Welcome to the Desert Law Group blog! Here you will find estate planning information and insights, helpful tips to preserve your wealth and protect your assets, and copies of our latest newsletters, Lawyer for Life, Elder Law Update, and Smart Aging Update.
Browse recent posts to gain general information, use the menu at the left to search by topic, or join the Desert Law Group community by subscribing to have new posts emailed directly to your inbox. Topics include: estate planning, probate and trusts, healthcare planning, special needs planning, charitable giving, and more. Check back regularly for updates!
If you would like to receive more information about anything you’ve read on our blog or have questions that you can’t find the answer to, contact our office at 760-776-9977 to speak with an estate planning attorney.
When people think about estate planning, they usually think about money and assets, such as homes, savings, investments, and inheritances. But there is another asset that deserves just as much protection: your brain. Cognitive health is central to independence, dignity, and quality of life as we age. And while legal documents can’t prevent dementia or […]
Read more
Medicaid planning is one of the most misunderstood areas of elder law. Even highly educated families often come in with assumptions that sound reasonable, but turn out to be incorrect, which could end up being costly. As we head into a new year, it’s worth clearing up a few persistent myths. Myth #1: “Medicaid Is […]
Read more
The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute you’re finishing the leftover Halloween candy, and the next you’re booking flights, mapping out road trips, thawing turkeys and debating over real or fake trees. But as joyful (and chaotic) as December travel can be, it’s also one of the highest-risk times […]
Read more
For many families, the “family home” isn’t just a structure. It’s memory-soaked real estate: pencil marks on the doorframe, backyard wiffle ball games, the spot on the stairs where someone always squeaked because no one ever fixed it. But when aging parents begin to decline, that same home becomes something else entirely: an asset, a […]
Read more
If you still imagine most seniors as reluctant smartphone users who avoid apps and artificial intelligence like the plague, it’s time to update that picture. A new survey from KFF (the Kaiser Family Foundation) found that today’s Medicare beneficiaries are surprisingly comfortable using digital health technology; from apps that manage prescriptions and appointments to online […]
Read more
Most of us hope to stay in the place we know best as we grow older: our home. That wish isn’t sentimental fluff, it’s the reality for a strong majority of older adults. In AARP’s 2024 Home & Community Preferences Survey, 75% of adults 50+ said they want to remain in their current home as […]
Read more
Every October, we’re surrounded by reminders of our own mortality – skeletons on porches, haunted house tours, and ghost stories galore. It’s a good-natured bit of seasonal fun. But for families who’ve lost a loved one, there’s nothing spooky about the confusion and conflict that can arise when no one knows what that person wanted […]
Read more
When Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act at the end of 2022, it promised to modernize retirement savings and make life a little easier for both savers and those inheriting retirement accounts. Now that we’ve had all of 2024 and most of 2025 living with the changes, we can see which parts have delivered and […]
Read more
Few conversations are more uncomfortable than asking your parents about money. Yet, avoiding it can leave families unprepared for medical emergencies, long-term care costs, or even disputes after a parent passes away. From a legal standpoint, talking openly now can save your family from confusion later. Money decisions made today can affect not only your […]
Read more
When most people think about who will manage their estate or step in if they can’t make decisions, the answer feels obvious: a spouse, an adult child, or a trusted relative. But what happens when family isn’t the best option? That’s where professional fiduciaries come in. What is a fiduciary? A fiduciary is someone who […]
Read more
