A good estate plan should not only look right when it is signed; it should work when someone actually has to use it. That may sound simple, but it’s one of the most important parts of real-world estate planning. Your documents are not created for a binder; they’re created for a spouse, adult child, trustedContinueContinue reading “Real World Estate Planning: Designing Documents With Administration in Mind”
Author Archives: Lisa Mathews
Special Needs Planning: How to Protect Benefits and Support Quality of Life
When you’re planning for a loved one with a disability, the questions feel different. You’re asking who will protect them, who will understand their needs, and how to make sure support continues if you’re no longer able to manage the details, as well as who should receive money someday. There’s also a quiet worry thatContinueContinue reading “Special Needs Planning: How to Protect Benefits and Support Quality of Life”
Why Estate Plans Go Out of Date, and How to Keep Yours Working
A lot of people feel better the day they sign their estate planning documents – and they should. There’s real peace in knowing you finally named decision-makers, wrote down your wishes, and took care of something that had been sitting in the back of your mind. But an estate plan is not meant to beContinueContinue reading “Why Estate Plans Go Out of Date, and How to Keep Yours Working”
Guardianship and Conservatorship in Virginia: What Families Often Learn Too Late
Families usually learn about guardianship and conservatorship during a stressful season. A parent has dementia and can no longer manage bills. A spouse is hospitalized and cannot sign paperwork. An adult child with a disability turns 18, and the family realizes the rules have changed. The common thread is not care because the family caresContinueContinue reading “Guardianship and Conservatorship in Virginia: What Families Often Learn Too Late”
Will-Based Plan or Trust-Based Plan: How to Choose the Right Path in Virginia
One of the first questions families ask when they begin estate planning is simple: “Do we need a will or a trust?” It’s a fair question. Most people have heard of both, but they’re not always sure what each one actually does. They know they want their wishes honored, their children protected, and their lovedContinueContinue reading “Will-Based Plan or Trust-Based Plan: How to Choose the Right Path in Virginia”
Long-Term Care Planning in Virginia: A Calm Starting Point for Families
It often begins with a phone call that changes your calendar: a fall, a new diagnosis, or a caregiver who is burned out. Suddenly, the question is not theoretical; it’s urgent: “What do we do next, and how do we pay for it?” If your family is facing long-term care planning in Virginia, you’re notContinueContinue reading “Long-Term Care Planning in Virginia: A Calm Starting Point for Families”
Beneficiary Designations and Minor Children: Why Naming Your Child Can Create Court Oversight
For many families, the first estate planning step is not a will or a trust. It’s a form. You open a retirement account, start life insurance through work, or set up a bank account, and the paperwork asks who should receive the funds if you die. You name your child because that feels loving andContinueContinue reading “Beneficiary Designations and Minor Children: Why Naming Your Child Can Create Court Oversight”
Announcing Our New Client Care Membership Program
Ongoing Support. Lasting Peace of Mind. At Mathews Law, we believe estate planning isn’t a one-time event — it’s a lifelong relationship. Your family, assets, and wishes evolve over time, and your estate plan should evolve with them. That’s why we’re excited to introduce our new Client Care Program, created to give you the confidenceContinueContinue reading “Announcing Our New Client Care Membership Program”
It is National Make-A-Will Month, but a Will is Not Enough
Did you know that August is National Make-A-Will Month? Did you also know that a will is only one component of a proper estate plan? While wills are indeed a cornerstone of estate planning, they represent just one facet of a holistic approach that ensures the effective management and distribution of your assets according toContinueContinue reading “It is National Make-A-Will Month, but a Will is Not Enough”
Does an LLC Have to go Through Probate if you Die?
As an estate lawyer in Alexandria, VA, I often hear concerns from clients about the probate process and how to avoid it. Probate can be a lengthy, costly, and often complex process in Virginia, and many people want to find ways to minimize its impact on their estate and their loved ones. For individuals whoContinueContinue reading “Does an LLC Have to go Through Probate if you Die?”