Elder Law Issues

Hosted by Fleming & Curti PLC

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Episodes

300

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Each week we discuss various elder-law, and elder-law adjacent, issues. In plain language, we review estate planning, guardianship, special needs and other legal and practical developments.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 14, 202616 min

A Look at the Hermitage

Today we are taking a look at the Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary. Cats have a special place in many of our hearts. Several of our staff own cats and one of our attorneys, Jordan S. Young, even volunteers for the Hermitage. We discuss the Hermitage in this podcast because many of our clients discuss ways they would like to provide for the care of their pets after they pass. The Hermitage has a program specifically for this, so we believe taking a look at the Hermitage may give you some helpful ideas on how to incorporate your furry friends into your estate plans. This week we are joined by Michelle and Tiffany from the Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary.

June 7, 202614 min

AI and Deeds

AI and Deeds We have had many clients over the past couple of years wonder if Artificial Intelligence could create deeds and other documents for them. While AI can create documents, we do not often recommend using it for this purpose. AI lacks nuance and expertise. It can also make errors that are easy to overlook. In this podcast we discuss artificial intelligence’s role in creating deeds. We also touch on a human attorney’s role in the preparation of a deed and the positives they bring to the table. Today we are joined by friend of the firm (and fellow Tucson attorney), Jeffrey Neff from Neff Law, PLLC.

May 31, 202612 min

How Charitable Giving Works Best

Today we thought we would provide an example of how charitable giving works. We are joined by Alyce Sadongei the executive director of Mission Garden. Mission Garden is a favorite charity of Fleming & Curti, PLC. In this podcast, Alyce Sadongei and Robert B. Fleming discuss how a charitable organization operates and how gifts are likely to be used. You may feel tempted to leave a charitable gift with a caveat that it be used in a specific way. Charities would love to respect your wishes; however, restricting them may impinge on or distract from their mission. We speak about the importance of how charitable giving works best in organizations so that maybe you will feel more comfortable with a general gift. Getting to know a charity that really resonates with the soul is crucial for this.

May 24, 2026Episode 34113 min

Retirement Accounts and Charitable Giving

Retirement accounts offer one of the most effective ways to make charitable gifts. Actually, two of the most effective ways. Charitable giving using Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) can be very tax efficient during your life, especially if you are over age 70 (70 1/2, actually, but let’s not quibble). And if you have reached your “required beginning date” for mandatory distributions, the power of lifetime gifts from your IRA is enhanced even further. IRAs and other kinds of retirement accounts also offer one of the most efficient ways to make gifts upon your death. Join us for a discussion of some of the specifics. And keep an open mind about how you might increase your charitable giving using these marvelous instruments. This entire month we have been focusing on charitable giving as part of your estate plan. Check out our podcasts on other kinds of charitable planning ideas, and the specifics of one local Tucson charity, Mission Garden. In our next episode, we’ll talk with Mission Garden’s Executive Director about your favorite charity’s favorite way to receive donations.

May 17, 202614 min

Making Charitable Gifts

Making charitable gifts is important to a lot of our clients. It’s a great way to make an impact on your local community. And it’s important to the operation of a robust local charitable economy, especially in times of shortages. We’ve been talking a lot about making charitable gifts this month. Think of it as our own personal Charitable Giving Month. Your favorite charity might promote some of the ideas we describe, and we’d like to help you understand what they’re talking about. While we suggest giving to charities for the sake of charity, sometimes you can enjoy some tax benefits at the same time. Depending on the asset you would like to give, this can be easy… but some assets (like cryptocurrency, or business interests) may be more complicated to donate. Join us in a discussion of the types of assets you may want to give (or leave) to charities for better tax outcomes. Making charitable gifts is a wonderful use of your assets and firms like Fleming & Curti, PLC can help guide you through the process.

May 10, 202614 min

Tucson Charities: Featuring Mission Garden

We have discussed charitable giving in past podcasts and newsletters. In today’s podcast episode we want to share about some — OK, let’s start with one — of our personal favorite local charities. Join us while we talk about the Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace and their signature project: Mission Garden. We talk with Alyce Sadongei, the Executive Director of the Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace/Mission Garden. she describes the living museum of Tucson’s agricultural heritage. Have you visited Mission Garden yourself? We recommend that you go to the base of “A” Mountain and take a look at the living agricultural park/museum/historical representation. We are pretty sure that you will be astonished by your first visit — we know that we were. Local charities provide the same tax benefits as national charities but can be much more satisfying to the soul. They can also have a bigger impact on Tucson and Tucsonans. At Fleming & Curti, PLC, we think that charitable giving is important. And we have our own personal favorite projects that we support — and urge others to join us in supporting.

May 3, 202612 min

Corporate and Independent Trustees

Some clients express interest in corporate or independent trustees serving as their successors in trusts they have or want to establish. In this podcast we discuss our experiences serving as a corporate trustee. We describe some of the services we offer as well as examples of the type of work we get into. Today we are joined by friend of the firm, Bridget Swartz from Mission Management and Trust Co. Mission Management is a local corporate trust company that we deal with on a regular basis. We have nothing but positive things to say about Bridget and Mission Management!

April 26, 202613 min

Probates in Other States

Probates in other states can vary greatly from Arizona’s process. This means that advice you receive in Arizona may not apply in states like New York or Texas. For example: some states treat married couples’ assets as community property and others do not. Moving from state to state may also complicate this process. Certain documents may even be invalidated by moving.   While we may not be licensed to practice law in other states, we have experience with out of state probates. In this podcast we discuss some of these experiences. We also emphasize the importance of seeking legal advice within the state you reside.

April 19, 202613 min

Trusts and Real Estate

Trusts and Real Estate Many of us want to leave a legacy. Leaving real estate in trust for loved ones can be a tempting way to accomplish that goal. However, few grasp all of the consequences and potential issues of this choice. It is one thing to have a trustee sell real estate upon your death, and another for them to use trust funds to maintain a home for someone else. In this podcast we discuss some of the potential issues and a few benefits of trusts and real estate. Today we are joined by friend of the firm, Bridget Swartz from Mission Management.

April 12, 202611 min

Joint Bank Accounts

Joint bank accounts are a useful tool for certain estate planning goals. Unfortunately, there are many pitfalls that people do not anticipate when establishing them. Establishing joint ownership of an account with a child or loved one will allow them to manage that account for you if you become incapacitated. The downside is that once you inevitably die, they will inherit the account regardless of any other documentation you prepare. This can work for or against a well-crafted estate plan. In this podcast we discuss alternatives to joint bank accounts as well as other consequences that most well-meaning people do not consider.