The Life and Legacy Show

These days, the media and entertainment crowd loves to downplay the role of the Dad.  We're exposed to plenty of TV shows where the Dufus Dad is corrected by the wise 10 year old kid.  Or, perhaps it's the cliche lazy dad from Married With Children who never leaves his beer and pretzels, it's exhausting.   These characters are also very much unlike any Father I know.  The Dads I kno...

Everyone knows that Medicaid has a 5 year lookback period before going into the nursing home.  This generally means that you can't transfer assets before going into a nursing home.  However, there are lots of exceptions to this rule.  Don't make assumptions about what it means to you. Listen to this episode to figure out what it means for you! 

Most people don't have a will. Most people think Medicare will pay for a nursing home. Most people who do plan think a "simple will" is enough. Most people don't plan for their kids' divorces. Most people don't plan for their kids/grandkids potential disabilities. Most people are wrong.   Don't be like most people.  Listen to this episode to discover how to creat...

Yes.  You read that right.  Disney movies must be written by estate planners.   Think about it... what do Aladdin, Lion King, Tarzan, Frozen, Cinderella and Nemo all have in common?  They all lost a parent at a young age! In this light-hearted episode, Tim discusses each of these movies and the estate planning take-aways that can help you plan for your kids.  Here's a hint:  You want to be th...

If you have a loved one in the nursing home (or could soon), you should listen to this episode.  Tim gives some words of caution and also identifies some opportunities that could help you get the care you need - without going broke in the process.   You should think of an admission to a nursing home as a legal problem.  If any other creditor was coming after you for over $11,000 per month, you&apo...

You have beneficiary designations on financial accounts.  We all do.  But is a beneficiary designation sufficient to meed your estate planning goals?  What criteria make up an effective estate plan for you?  Have you thought about it? In this episode, Tim dispenses with the "common knowledge" that all you have to do is place a beneficiary designation on your accounts and everything will...

Glance around the headlines on any given day and you'll find lots of examples of reasons for proper planning.  Whether it's a divorce like Bill Gates, loss of control like Brittany Spears, or coping with the death of a loved one to Covid 10, there are reasons all around us to become prepared. Let's learn some lessons together from some current events and how we can apply those lesso...

This week's episode, we hope, is a great motivator for you to take your estate planning seriously.   Think of estate planning  as though it is writing the last chapter of your personal book.   You want to make sure your financial assets are secured and delivered to the right people.  You want to make sure your assets work hard for your family, rather than the government.   You want to make su...

Join us this week for a conversation with Elder Care Manager, Lorna Gavin. Lorna is a Registered Nurse who assists seniors and their families in finding the right level of care.   Lorna walks through the differences between personal care, assisted living and skilled nursing.   We also discuss payment sources for care and how the partnership with out law firm really helps our clients.  If you are s...

Our kids need help.   Young kids need our help with education, finance, healthcare, morals, values, religion.   Older kids - your adult kids- need different kinds of help.  They may need financial support.  Advice on grown up decision making.  Sometimes they need help protecting themselves from issues like creditors or divorces. Proper estate planning can transition to meet your kids' needs a...

This weeks episode includes some stories that tried to do planning on their own.   Learn from others's mistakes and make sure your family is well prepared. The second half of the episode discusses planning for your video/photo content.  If you are  a parent, part of your job is to make sure your kids get the moral and ethical training they need.  If something would happen to you, how are you...

They say the only things that are certain are death and taxes.  Unfortunately, they also occur at the same time. Death taxes cause tons of confusion amongst people wanting to do estate planning.  It is also one of the easiest issues to screw up. Listen to this week's episode to get Tim's take on how death taxes really work. 

In this episode, Tim tackles some of the most common estate planning questions we get at the firm.  The most common question of all:  "Should we use a will or a trust?". Tim takes a dive into some of the pro's & cons of these tools in a very informative episode.  Enjoy.

A Nursing Home Admission is a confusing time.  Often times families get no advice, or worse, they get bad advice.   Nursing homes in PA cost over $11,000 per month.  As a result, the stakes are high if you make mistakes.   The admission of a loved one to a nursing home is a legal problem.  Don't rely on what you hear from friends, neighbors or the nursing home billing office.  Don't even...

Seniors Blue Book is an amazing resource for seniors and their families.  As people age they are going to need new services - social support, in-home care, residential care.   How do you find out your options?  The Seniors Blue Book is the area's best resource to find out about the services available to you.  Apryl Garrett, who runs Pittsburgh's Seniors Blue Book, joins Tim in this episo...

If you have young kids or grandkids, you need to hear this episode.  Find out about all the shortfalls of your "simple" estate plan. Life's not simple.  Things happen- disabilities happen, deaths happen, divorces happen, layoffs happen, pandemics happen.   Don't just feel good because you've checked the estate planning box.  Do the right thing for your family and plan for...

TV legend Larry King passed away recently.  Within weeks, the articles hit the news sites about the coming fight over his estate.   It's a story of a hand-written will, multiple marriages,  alleged undue influence and infirm capacity.  Don't let your story end this way. Learn about all the mistakes that took place in his situation and how to keep your family from fighting when you pass....

This week in current events, one tragic and one interesting (to me) thing happened in the news.  First, the tragic thing...the sports world lost a legend in former NFL player and coach, Marty Schottenheimer to his battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Second, the legal battle surrounding Brittney Spears' conservatorship came to light. So what do these seemingly completely unrelated issues hav...

In this episode with a Valentines Day Theme, Tim discusses the promises we make in marriage and with other family members.  To have and to hold, in sickness and in health - This isn't just a tagline.  It's a promise.  It's one we need to keep.  Tim will teach you how. Tim is also joined by his lovely wife, Robyn with some ideas on how to have a great Valentines Date at home.   Great...

Tim is talking elder law this week.  He shares some recent situations he's encountered with families who have called his office.  Through misinformation, bad information or just plain bad luck, these families have missed opportunities to save their homes or other savings from long term care costs.   Don't let the same thing happen in your family! Tim uses these situations to explain some...

Have questions about elder law? Want to know how Medicaid works to pay for the nursing home? Want to know about the 5 year look back period? Should you give your house to your kids? Should I have a trust? Tim tackles these and several other frequently asked elder law questions.  This episode is packed with helpful info.  Don't miss it... this episode might save your home.   Really.  Don'...

There are many reasons that people place estate planning on the back burner.  Among the top reasons are initial consultation fees and not wanting to take time off of work to go see a lawyer. Lawyer's don't always make it easy to accomplish your goals.    At the Sechler Law Firm, we have been working for months to make it easy for you to get the education you want and the documents you ne...

On this episode, Tim is joined again by his lovely wife, Robyn.  They talk about their prior week, which has been a giant WAKEUP CALL regarding the importance of proper estate planning.  The impact of a family member sick with COVID 19 and Tim recovering undergoing surgery has the Sechler family thinking and talking about how best to plan for a family. Learn about necessary updates to your Living...

Have you been putting off competing your estate plan because 1) you don't want to take time away from work and pay initial consultation fees to see a lawyer and 2) you don't trust the online forms? The Sechler Law Firm has a new solution for you.  We are launching our proprietary Life & Legacy Course.  It's an online course where you get all the estate planning education you nee...

In this episode, Tim talks about spending time with family around the holidays and how it is a good time to realize that sometimes things change.  Family circumstances change.  Laws change.  Your estate plan needs to change too.   Tim gives a couple of ideas on when & why you may want to update your plan.