Israel & Gerity, PLLC

10/11/2026

Receiving an inheritance can bring grief, relief, and a long list of financial decisions all at once. Before making any major moves, it helps to understand the potential tax consequences, estate-settlement timeline, and how the new assets fit into your own plans. This article offers a practical place to begin.

To make the most of your inherited wealth, you need to have a plan in place that allows you to spend wisely and save efficiently.

10/11/2026

After you pass, Arizona can go after your estate to get back what it paid for your long-term care, and that can include the house your kids thought they would get.

10/11/2026

Most people assume that when someone dies, the family has to go through probate no matter what. 📋

That hasn't been true since a recent change in Arizona law, and it means a lot of families no longer have to go through what they used to.

But there's a catch most people miss, a waiting period, a strict dollar limit, and a form that gets rejected more often than you'd expect.

Watch before you assume probate is your only option. ⚖️

10/10/2026

Palliative care can offer relief, support, and a better quality of life alongside treatment. Planning ahead helps the care team and your family understand who can make decisions and what matters most to you.

Hope can look like more time, less pain, a familiar room, or one more good day together. One calm conversation can give everyone more confidence later.

We're here to help you document what comfort and dignity mean to you.

10/10/2026

When one of you needs long-term care, the spouse still living at home may only get to keep part of the savings you built together, and that has to cover their bills for the rest of their life.

10/10/2026

Medicare and Medicaid sound almost the same, but they are not the same thing. 💊
Confusing them is exactly the kind of mistake that can cost a family its entire life savings when long term care becomes necessary.
There's a way to protect your assets and still qualify for the help you actually need, but only with the right planning in place ahead of time.
Watch before the confusion costs you. ⚖️

10/10/2026

The death of a spouse can change household income overnight. Pension elections, Social Security, insurance, account access, and ongoing expenses can all affect the surviving spouse's financial picture.

Estate planning and retirement planning should work together so the survivor is not left trying to understand everything while grieving. Couples should know what income continues, what may stop, and where to turn for help.

A conversation now can spare your spouse so much confusion later.

10/09/2026

Arizona checks everything you gave away in the five years before you apply for long-term care through ALTCS, so signing the house over to your kids too late can leave you without coverage right when the nursing home bills start.

10/09/2026

A lot of people use estate planning and elder law like they mean the same thing. 📚
Confusing the two is exactly what leaves families with a perfectly drafted will and still losing everything to nursing home bills.
Each one protects a completely different part of your future, and missing either one leaves a gap the other can't fix.
Watch to see which one your plan is missing. ⚖️

10/08/2026

Once you pass, a bank account in only your name can be locked until a court gives someone access, so your family may end up covering the funeral out of their own pockets while they wait.