You’ve worked your entire life for your home. You don’t want your kids fighting in probate court. So you think: “I’ll just put the deed in my favorite child’s name now and write in my will that when they sell it, they have to split the proceeds with their siblings.” Stop right there. That plan will almost certainly fail – and your family could lose everything you intended for them. Here’s the harsh truth most people discover too late: A deed beats a will – every single time.

As of January 2025, the Medicaid gross monthly income limit increased from $2,829 (2024) to $2,991 . Yes – it went from $2,829 to $2,991. It’s a small increase (typical every year to account for inflation), but it’s an increase, and that extra $162 per month now lets some people qualify automatically who were previously $50–$100 over the old limit. The 2025 Medicaid Numbers You Need to Know Gross Monthly Income Limit: $2,991 Asset Limit: $2,000 (unchanged) – you must be able

During an estate planning consultation I ran into a situation I’ve seen many times over the years—one that I suspect happens far more often than people realize. Because so many families face the same dilemma, I wanted to break it down in a way that can help others who are weighing similar choices in their estate planning. Meet “Bob” and His Two Estate Planning Goals For privacy reasons, we’ll call today’s client “Bob.” Bob came in with two very common goals: Keep costs as low