Author: Nolan Elder Law

How to Save the Family Farm

A young woman came to us with a problem. Her grandmother lived on a farm in south Alabama that had been in her family for generations. Rumor had it that Stonewall Jackson had fought a battle on her property in the olden days. Her grandmother still lived there but her grandmother had been diagnosed with…
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What Makes Elder Law Attorneys Different?

If you based your assumptions about lawyers from what you see on TV, you might assume that all lawyers are wealthy, drive expensive cars, wear expensive suits, work in high-rise offices and spend a great deal of time carrying a brief case in one hand while talking on a cellphone with the other hand. You…
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So You Think You Already have a Will?

The majority of Americans don’t have a Will, but you may be one of those people who know the value of sound planning and have a Will. Congratulations! Some people consult a local attorney who can make specific recommendations and who knows the local law regarding probate and estate administration. The attorney has years of…
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What IS “AGING IN PLACE”?

Many of us take for granted that our home will always be where we live. For our elderly population though, there often comes a time when they can no longer live independently, and decisions have to be made about where to live where help is available. “Aging in Place” is the term given to the…
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It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark…

That’s right. Long before the first drop fell, Noah was hard at work, anticipating what was to come. Sure, he had divine knowledge of what the future held- he knew the rain was coming and a gully-washer was expected. He didn’t need for it to cloud up before he got to work. He knew it…
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Are your parents having to deal with collection calls?

Are your parents facing overwhelming debt? The debt could be from medical expenses. It could be from the high cost of living. It could be because a family-member committed elder financial abuse. Regardless of the reason, living on a fixed-income is tough. They don’t need the added stress of collection agencies nagging them. First, the…
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What the Heck is Probate (Part Three)

I recently summarized what the process of probate is and when it is required here in Alabama. This week I wanted to delve a little deeper into the process and discuss duties and a timeline of events. Last week I wrote Part Two, which detailed PROBATE, IF THERE IS A WILL. This week I will…
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What the Heck is Probate (Part Two)

Last week I summarized what the process of probate is and when it is required here in Alabama. This week I wanted to delve a little deeper into the process and discuss duties and a timeline of events. I will divide this into two parts: One, IF THERE IS A WILL(today’s installment), and Two, IF…
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Does a deceased person’s “estate” have to go through the probate process?

This is a very common situation and one that we answer questions about regularly. Don’t assume that you know the right answer! Unless you graduated from law school, passed the Bar and practice law in the probate area, chances are you might be mistaken! When a person dies, usually they leave something behind, called their…
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Happy Holidays (and a warning!)

It is strange but the incidence of people dying goes up, way up, during the holidays! A combination of factors plays into this statistic. People drive more during the holidays. People drink more. People eat more food than normal, some of it unhealthy. People put off going to their doctors when they have weird symptoms…
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