Articles Posted in Elder Law

The number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States is growing rapidly. So, too, are the number of myths surrounding the disease and other forms of dementia. Let’s begin by looking at what we do know about the prevalence of Alzheimer’s before investigating some of the more common myths.

Approximately 5.5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. Of these, some 5.3 million are 65 years of age or older. In addition:

• One in 10 people 65 and over has Alzheimer’s disease
• Nearly two out of three Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are women
• African-Americans are approximately twice as likely as older Caucasians to have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia
• Hispanics are about one and one-half times as likely to have Alzheimer’s or other dementias as older Caucasians
• As the population grows older, the number of new cases of Alzheimer’s disease is expected to soar
• Today, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease every 66 seconds. By 2050, this figure is likely to increase to one new case every 33 seconds

Now let’s look at some of the most common myths surrounding Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

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Trusts are one of the most commonly used estate planning tools by Jacksonville estate planning lawyers for a good reason.  A Trust can permit an asset to bypass probate while allowing the original owner the power to control and manage the assets.  A trust can also provide asset protection and make assets exempt from the Medicaid qualification process.  Our Jacksonville estate planning attorneys are often asked about differences between using a trust and an outright gift to a beneficiary.

In most cases, the answer is that it is it better to keep the asset in a trust to reduce income taxes, protect the asset from creditors, and prevent penalties in the case long-term care is needed. We will attempt to explain why in this article   A major purpose of a trust, which can be irrevocable or revocable, is to provide an easy way to transfer ownership of a property when the owner passes away and permit an unlimited step-up in basis without income taxes to the person who receives the items.  Some trusts also provide asset protection or can be designed to protect assets in the case long-term care is needed.  As a person begins to age it can be dangerous and costly to make large outright gifts.  The risks are often specific to the individual and should be discussed with an estate planning or elder law attorney.

One example may be a 65-year-old client who owns a rental home or multiple rental homes.  The homes are primarily rented out to generate income while they appreciate in value.  The client can transfer the property into an asset protection trust.  The trust becomes the owner of the rental property, and the rent and value of the properties can, over time be excluded if the client needs long-term care.  The client can be in charge of their trust and determine how the assets are invested and to whom the funds are given to.