals with cognitive impairments. However, the role of a Notary Public extends beyond the procedural formalities.

Notarizing documents for anyone who is cognitively impaired also comes with a dramatically increased risk for both fraud and elder abuse. This is an issue that Notaries are highly aware of and protect against.

Notaries must assess whether their document signers understand and are aware of the nature of the documents, their contents, and their details. They also must verify the signer’s identity.

Notaries must screen each signer to ensure they are signing the document willingly. The signer cannot be under the pressure or direction of any third party.

The Notary will refuse to notarize a document if they find that any of these conditions fail to meet the standard.

It’s critical for families to act ethically and responsibly in notarizing important documents for their aging loved ones with dementia. If your loved one is facing a dementia diagnosis, establish legal clarity as soon as possible to avoid uncertainties later.

How to Prep When Having Documents Notarized

The following tips will help you prepare:

• Make sure the Notary visits the signer at a time when they are cognitively aware.
• Arrange for the signer to meet privately with the Notary.
• Confirm what type of notarization you need on specific legal documents. If you need anything clarified, check with your attorney or the document recipient.
• Ensure the signer is prepared to present their identification. They also must be able to sign the document, if necessary, as well as the Notary’s record book. Some states also require a fingerprint impression.
• Ensure there are no blank spaces or dates on the documents. To combat fraud, a Notary will refuse to notarize if required entries are blank.

Legal Documents to Have Notarized for Dementia Diagnosis

Certain legal documents, more commonly notarized for seniors, serve the person’s wishes and protect them from undue influence. Those documents include the following:

Power of Attorney (General vs. Durable)

A power of attorney grants authority to a trusted individual to make financial and legal decisions on behalf of someone else. A general power of attorney is effective immediately. In contrast, a durable power of attorney remains in effect even if the signer becomes unable to handle their affairs.

Health Care Power of Attorney

This document designates a representative to make medical decisions when the individual is unable to do so. You may also hear it referred to as a health care proxy. Notarizing it ensures that all parties will respect the signer’s health care preferences.

Living Will

A living will outlines end-of-life medical preferences. Having it notarized provides assurance that medical choices align with the signer’s wishes.

Guardianship/Conservatorship

In cases where dementia has advanced significantly, establishing a legal guardian or conservator for your loved one. In securing notarized documents, you can ensure that the guardian responsibly manages your loved one’s financial and personal affairs.

Will or Trust

Notarizing a will or trust guarantees the proper distribution of assets after your loved one’s passing, minimizing potential disputes.

HIPAA Release Form

A HIPAA release form grants specific individuals access to the signer’s medical information, aiding health care decisions.

Financial Account Designations

You may also want to ensure that all parties will handle your loved one’s financial matters according to their preferences. To do this, you can work with a Notary to notarize designations on your loved one’s financial accounts.

Act Before It’s Too Late

The absence of specific laws surrounding notarial acts and dementia highlights the importance of being proactive. Waiting until the last moment to have something notarized may lead to legal difficulties or disputes.

As soon as you receive confirmation of your loved one’s dementia diagnosis, initiate the process of having key legal documents notarized. It’s essential you do this while your loved one can still articulate their wishes. This way, you can help protect them while reducing potential family conflicts.

八項內容你不應寫在遺囑或信託內 (廣東話)

 

 

Can A Video be used as A Will?

 

 

識法有方 - 視頻可否當作遺囑? (國語)

 

 

識法有方 – 視頻可否當作遺囑? (粵語)

 

 

Do I Need to Change My Estate Plan Every Time I Move?

What subjects in a will are interchangeable among all states? Is guardianship the same no matter where you live? How about real estate? If I move frequently due to my company, is there anything in my will I know will always be valid or do I have to make changes every time I move? What are the big topics that change when you move?

Due to the full faith and Credit clause of the U.S. Constitution, which reads "Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State," your will executed in one state will be honored if you move to another state. So you don't have to get a new will every time you move. This is also true of revocable trusts; they will be honored in all states.

This is less true of durable powers of attorney and health care directives. While they should be honored from state to state, sometimes banks, medical professionals, and financial and health care institutions don't accept documents and forms with which they are not familiar. In addition, for some purposes the execution requirements may be different. You ask about real estate. Some states require witnesses on durable powers of attorney and others don't. A state requiring witnesses may not allow a power of attorney without them to be used to convey real estate even though the document is perfectly valid in the state in which it was executed.

What are Some Common Mistakes in Titling Real Property?

“Unlike personal property, real property–such as real estate or automobiles–is titled to convey ownership.”

Title to real property must be transferred, when the asset is sold and must be cleared (free of liens or encumbrances) for the transfer to occur. Unlike other real property assets, real estate ownership can take several forms. Each of these forms has implications on how ownership can be transferred and can affect how they can be financed, improved or used as collateral.

Investopedia’s article, “5 Common Methods of Holding Titles on Real Property,” looks at the ways in which to hold title to real estate property.

Joint Tenancy. This is when two or more people hold title to real estate jointly, with equal rights to enjoy the property during their lives. When one dies, their rights of ownership pass to the surviving tenant(s). The parties in the ownership need not be married or related, but any financing or use of the property for financial gain must be approved by all parties and cannot be transferred by will after one passes. Another disadvantage is that a creditor with a legal judgment to collect a debt from one of the owners, can also petition the court to divide the property and force a sale in order to collect on the judgment.

Tenancy In Common. In this situation, two or more persons hold title to real estate jointly with equal rights to enjoy the property during their lives. However, unlike joint tenancy, tenants in common hold title individually for their respective part of the property and can dispose of or encumber as they chose. Ownership can be willed to other parties, and in the event of death, ownership will transfer to that owner's heirs undivided. An owner can use the wealth created by their portion of the property, as collateral for financial transactions, and creditors can place liens only against one owner's specific portion of the property. Any liens must be cleared for a total transfer of ownership to take place.

Tenants by Entirety. This can only be used, when the owners are legally married. This is ownership in real estate under the assumption that the couple is one person for legal purposes. The title transfers to the other in entirety, if one of the couple dies. The advantage is that no legal action is required at the death of a spouse. There’s no need for a will, and probate or other legal action isn't necessary. Conveyance of the property must be done in total, and the property can’t be subdivided. In the case of divorce, the property converts to a tenancy in common, and one owner can transfer ownership of their respective part of the property to whomever they want.

Sole Ownership. This is ownership by an individual or entity legally capable of holding title. The main advantage to holding title as a sole owner, is the ease with which transactions can be accomplished, since no other party needs to authorize the transaction. The disadvantage is the potential for legal issues regarding the transfer of ownership, if the sole owner dies or become incapacitated. Unless there’s a will, the transfer of ownership upon death can be an issue.

Community Property. This form of ownership is by husband and wife during their marriage for property they intend to own together. Under community property, either spouse has the right to dispose of one half of the property or will it to another party. Anyone who’s lived with another person as a common-law spouse and doesn't specifically change title to the property as sole ownership (which is legally transacted with approval by the significant other) takes the risk of having to share ownership of the property, in the absence of a legal marriage.

Community Property With the Right of Survivorship. This is a way for married couples to hold title to property. However, it is only available in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, and Wisconsin. It lets one spouse's interest in community-property assets pass probate-free to the surviving spouse, in the event of death.

Entities other than individuals can hold title to real estate in its entirety. Ownership in real estate can be done as a corporation. The legal entity is a company owned by shareholders but regarded under the law as having an existence separate from those shareholders. Real estate can also be owned as a partnership, which is an association of two or more people to carry on business for profit as co-owners. Real estate also can be owned by a trust. These legal entities own the properties and are managed by a trustee on behalf of the beneficiaries. There are many benefits, such as managerial influence, financial and legal liability and tax considerations.

Reference: Investopedia (April 10, 2018) “5 Common Methods of Holding Titles on Real Property”

Celebrity Estate Battles Provide Valuable Lessons on Estate Planning

“Wicked stepmothers are the stuff of Grimm’s fairy tales. Widowed stepmothers are the root of real-life inheritance wars.”

The biggest issues in inheritance battles stem from Alzheimer’s disease, widowed stepmothers and estate crime. Certain issues, like signs of dementia, questionable asset transfers and sudden changes in investment risk profiles are sure signals that something is going on, reports Think Advisor in the article “What the Nastiest Celebrity Estate Battles Can Teach Advisors.”

If regular family fights feel like civil wars, then celebrity battles elevate the conflicts into global meltdowns. Showbiz legends like Tony Curtis, Mickey Rooney and Jerry Lee Lewis serve as perfect examples.

Rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis’s seventh wife (yes, seventh) and his third wife’s daughter have been in court for nearly two years. The wife has charged her stepdaughter with financial and physically abusing the singer, who is now 83. The daughter countersued, alleging that her stepmother was drugging her father into an incoherent state. Lewis recently had a stroke, and he was admitted to a rehab facility.

What can families do about elder abuse, which the American Bar Association has called the “crime of the 21^st century?”

Pay attention. Over the next 30 years, as much as $30 trillion in Baby Boomer assets will be transferred to the next generation. The number of people getting older is taking a huge leap and so will the number of people who suffer from cognitive-related diseases.

Know what an “estate crime” is. This is the term to describe the unauthorized, unlawful taking of someone’s assets, while they are alive. It’s what happens when a personal representative, such as a trustee, suppresses assets and takes them. It’s more likely to occur when an entrepreneur or business owner keeps a lot of cash in the safe. That money mysteriously vanishes at their death. Therefore, if anyone has a lot of cash around, they need to be able to prove it and give that documentation to someone they trust.

What happens when a person’s family is involved in litigation and they are incapacitated? Attorneys will look for transfers that occurred just prior to the time the person became incapacitated. Would they be the result of undue influence or pressure? What about their estate documents — were they changed near the time the person became seriously ill or when they were near to death? Medical records and doctors’ reports become important in these cases.

What happened to Tony Curtis, romantic and comic leading man? A year before he died, Tony Curtis wrote a new will and revised his trust. He disinherited his five surviving children and left his entire estate worth $46 million to his sixth wife. The children, who include actress Jamie Lee Curtis, filed a suit claiming that their father was mentally impaired, but the case was dropped. It’s possible that the suit was settled confidentially. Any time there’s such a big change before death, expect litigation.

Why do so many famous people seem to die without a will? People don’t like to think about death, so they procrastinate. It’s that way for celebrities and for regular people. However, we read more about celebrities. Estate planning attorneys are the ones who see what happens, every day, when people don’t have wills and the family is faced with estate battles.

What’s the solution? It’s not that complicated. Find an estate planning attorney that you are comfortable with and draw up an estate plan. Make sure you have a will, power of attorney and health care power of attorney. Talk with your family about your intentions for distribution of your property and make sure that every few years, when events occur in your life or when laws change, you update your estate plan. That would save many people, famous and otherwise, from devoting time and money to cleaning up after their loved ones.

Reference: Think Advisor (March 27, 2019) “What the Nastiest Celebrity Estate Battles Can Teach Advisors”

 

 

Will Helps Avoid Problems and Expenses for Family 遺囑有助於避免家庭糾紛和費用 (中英對照)

“Wills are beneficial, whether you think you have assets or not.”

Having a will and an estate plan makes passing along assets much easier for the family. Having necessary documents like a power of attorney and a health care power of attorney lets the family make decisions for a loved one, who has become incapacitated. These are estate planning basics, as reported by WKBN 27 in the article “Attorney recommends everyone have a will in place to prevent avoidable issues.”

Think of the will as a way to speak for yourself, when you have passed away. It’s the instructions for what you want to happen to your property, when you die. If there’s a will, the executor is responsible for carrying out your requests. With no will, a court will have to make these decisions.

Many people believe that if they don’t have a will, their spouse will simply inherit everything, automatically. This is not true. There are some states where the surviving spouse receives 50% of a decedent’s assets and the children receive the rest. However, the children could be offspring from outside the marriage. Not having a will, makes your estate and your family vulnerable to unexpected claims.

A will must contain certain elements, which are determined by your state’s laws and must be signed in the presence of two witnesses. Without the correct formalities, the will could be deemed invalid.

Lawyers recommend that everyone have a will and an estate plan, regardless of the size of your estate.

Young parents, in particular, need to have a will, so they can name a person to be guardian of their child or children, if they should both die.

Details matter. In some states, if you make a list and neglect to name specifically who gets what, using the term “children” instead of someone’s name, your stepchildren may not be included. State laws vary, so a local estate planning attorney is your best resource.

You should also be sure to talk with your spouse and your children about what your intentions are, before putting your wishes in writing. You may not feel totally comfortable having the discussion. However, if your intention is to preserve the family, especially if it is a blended family, then everyone should have a chance to learn what to expect.

Wills do become binding, but they are not a one-time event. Just as your life changes, your estate plan and your will should change.

Don’t neglect to update your beneficiary designations. Those are the people you named to receive retirement accounts, bank accounts or other assets that can be transferred by beneficiary designations. The instructions in your will do not control the beneficiary designation. This is a big mistake that many people make. If your will says your current spouse should receive the balance of your IRA when you die but your IRA lists your first wife, your ex will receive everything.

Here are the four estate planning documents needed:

• A will;
• A living will, if you need to be placed on life support and decisions need to be made;
• A healthcare power of attorney, if you cannot speak for yourself, when it comes to medical decisions;
• A durable power of attorney to make financial decisions, if you are incapacitated.

A local estate planning attorney can help you create all of these documents and will also help you clarify your wishes. If you have an estate plan but have not reviewed it in years, you’ll want to do that soon. Laws and lives change, and you may need to make some changes.

Reference: WKBN 27 (March 14, 2019) “Attorney recommends everyone have a will in place to prevent avoidable issues.”

“無論你認為自己是否擁有資產，遺囑都是有利的。”

擁有遺囑和資產計劃使得家庭更容易傳承資產。擁有財務授權書和醫療授權書等必要文件可讓家人為已喪失能力的親人做決定。這些是資產規劃的基礎，正如WKBN 27在文章“Attorney recommends everyone have a will in place to prevent avoidable issues.”所報告的那樣。

當你去世時，遺囑像是代你發言的一種的方式。當你去世時，它就是一個指引說明你想要你的財產如何處理。如果有遺囑，執行人有責任執行您的要求。沒有遺囑，法院便會做決定。

許多人認為，如果他們沒有遺囑，他們的配偶就會自動繼承一切。這並不正確。在某些州，在生配偶獲得死者的一半資產，而子女則獲得其餘的資產。可是，他們可能是非婚生子女。故沒有遺囑，會使您的遺產和家人容易受到意想不到的索償。

遺囑必須包含某些要素，這些要素由您所在州的法律決定，並且必須在兩名證人在場的情況下簽署。如果沒有正確的手續，遺囑可能被視為無效。

律師建議每個人都有遺囑和資產計劃，無論您的資產規模如何。

特別是年輕父母, 更需要遺囑，這樣他們可以指定一個在他們都去世後作為子女的監護人。

細節很重要。在某些州，如果你列出一個資產清單而忽略了具體說明誰得到什麼，使用“子女”這個詞而不是某個人的名字，那麼你的繼子女可能不會被包括在內。各州法律各不相同，因此咨詢當地的資產規劃律師是最好的辦法。

在以書面形式表達您的意願之前，您應該要與您的配偶和您的子女談論您的意願。討論時你可能感覺不太舒服。但是，如果你的目的是保護家庭，特別是混合家庭，那麼每個人都應該有機會得知自己將得到什麼。

遺囑確實具有約束力，但不是一次便能完成。隨著你的生活產生變化，你的資產計劃和遺囑應該作出適當的改變。

不要忽略更新您的受益人名稱。這些人您所指定的人將得到您的退休帳戶，銀行帳戶或其他可以通過指定受益人來轉移資產的人。您遺囑中的說明不會推翻這些指定受益人。這是許多人犯下的大錯誤。如果你的遺囑說由你現在的配偶在你去世時會得到你IRA中的餘額，但你的IRA上列明的卻是你的前妻，那麼你的前妻將得到一切。

以下是所需的四份資產規劃文件：

• 遺囑;
• 生前意願書，如果你需要用儀器來維持生命並且作出決定時;
• 醫療授權書在您不能為自己作出醫療方面的決定時;
• 財務授權書來做出財務上的決定, 當您喪失行為能力時

當地的資產規劃律師可以幫助您建立所有這些文件，並幫助您表明您的意願。如果您已有資產計劃，但多年未有進行審核，你需要盡快審核。您可能因法律和生活上的變化而需要做出一些改變。

參考: WKBN 27 (March 14, 2019) “Attorney recommends everyone have a will in place to prevent avoidable issues.”

Where There’s A Will, There’s a Better Future for Family

“Often people are under the misconception that a will is only necessary if a person has a lot of assets, is wealthy, or has a complicated financial planning program in place.”

The plain truth is, everyone needs a will. The value of someone’s personal property has very little to do with the need for a will or estate plan. Without one, the process of settling an estate and having heirs receive their inheritance could be delayed for many months, or even years, says the article “Where there’s a will, there is a plan in place” from The Advertiser. For wills to be legally acceptable, there are certain things that need to be included:

Identification of the person making the will, also known as the testator. The will must contain the person’s name, address, state their intention to create a distribution process for assets and the statement that this will is intended to be their last will and testament and all other wills are revoked. The will must also be dated to be sure to know hold old it is, with regard to other wills.

Outstanding debt payment. The will needs to explain how any outstanding bills will be paid, including funeral costs, medical costs, taxes owed, and any other expenses that a person may have at the time of their death. This may vary by state, so speak with a local estate planning attorney to find out what your state’s laws are.

Name any heirs and what they are being given. You may give your property to whomever you want, or to a charity. The bequest needs to be carefully written, so it is very specific and there are no misunderstandings. Since it may be hard to know what will be left after final expenses are paid, it may be wise to give percentages of assets, rather than specific figures. An estate planning attorney will know how to best handle this aspect of a will.

Chose an executor and name them in the will. The executor is responsible for carrying out the wishes of the testator and is in charge of paying debts, taxes, distributing assets and any tasks assigned in the will. Choosing the right person for this task is very important. They need to be able to handle the responsibility and be able to execute your wishes, without being bullied by family members or friends. Always name a secondary executor, in case the first predeceases you, or if the person is unable or unwilling to serve.

Name a guardian for minor children. This is why parents of young children must have a will. If there is no will, the court will determine who should raise the children, following the laws of kinship of your state. You may not agree with the court’s decision. Select a person (or couple) you believe will raise the children, as close as possible to how you would raise the children.

Plan for your funeral. This is a kindness to your loved ones. If you don’t plan in advance, your loved ones may spend more than you would wish on an elaborate funeral. The opposite may also happen. A simple paragraph may do the job, or you could visit the local funeral home and prepay, selecting everything so that it will be done according to your own wishes.

In addition to a will, you’ll want a power of attorney and health care power of attorney in place to protect you, in case of incapacity. This way, someone will be able to take care of your finances and someone else will be able to make health care decisions, if you can’t.

An estate planning attorney can work with you to make sure that all these documents are properly prepared according to your state’s laws.  They have worked with many others, know what kind of issues crop up and how to prepare for them. This is especially important with blended families or families where there are complicated histories. Think of the estate plan as a gift to your heirs, a chance to express your wishes and a way to create a legacy for your loved ones.

Reference: The Advertiser (March 10, 2019) “Where there’s a will, there is a plan in place”