Many families assume a conservatorship is the standard next step when a loved one’s health declines. In Maine, a guardianship usually covers personal matters like living arrangements; court-ordered financial management is known as a “conservatorship” (aka “financial guardianship” in some states). It’s usually a last resort for someone who can no longer manage their assets.

Many Americans who save for retirement can leave gaps in their estate planning, like not updating beneficiaries. Your retirement and estate plans should work together. Both prepare you for the future: retirement planning builds your savings, and estate planning protects those savings and ensures they’re distributed according to your wishes. Reviewing your estate plan before you retire may help prevent tax issues for your heirs and helps your assets last through your lifetime and beyond.

When Laura's mother came home after hip surgery, Laura used two weeks of vacation helping with therapy, meal prep, and travel to appointments. When the time ran out, she faced a dilemma: return to work and leave her mother alone, or take unpaid leave and fall behind on bills. Maine's new paid family medical leave program (PFML), which opened for applications recently, aims to eliminate such decisions. The law goes into effect on May 1st. Under the program, eligible employees and the self-employed may take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a loved one.

Losing someone you love stops everything. The shock and grief can feel overpowering, but decisions about final arrangements may need to be made quickly.  This checklist walks you through the immediate steps — some more urgent than others — at a pace you can manage. What is most important to remember is that you don't have to do everything all at once.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), passed in July 2025, brought sweeping changes to Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts. Explore the updates expanding access for people with special needs and helping them save more money. 

Beneficiary (or "transfer-on-death designations") often have the final word even if you name who you want to inherit your money in a will. The precedence of beneficiary designations over a will means that keeping your beneficiary forms up to date is crucial to comprehensive estate planning.

Estate planning for families doesn’t just focus on generational wealth transfer and financial assets. It can also help you preserve family heritage and non-financial assets like heirlooms or rituals. Without a plan, such "assets" could be lost, forgotten, or a source of conflict.

If you divorce, remarry, and fail to plan properly, your final wishes might not unfold the way you expect. A comprehensive estate plan, however, covers how you want your estate distributed and to whom.

The right special needs planning attorney helps prevent disabled people from losing their public benefits, guiding you step by step to preserve benefits and protect assets. In your initial consultation, ask these questions to find the one for you.

Between 2012 and 2021, fall-related death rates among older adults increased 41 percent nationwide. In that timeframe, Maine showed one of the biggest rises, with 81 fatal falls per 100,000 people. Learn how to prevent falls, what to do right after one, and why planning matters if a fall leads to serious injury.

Fred pulled the manila folder from his desk drawer, shaking off a thin layer of dust. Through the faded ink, he noted the will inside still listed his ex-wife as his beneficiary. His newborn daughter wasn't mentioned.  Don't let your will become a relic like Fred's. Learn five ways to tell when it needs an update.

Home improvements like securing uneven pavement or adding motion lights improve safety inside and outdoors. They also keep you confident and active as you age. Before you start any project, go through the risks to resolve step by step to ensure each improvement is truly necessary to help you decide how to handle them.

Summer often brings milestones like graduations or weddings. They can affect your guardianship choices, beneficiary designations, or trust distributions. Use your trip as a reminder to check whether your estate plan still reflects your current family situation.  In case something happens, having an estate plan in place gives you comfort in knowing your assets and loved ones are protected. It frees you to savor new sights and experiences without leaving loose ends for your family to tie together.  

You still manage your medications and book your own appointments. But a fall, a stroke, or a sudden illness could leave you unable to speak for yourself. If that happens, who talks to your doctor? Who manages your finances? Will everyone know what you would have wanted? Legal planning helps you prepare for these possibilities. It keeps you in charge --- of your care, your choices, and your future -- no matter what life brings.

What if you want to leave an inheritance, but worry creditors or taxes will chip away at it? Or if you want your loved ones to be cared for soon, but probate delays transfer of your assets?   The right trust can protect your assets, streamline distribution, and reduce financial risks. But trusts can be complex; professional help ensures they’re set up properly and legally valid.  Understanding the many different types of trusts and how they work can help you decide if one suits your estate plan.

A recent Caring.com survey found that many people view estate planning as essential when they acquire valuable assets like a home or a substantial cash windfall. More than half of the respondents -- 56 percent -- said they don't have a will or trust because some feel they lack enough assets to leave anyone. But estate planning involves more than things -- it also involves people; your final wishes form the future for those you love. The best time to plan is when you're healthy and don’t face a crisis. Yet, as the survey showed, some age groups are more prepared than others, and certain factors influenced their choices.

With Valentine's Day approaching, the stores are filled with heart-shaped candy boxes and fancy cards. Perhaps a better way to show your love for your family is to do some estate planning.  An “I love you” will (also called a "mirror," "sweetheart," or "reciprocal" will), lets you leave your estate to your surviving spouse. Later, upon the survivor's death, the estate likely passes to their children.

People often seek to avoid probate because they think it's costly and time-consuming. It can also make the content of a will public, which could be embarrassing if the person who died intentionally omitted an heir. The legal process for distributing a deceased person's assets and settling their debts varies by state. Compared to other states, in Maine, it is generally fairly inexpensive and efficient. 

If you’ve started the estate planning conversation, it's time to turn it into a team effort. If not, consider why it’s worth broaching the discussion before it’s necessary. Involving everyone in the process helps sidestep misunderstandings and disputes later. The goal is to create a plan that honors everyone while it preserves not just assets, but family harmony.

Right now, you and your loved ones might be healthy and capable. But imagine how peaceful you would feel knowing you’ve planned for the unexpected. Planning isn’t just about facing life today; it’s about creating a buffer for whatever lies ahead, especially in case of a disability.  Contingency planning through special needs trusts ensures you protect yourself and those you love no matter what happens.

Special needs planning helps ensure that people who can’t care for themselves stay eligible for government benefits throughout their lives.  Caring for a loved one with special needs is often a long-term commitment filled with challenges like changes in income, care, or coverage. It might feel overwhelming. But contacting a special needs planning attorney early can ease your mind, helping you shape a lasting safety net. 

You've probably heard about families who delayed estate planning and later faced legal dilemmas when dementia struck. With a dementia diagnosis, many wonder: Is it too late to create a valid will? In some cases, it might still be possible. 

A will guides your assets and your loved ones through your final chapter. But not every will suits every situation; each has advantages and disadvantages. Let’s explore some of the most common types of wills and their purposes in estate planning.

Are you or the seniors in your life ready for emergencies? Do you have a plan? During unexpected events, older people and the disabled are among the most at risk for injuries or worse. Limited mobility, chronic health issues, and sight or hearing impairments can reduce their reaction times. A solid action plan can protect their health and safety.

An average of six out of every ten American adults lack an estate plan. Like a sandcastle washed away, without a plan, the lifetime legacy you’ve built could vanish. When your loved ones grieve, as medical bills mount and deeds gather dust, your final wishes can remain a mystery.