Asset Protection Today with Bill Alexander

About Asset Protection Today with Bill Alexander

Asset Protection Today is a podcast hosted by Bill Alexander, attorney and founder of W.G. Alexander & Associates, PLLC, dedicated to helping individuals and families protect what they've worked a lifetime to build. With more than 50 years of experience practicing law, Bill Alexander brings decades of experience in estate planning, elder law, asset protection, Medicaid planning, VA benefits, trusts, retirement planning, and legacy planning to each episode. He is also a three-time recipient of the North Carolina Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys' Elder Law Attorney of the Year Award. Each episode of Asset Protection Today provides practical information and insights to help you make informed decisions about your family's financial future. Bill and his guests explore strategies for protecting assets, planning for long-term care, preserving wealth, minimizing financial risks, preparing for retirement, and creating an estate plan that protects your family and your legacy. Whether you're planning for your own future, helping aging parents, thinking about long-term care, or looking for ways to preserve your family's wealth for future generations, Asset Protection Today offers information designed to help you understand your options and plan with confidence. Learn more about Bill Alexander and W.G. Alexander & Associates, PLLC, explore estate planning and elder law resources, and find upcoming educational seminars at wgalaw.com

Publisher

W.G. Alexander and Associates, PLLC

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Aug 2018

Latest episode

29 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

81 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Oct 2026

   Gifts, Loans & Medicaid Traps: When Helping Your Kids Hurts You

   Do your children or grandchildren keep asking for money, or for their inheritance early? In this episode of Asset Protection Today, elder law attorney Bill Alexander explains why generosity toward family can backfire, and why well-meant asset protection moves often cause more problems than they solve. Bill explains why most children are better off inheriting than receiving early gifts, especially for tax reasons, and why regular $10,000–$15,000 gifts can create expectations that strain family relationships. He covers why a loan to your child is usually really a gift, why an irrevocable trust can be a better gifting tool than cash, and how any gift made within five years of applying for Medicaid can count against you under the look-back period. He also debunks a common myth: you don't have to be "dirt poor" to qualify for Medicaid nursing home care. Bill explains why irrevocable Medicaid asset protection trusts are rarely needed in North Carolina, and shares real cautionary stories: a couple who couldn't freely sell their own home after moving it into an irrevocable trust, a retired Medicaid caseworker who was better served by an enhanced durable power of attorney (and a full step-up in basis for her daughter) than by deeding part of her house, and a life estate deed that left a mother unable to pay for assisted living when one daughter refused to sign. If you're thinking about gifting to family, protecting your home, or planning for long-term care costs, this episode offers practical guidance from one of North Carolina's most respected elder law attorneys. Want to learn more? W.G. Alexander & Associates hosts free educational webinars on asset protection, trust planning, and long-term care. Sign up at https://wgalaw.com/seminars/ (1:03) Controlling Generosity with a "Chronic Borrower" (3:33) When Gifts Make Sense (and the Problem with Recurring Gifts) (5:40) Using Irrevocable Trusts Instead of Cash Gifts (6:17) Why a Loan to Your Kids Is Really a Gift (8:21) Seniors of Modest Means & the 5-Year Medicaid Look-Back (9:59) Medicaid Myths: You Don't Have to Be Poor (12:08) Irrevocable Medicaid Trusts: Why North Carolina Is Different (15:03) Enhanced Power of Attorney vs. Deeding Your House (19:09) Cautionary Tale: The Life Estate Deed Gone Wrong (22:18) Lessons on Getting the Right Advice (23:01) Recap, Contact Info & Free Webinars #ElderLaw #MedicaidPlanning #EstatePlanning #AssetProtection #GiftingToFamily #LongTermCare #NorthCarolina

2. 

   26 Oct 2026

   Unequal Inheritance Without the Lawsuit: Attorney Mariah McKinney on Avoiding Family Disputes

   Leaving more to one child than another? It's your right, but without the right planning it can end in a costly family lawsuit. In this episode of Asset Protection Today, elder law attorney Bill Alexander and litigation attorney Mariah McKinney, of counsel to W.G. Alexander & Associates, explain how to plan unequal distributions fairly and keep your estate out of court. Bill and Mariah cover why documenting the reason behind an unequal distribution matters, even with a simple written explanation, and why your spouse is the only person legally entitled to part of your estate in North Carolina. They discuss choosing the right agent in a second or third marriage, why a prenup (or a postnup, which is much harder to get) protects your children's inheritance, and why updating your documents before a diagnosis is one of the best ways to prevent a will or trust challenge. Mariah also shares what makes her approach to fiduciary litigation different: looking for collaborative solutions first and asking what each family member actually cares about. She tells the story of an entire estate dispute that came down to one old painting, and how it was settled once everyone understood what the fight was really about. Bill and Mariah also touch on the emotional and financial cost of litigation, and why seniors in decline are especially vulnerable to undue influence. If you're planning an unequal inheritance, navigating a blended family, or worried about a future estate dispute, this episode offers practical guidance from two experienced North Carolina attorneys. Want to learn more? W.G. Alexander & Associates hosts free educational webinars on asset protection, trust planning, and long-term care. Sign up at https://wgalaw.com/seminars/ (1:36) Avoiding Family Conflict (2:00) Documenting Unequal Distributions (3:50) Spousal Rights & Choosing the Right Agent (4:53) Prenups, Postnups & Blended Families (7:00) Why Seniors Need an Elder Law Power of Attorney (8:32) Update Your Documents Before a Diagnosis (10:21) The Real Cost of Estate Litigation (11:50) Mariah's Collaborative Approach & the Painting Story (13:58) Seniors in Decline & Undue Influence (15:17) Wrap-Up & Free Webinar Info #EstatePlanning #ElderLaw #InheritanceDisputes #EstateLitigation #BlendedFamily #Prenup #AssetProtection

3. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Caregiving, Guardianship & Family Conflict with Attorney Mariah McKinney

   When one child becomes the family caregiver, money and family relationships can get complicated fast. In this episode of Asset Protection Today, elder law attorney Bill Alexander welcomes back litigation attorney Mariah McKinney, of counsel to W.G. Alexander & Associates, to talk about how families can avoid costly disputes, Medicaid problems, and guardianship. Mariah brings a litigation perspective to elder law, handling breach of fiduciary duty cases, guardianship disputes, and situations where banks or medical providers won't honor a power of attorney. Together, she and Bill explain why paying a family caregiver without a written agreement can lead to a Medicaid sanction, and why many breaches of fiduciary duty are unintentional. Bill also walks through a common promise, "move in with me and I'll leave you the house," and shares his alternative: a care contract backed by a revolving promissory note secured by the home, so the caregiver is paid fairly without an unfair windfall. The conversation then turns to "life planning": choosing a financial and healthcare power of attorney you completely trust, North Carolina's new guardianship law requiring alternatives to be considered first, why guardianship strips away dignity and privacy, and how a disability plan in a revocable trust spells out where and how you want to be cared for. Mariah and Bill also share real cases, including a grandchild caregiver who was never properly compensated and a family dispute over keeping a spouse at home. If you're caring for an aging parent, serving as an agent or trustee, or worried about a family dispute over care and inheritance, this episode offers practical guidance from two experienced North Carolina attorneys. Want to learn more? W.G. Alexander & Associates hosts free educational webinars on asset protection, trust planning, and long-term care. Sign up at https://wgalaw.com/seminars/ (2:44) Introducing Mariah McKinney (4:47) Maxim: "Don't Squat With Your Spurs On" (6:46) Family Caregiving & Unequal Inheritance (8:21) Caregiver Agreements & Unintentional Breaches (13:12) "Move In and I'll Leave You the House": A Better Solution (19:23) Estate Planning Is Life Planning: Powers of Attorney (20:57) Guardianship & North Carolina's New Law (26:18) Durable Powers of Attorney & Avoiding Guardianship (30:11) Disability Plans in Revocable Trusts (34:23) Case Study: The Grandchild Caregiver (36:22) Contested Guardianships & Keeping a Spouse at Home (40:39) Free Webinars & Sign-Off #ElderLaw #EstatePlanning #Guardianship #PowerOfAttorney #FamilyCaregiving #MedicaidPlanning #FiduciaryDuty

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Apple Podcasts (US)

4.2 / 5

6 ratings

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