Leaving money directly to a loved one with a disability can unintentionally cost them their Medicaid coverage and SSI. A special needs trust is designed to solve exactly this problem — preserving both the inheritance and the public benefits that support daily life. Here's how it works and who needs to be thinking about it.

Oregon conservatorship may be required if no valid power of attorney exists. Learn how guardianship works and how to avoid court involvement.

A revocable living trust avoids probate only if it is properly funded. Learn the common funding mistakes Oregon families make and how to fix them.

Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance override your will. Learn how Oregon families get this wrong and how to fix it.

Wills can be challenged in Oregon probate court. Learn the four most common grounds for a will contest and how to make your estate plan more defensible.

Oregon's long-term care Medicaid program can cover nursing home costs that would otherwise consume a family's life savings — but qualifying requires navigating a medical standard, a strict income cap, and a five-year look-back on asset transfers.

Track Town Law is a virtual firm serving Oregon and Idaho with clear, flat-fee legal services in estate planning and small business law—offering evening and weekend appointments to fit real life.

If your pets are more than just background characters in your life, they deserve more than an afterthought in your estate plan. Oregon law allows enforceable pet trusts to ensure your animals are cared for—and funded—according to your wishes. Here’s how they work, who needs them, and why they matter.

Oregon’s 2025 legislative session is over—and despite a flurry of bills, the state’s estate tax rules remain mostly unchanged. The $1 million exemption still applies to most families, but a new law—HB 3630—expands relief for farms, forests, and fisheries held in trusts or business entities. Here’s what changed, what didn’t, and what Oregon families need to do now.

If you're a parent in Oregon, naming a guardian for your minor children is one of the most important—and most overlooked—parts of an estate plan. This post explains how guardianship works, what happens if you don't have a plan, and why a trust may be just as important as the nomination itself.

A durable financial power of attorney may not be flashy—but when you’re incapacitated, it’s the document that keeps your financial life running. Learn why it matters, how it works in Oregon, and what makes a POA legally effective.

A HIPAA Authorization is one of the most overlooked but essential estate planning tools in Oregon. Without it, your loved ones may be legally shut out of your medical care when it matters most. Here’s what it is, why it matters, and how to do it right.

An Advance Directive is one of the most important—and most overlooked—parts of any Oregon estate plan. This post explains how to appoint a health care representative, what the form actually covers, and why having the wrong witnesses could render it useless.

Oregon doesn't let married couples combine estate tax exemptions the way the federal system does. Without a credit shelter trust, one spouse's $1 million exemption is often wasted entirely.

Life insurance is often seen as tax-free—but if you live in Oregon and own the policy yourself, it could push your estate over the $1 million estate tax threshold. This post explains how an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can keep your death benefit protected and out of the taxman’s reach.

The phrase “health, education, maintenance, and support” isn’t just legal jargon—it’s the backbone of many Oregon trusts. Known as the HEMS standard, this clause plays a critical role in preserving tax exemptions, protecting assets from creditors, and guiding trustees. Here’s why it shows up in almost every trust—and why it matters more than you think.

The word "irrevocable" stops people cold — but in Oregon estate planning, giving up control is sometimes exactly the right move. Here's when irrevocable trusts make sense and what each type actually does.

A pour-over will works alongside a revocable trust to catch any assets left out and funnel them back into the plan. Learn why this document matters, what it does (and doesn’t do), and why even trust-based estate plans still rely on a will in Oregon.

A revocable living trust is Oregon's most requested — and most misunderstood — estate planning tool. Here's what it actually does, what it doesn't, the funding step that decides whether it works, and how to tell honestly whether you need one.

In Oregon, how you hold title to real estate or a bank account determines what happens when a co-owner dies — and your will may have nothing to say about it.