19
Oct
Louisiana law gives residents three ways to change course on a will: draft one for the first time, amend an existing one, or revoke it entirely. Each path has its own formal requirements, and skipping even one can leave a family with no valid plan at all. Oak Grove Estate Plannin...
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Oct
Louisiana recognizes two valid types of wills: the notarial testament and the olographic testament. A notarial will is typed, signed before a notary and two witnesses, and follows a formal attestation process. An olographic will is entirely handwritten, dated, and signed by the t...
View More03
Sep
Under federal Medicaid law (42 U. S. C. § 1396p) and Louisiana's Medicaid Eligibility Manual, the state pays for nursing home care and many home-based long-term care services once an applicant's income and countable assets fall below set limits. A nursing home in Louisiana typicall...
View More03
Sep
Medicaid long-term care benefits can cover the cost of a nursing home, an assisted living alternative, or in-home care once you meet Louisiana's income, asset, and medical requirements. Coverage falls under three main pathways: Institutional Medicaid for nursing facilities, Home ...
View More26
Aug
A solid estate plan rarely comes from one professional working alone. Attorneys draft the legal documents, CPAs address tax exposure, and financial advisors handle asset titling and beneficiary designations. When these three roles work in sync, a Lafayette family's estate plan ho...
View More26
Aug
A will is a legally binding document that names guardians for minor children, directs who inherits your property, and appoints someone to carry out your wishes, none of which depends on how much you own. Most Americans still don't have one, wealthy or not, and the data explains w...
View More08
Jul
Setting up a trust in Louisiana means drafting a trust instrument that names a trustee to hold and manage property for a beneficiary, then legally transferring your assets into that trust. Louisiana law defines a trust as "the relationship resulting from the transfer of title to ...
View More08
Jul
Louisiana is the only state in the country that still follows forced heirship, a rule that reserves part of your estate for certain children, no matter what your will says. That reserved share is called the legitime, and it is set by Louisiana Civil Code Article 1494, which ...
View More11
May
Estate planning is one of those things many people know they should do, but often put off. Life gets busy. The process can feel overwhelming. And for many families, it's easy to assume there’s still time to figure it out later. But after working with families across L...
View More23
May
One of the most common questions we hear is: “What’s the difference between a will and a trust—and do I really need both? ” Here’s a breakdown of what each does, how they compare, and how to decide what’s right for you. What a Will Does Distributes your assets after death Names a...
View More23
May
The rising cost of long-term care is one of the biggest financial risks families face. A single nursing home stay can drain a lifetime of savings in just a few years—unless you plan ahead. At Oak Grove, we help Louisiana families protect their assets while making sure they ...
View More23
May
Life insurance is more than just a financial safety net—it's also a powerful estate planning tool. Whether you want to replace income, fund a trust, or equalize inheritances, how your policy is structured matters more than most people realize. Here’s what Louisi...
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