Author Archives: Jay Butchko
When a Criminal Record Follows You Into the Workplace: Licensing Consequences in Connecticut
A criminal case does not always end when the sentence is served. For the many Connecticut residents who work in licensed occupations, a conviction can resurface years later in the form of a licensing board inquiry, a stalled application, or a notice of disciplinary review. Nurses, real estate agents, teachers, contractors, insurance producers, and… Read More »
The $2,000 Threshold: How Connecticut Special Needs Trusts Protect a Child’s Future
For parents of a child with a disability, estate planning carries a dimension many families never consider. A conventional plan that divides assets equally among all children can produce an unintended result when one child relies on means-tested public benefits. A well-intended inheritance may disqualify that child from the very programs that fund medical… Read More »
Blended Families and Estate Planning in Connecticut: Common Pitfalls
For many Connecticut adults in their 40s and beyond, a second marriage brings together not just two households, but two entirely separate sets of financial goals, children, and expectations. If you have remarried and have children from a prior relationship, your estate plan requires far more care than a plan for a first marriage… Read More »
Who Speaks for You When You Cannot? The Connecticut Rules Behind Naming a Health Care Representative
Adults in their forties and fifties spend a great deal of time making decisions for children and aging parents. Far fewer have settled who would make medical decisions for them. Connecticut law does not leave that question entirely blank, but its default answer is narrower than many people assume. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. §… Read More »
Can a Revocable Living Trust Include a Spendthrift Provision
Many Connecticut residents who are thinking about estate planning will want to consider a revocable living trust. Unlike different types of irrevocable trusts, a revocable living trust is a type of trust that still allows the settlor — the person who makes the trust — to maintain control over it during their lifetime. Accordingly,… Read More »
Who Needs Medicaid in Older Age?
Who might need Medicaid in older age? The answer is more people than you might think. Whether you have an aging parent who could soon require long-term care, or you want to plan ahead for your own health needs in the future, it is important to discuss Medicaid planning with your Connecticut estate planning… Read More »
Should My Teenager Have Advance Directives?
Many Connecticut residents who are currently in their 40s and 50s have teenagers who are reaching the age of majority. Some have a year before leaving for college, while others may be heading to college in the coming months. If you are among the middle-aged population in the state that has a teenager who… Read More »
Why You Need a Will Even If You Have a Revocable Living Trust
Are you beginning to think about estate planning in Connecticut and considering creating a revocable living trust? For many people in the Canton area, with varying incomes and assets, a revocable living trust can be an extremely useful tool to have in your estate plan. A revocable living trust allows the person who creates… Read More »
Why a Large Injury Settlement May Require a Special Needs Trust
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury due to another person’s negligence, a personal injury settlement can provide critical resources for medical care, therapy, and daily living expenses. However, for individuals who will require government assistance programs such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) because of long-term or permanent… Read More »
Federal Estate Tax Exemption Reaches a New Permanent High: What It Means for Your Connecticut Estate Plan
For years, Connecticut families with substantial assets planned around a looming deadline. The federal estate tax exemption, doubled by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, was scheduled to fall back to roughly half its size at the end of 2025. Many estate plans were drafted specifically with that shrinking exemption in mind. That… Read More »