Resources & Guides
Practical information to help you and your family navigate difficult situations. Select a topic below to learn more.
VA Funeral Benefits & Asset Limits
If your loved one is a veteran, the VA may cover burial costs, but eligibility comes with strict financial rules.
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VA Funeral Benefits & Asset Limits
If your loved one is a veteran, the VA may cover burial costs, but eligibility comes with strict financial rules.
Who Qualifies
Veterans who served on active duty and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable generally qualify for VA burial benefits. This includes a gravesite in a national cemetery, a headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, all at no cost.
The Asset Limit
For certain VA pension benefits like Aid & Attendance (which helps cover assisted living or in-home care), the veteran's net worth must be below a threshold, currently around $155,356 (adjusted annually for inflation). This includes nearly all countable assets: bank accounts, investments, and property beyond a primary residence.
The Transfer Penalty
You cannot simply give money or assets to family members to get under the limit. The VA enforces a 3-year look-back period on asset transfers. Any gifts or transfers for less than fair market value during that window can result in a penalty period where benefits are denied.
Spend-Down Strategies
Legitimate ways to reduce countable assets include paying off debt, prepaying funeral expenses through an irrevocable funeral trust, making home modifications for medical needs, or purchasing exempt items. Consulting an accredited VA claims agent or elder law attorney is strongly recommended before making moves.
Burial Allowances
Even without pension eligibility, the VA offers burial allowances for service-connected deaths (up to ~$2,000+) and non-service-connected deaths (up to ~$948 for burial plus $948 for plot). Amounts are updated annually.
Medicaid Spend-Down & Long-Term Care
Medicaid can help cover nursing home and long-term care, but your assets must be below strict limits first.
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Medicaid Spend-Down & Long-Term Care
Medicaid can help cover nursing home and long-term care, but your assets must be below strict limits first.
What Is Spend-Down
Medicaid has strict income and asset limits. In most states, an individual applying for long-term care Medicaid can have no more than $2,000 in countable assets. A "community spouse" (the one not entering care) may keep a Community Spouse Resource Allowance, typically between $30,828 and $154,140 depending on the state.
The 5-Year Look-Back
Medicaid reviews all financial transactions from the 5 years before your application. Any gifts, transfers below fair market value, or suspicious moves can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid will not pay for care. This is one of the most common pitfalls families face.
Exempt vs Countable Assets
Generally exempt: your primary home (up to a state-set equity limit, often ~$713,000), one vehicle, personal belongings, prepaid irrevocable funeral plans, and certain life insurance policies with face value under $1,500. Everything else, including savings, investments, and second properties, typically counts.
Irrevocable Funeral Trusts
One of the safest and most common spend-down tools is an irrevocable funeral trust. You prepay your funeral expenses and lock them into a trust that Medicaid cannot count as an asset. This protects the funds and ensures your wishes are carried out.
Get Professional Help
Medicaid planning is complex and varies by state. An elder law attorney can help structure assets legally, set up trusts, and navigate the application process. Starting early, ideally years before care is needed, gives you the most options.
Life Insurance & Beneficiary Review
Outdated beneficiaries are one of the most common, and most easily avoidable, estate planning mistakes.
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Life Insurance & Beneficiary Review
Outdated beneficiaries are one of the most common, and most easily avoidable, estate planning mistakes.
Why This Matters
Life insurance pays directly to the named beneficiary, bypassing your will entirely. If your beneficiary designation is outdated, still listing an ex-spouse, a deceased relative, or no one at all, the payout may not go where you intend, regardless of what your will says.
ERISA Override
For employer-sponsored life insurance governed by ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act), federal law says the named beneficiary on the policy wins, even if your will, divorce decree, or state law says otherwise. The Supreme Court has upheld this multiple times.
Audit Checklist
Review all policies: employer group life, personal term or whole life, accidental death (AD&D), and any policies through professional associations or credit unions. For each, verify the primary and contingent beneficiaries are current and correct.
Contingent Beneficiaries
Always name a contingent (backup) beneficiary. If your primary beneficiary passes before you and no contingent is listed, the payout may go to your estate, which means probate, potential creditor claims, and delays.
When to Update
Review beneficiaries after any major life event: marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a beneficiary, or significant change in relationships. Set a calendar reminder to review annually.
Digital Estate Management
Your online accounts, crypto wallets, and digital files need a plan too. Most people forget this entirely.
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Digital Estate Management
Your online accounts, crypto wallets, and digital files need a plan too. Most people forget this entirely.
The Problem
When someone passes, their family often has no idea what online accounts exist, let alone how to access them. Email, social media, banking, subscriptions, cloud storage, and cryptocurrency. All of it can be lost, locked, or continue charging indefinitely.
Legacy Contacts
Major platforms offer legacy or inactive account tools: Google has an Inactive Account Manager, Apple has a Legacy Contact feature, Facebook allows you to set a Legacy Contact or request memorialization, and Instagram can memorialize accounts. Set these up now. They only take a few minutes.
Password Managers
Use a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, etc.) and set up its emergency access feature. This lets a trusted person request access after a waiting period. Store the master password or recovery key in a secure physical location like a safe or with your attorney.
Cryptocurrency
Crypto is the most at-risk digital asset. Without the private key or seed phrase, funds are permanently inaccessible. Write down your seed phrase and store it in a fireproof safe or safety deposit box. Never store it only digitally. Consider a multi-signature setup for large holdings.
State Laws Vary
The Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) has been adopted by most states, giving fiduciaries the right to manage digital assets. However, the terms of service of each platform can override this. Having explicit authorization in your will or power of attorney strengthens your family's position.
Funeral Pre-Planning & Pre-Payment
Planning ahead removes the burden of difficult decisions from your family during their hardest moments.
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Funeral Pre-Planning & Pre-Payment
Planning ahead removes the burden of difficult decisions from your family during their hardest moments.
Pre-Need vs At-Need
"Pre-need" means arranging and often paying for funeral services in advance. "At-need" means making arrangements at the time of death. Pre-need planning locks in today's prices, ensures your wishes are documented, and spares your family from making emotional decisions under pressure.
Irrevocable vs Revocable Trusts
An irrevocable funeral trust locks your funds in permanently. You cannot withdraw them, but they are protected from Medicaid and VA asset counts. A revocable trust lets you change your mind but counts as an accessible asset. Choose based on whether asset protection matters for your situation.
FTC Funeral Rule
The Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide an itemized price list, allows you to buy only the services you want (no forced packages), and lets you use a casket purchased elsewhere. Know your rights before you walk in.
What to Watch For
Read contracts carefully. Understand what happens if the funeral home goes out of business or if you move. Ask whether prices are guaranteed or subject to increase. Check if there are cancellation fees. Ensure the contract specifies exactly what services and merchandise are included.
Green and Alternative Options
Natural burial (no embalming, biodegradable casket), cremation, alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation), and body donation to science are all growing options. Many are significantly less expensive than traditional burial. Research what is available and legal in your state.